THE MINEFIELD

my name is John Budlong I flew a B25 in the Philippines tactical missions low altitude attacks on my 23rd Mission we were hit and had to come down behind Japanese lines we found an airst strip that looked abandoned but we couldn't be sure there was no way of telling what to expect when and if we landed safely is an instrument of flight a 55gal steel drum which carries enough aviation fuel to keep a B25 bomber in the air for 16 minutes an f86 saber jet approximately 7 and A2 minutes and a b50 for about 7 minutes a useful but ordinarily not a very exciting piece of equipment yet on L on near the end of World War II a drunk of this type put to an ingenious use by the crew of a B25 figured in what was one of the most exciting events of that campaign the p25 was flying a mission that day deep into enemy territory the pilot was Captain John Budlong his co-pilot was Lieutenant Lewis K Fowler the bombarder was lieutenant Thomas M Cullen they got us starboard engine you all right yeah but Chuck and Phil are both dead both we caught a barrel full of back there yeah up here too the starboard engine's out our Port engin only making 1,600 gold poost 7 gold poost 7 this is Baker 25 George Baker 25 George we've been hit we're going to try for an emergency landing stand by maybe we ought to bail out Johnny I Can't Get Enough altitude where you going at Landing Strip we passed on the way up should be over here a couple of miles that enemy strip it looked abandoned to me looked those Hills are probably crawling with enemy troops you're trying to dump us in a prison camp that's better than cracking up here who says we got to crack up our our own lines are only about 10 mil from here let's try to make it to one of our own air strips on that engine I say we try to make it home how about you the captain's flown 23 missions in the ship you flown one you better get ready to fight though there it is right over that Ridge like I said there's nobody home yeah could be crawling with nips over there give me some Wheels you know that's going to look pretty silly against enemy machine guns radio get a plane in here to pick us up fast Fire Control goo 7 this is Baker 25 George goo 7 this is Baker 25 George goo 7 this is Baker 25 George do you read me no sign of Japs yet goo 7 this is Baker 25 George do you read me over come in goo 7 this is Baker 25 George see s you sit you do you read me now looks like we caught an artillery shell under there a shell might be tanks in those woods what's the matter flag you better forget about getting any help Tommy maybe this P run get down mines this whole strip must be minine that's with it the landing gear they must have been expecting our paratroops hey AR Tommy I'm coming are you just kidding there must be a dozen mines between here and that truck I know I know the life raft there's a sack of Mark die in it get it what for I'm going to Mark the route I take getting to Tommy if I get there I want to be able to get back I can do that he stay back there's no sense in both of us getting clobbered easy easy it only takes 15 PBS to set off under of those babies all sh get the first aid kit easy pal we'll have you fix up in no time can you move all right we should have known there'd be mines check the truck what for we couldn't get more than 10 yards in it we can't stay here we've got to try to get out it's no good the engine's wrecked that time it was artillery hey shells are coming from the south yeah that could be our own artillery hey that is our stuff getting zeroed in in those Hills over there can you see something yeah our boys aren't pounding those Hills for nothing yeah I can see something in the hill over there looks like plenty of them yeah they're getting set to plaster was all over this field that feel any better I can't see anything out there but it doesn't mean they aren't getting any closer we let barage lifs maybe maybe we better try to get back to the plane if anything hit those gas tanks that ship would turn into a funeral P got the emergency radio I'll get it see if he can get through this thing shows how to line a sight signal it'll never get past those Hills try it anyway go p s this is Baker 25 J over here sounds like an 05 must be an observer plane directing that artillery hello Observer hello Observer this is Baker 25 George do you read me there that's hello Observer this is Baker 25 George look down on the field you're in the wrong channel it's only got one channel it's going away hello Observer hello Observer do you read me Observer Ford to Bomber Crew I'm on your channel now stand by hello Observer do you read me you can't come in observer pull up Observer pull up the field is mine I have to come in an enemy Patrol is headed for the Ridge North of the field when they spot you you've had it let him come in he needs medicine soon hello Observer hello how much runway do you need 300 ft to come down 5 or 600 to get off again all right you stay up there we'll try to clear a strip for you clear a strip how I don't know but stand by okay but get cracking you've only got a few minutes to let enemy Patrol reaches the ridge you're flipping your lid 100 ft 200 ft maybe but 500 ft look we already got 200 ft they're behind the ship she slid that far she cleared out the mines all we got to do is tack on 300 more come on how much weight did you say it took to set up one of those mines 15b all right grab one of these grab that rifle Tommy you might need it I grab that sack of marker die and a couple of those WS from the back of the truck Wards what for a ramp to roll his drums out I'll set off every mine they touch oh we'll never make it we'll be right out in the open come on get busy no no no no no it's still a little late for that maybe we we better try to make a run for it look we'll try to get a board for Tommy and then we'll we'll go into the woods come on snap out of it but I'm trying to T it you've already told me now stop shooting off your mouth and get busy look F I'm just as scared as you are believe me I marked the outside edge Baker 25 George to Observer 4 how about some more artillery to slow up that Patrol Observer 4 to rain maker fire mission x24 y16 four rounds h e fire for effect hey good shooting get on out of the drum it's too late we're down to the wire that'll hold him keep it up pal you're doing fine hit him again rain maker adjust 100 left Observer for a rain maker dropped 50 20 left hello Bomber Crew speed it up they're working as fast as they can there's some nips coming in looks like they got a mortar where are they about 200 yd from you I'll fly over them now watch right here where's he going he'll get himself killed stay down you don't have a chance this keeps up none of us will have a chance n that doesn't I can't get this locks off the ground with four guys and lets me scri her to the Bone hey lieutenant maybe you better make two trips I'll wait for the second load no time those enemy troops are moving up after all that TNT they took cover and waited it out they'll be on that Ridge in no time hey maybe you better call the paratroops about those mines I did all right let's get Tommy get those belts off even a pound will make a difference okay let's get out of here I'll be back in a moment to tell you more about the crew of Baker 25 George of Baker 25 George was back in the Philippine fight within a few days their rescue was a demonstration of that courage and Ingenuity which has always been a part of the story of flight GL a