[drgondog]

John - Amen. That particular scene is perhaps my favorite of all time.

Red Morgan, 92nd BG, was the co-pilot in Ruthie II, that held off his pilot (who had the back of head blown off from an inbound 20mm - another of which blew off the arm of the top turret gunner) en route to target and almost back to coast (2 hours) before the Navigator helped him get the mortally wounded pilot out of seat.. Medal of Honor and absolutely true story.

Morgan went down also on March 6 Berlin mission to finish as guest of Stalag luft I.

The pilot was a big strong man and never quit trying to fly the airplane - and Morgan kept the ship in formation while leaning to center so he could see. The 20mm round that hit his pilot went through on co-pilot front windscreen.

including narrative about the Navigator who put a tournaquet around the top turret gunner's arm and put the rip cord in his other hand - then shoved him out to survive the war as POW.

The Germans absolutely controlled the airspace over Germany in that timeframe - enormous courage on both sides