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205927
S/Sgt Raymond Ezra Duncan
United States Army Air Force 836th Squadron 487th Bomb Group
from:Sentinel, Ok, USA
I was assigned to the 487th Bomb Group 836th Squadron from inception to termination. I served in England on Station 137 for 15 months. I volunteered to be bar tender for the 836th Sqdn party on return of Col Bernie Lay's return after the bomb mission which his aircraft was shot down in France.
I was also present at the Boarding of Trebble Four aircraft by Brigadier General Bernard Castle on 24 December 1944 which ended in fate for General Castle & possibly one other crew member.
For 65 years I was not aware of the outcome of this flight until it was discovered on the internet. I was Crew Chief on Heavenly Body which has been reported in a narrative on the internet that it crashed but I have to say I flew back to the USA in July 1945 in it after being allerted 19 times for takeoff.
I prepared a swing seat between the pilot & Co-pilot as the pilot was concerned about one spark plug malfunction. I assured him that it was OK. We flew from station 137 to Wales-overnight on to Rejykavick, Iceland-overnight, on to Labrador-overnight & on to Bangor, Maine without incident.
I built a hut by the aircraft hardstand out of B-24 Bomb bay cargo racks & lived in it several months.