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Posted by Tom Kwiatkowski Sr. - 309C
on 11/2/2009, 2:50 pm
74.44.81.74
There was a boat ride to see the Blue Grotto. We were taken by a small motor boat seemingly half way around the island to a location where at exactly the right time, when the tide was just right, an opening in the stone cliff could be seen. It was just wide enough and tall enough, when the swells went down, to allow the boat to pass through quickly, before the swells came up again. There was a rope running into the hole at the top which the boatman could grab and use to pull the boat into the hole. We were told to lay down in our seats in the boat, and be sure to stay down until the boatman told us to get up and not a second before. We all felt that this was going to be a little hairy and were more than a little concerned, but no one intended to back out. After waiting for exactly the right moment and conditions, our man grabbed the rope and began pulling fast and furiously. Suddenly, we were inside, and we were stunned to see a dome-shaped cavern approximately forty feet in diameter, which was a iridescent bright teal blue color. The bottom of the cavern was the same color and could be clearly seen about twenty feet down through the crystal clear water. As we spoke, our voices seemed to be magnified somewhat. It was a magnificent sight to behold and we just sat there quietly looking at it for about fifteen minutes. Then we had another thrill going out through that small opening again.
The three days flew by very quickly, and we soon found ourselves bouncing along in that G.I. truck again, headed eastbound and back to the ugly world and the reality of flying combat missions again.
The weather had prevented us from flying a mission since the 20th of October, although I was able to fly several of the extra-curricular missions. However, on 11/4/44 we were being briefed for another long one, a 7 hour 15 minute trip up north into Austria to hit a critical railroad marshalling yard at Linz. This target was located half way between Munich to the west and Vienna to the east. I don't mind saying that these long missions were becoming a real drag. It was bad enough to have to go over tough targets that were heavily defended and having to face the danger and stark fear again and again, but to have to do it for such a prolonged period of time just multiplied the agony. Then too, the requirement of doing this for a minimum of 35 times seemed to push the odds far beyond the point of being even remotely achievable. This must have been where the old Army cliche "Ours is not to reason why, Ours is but to do and die" originated. They also said "A good soldier always gripes," didn't they?
TO BE CONTINUED
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SOURCE: MEMORIES OF WAR AND PEACE BY ROBERT J. "BOB" GILLMAN. USED WITH PERMISSION.
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