Did Radio Traffic Provide Warning of 8 AF Raids?

[drgondog]

Don - I was having a problem with PM with this message , so....

I had the opportunity to chat with Roger Freeman on several occasions before and after he published Mighty Eighth as he, along with Danny Morris and others, used to correspond with my father and visited several times.

What Roger told me is that his awe of listening to, and seeing, the incredible formations winding up every morning was the motivating force to devote his later life into the 8th AF histories.

He distinguished the 8th from Bomber Command as the RAF was less visible - whereas B-17's, B-24's, P-51's and 47's and 38's were always visible in astonishing numbers everywhere in central to east England in the morning and afternoon.

I can remember Chuck Lenfest, (who was squadron exec to my father when he went POW trying to rescue Henry Brown) describing the feeling of hope and awe when the formations would be visible for nearly an hour at a time - and wonder how the Germans felt when they saw the same sight.

I also had the opportunity to talk to many Luftwaffe pilots including Galland and Krupinski and Steigler who to a person, said attacking a B-17 formation head on was to 'watch one's life about to pass' - they had incredible courage..

The RAF was powerful (but invisible) - the USAAF was in their face every day, no matter what the losses. When I wrote my book about the 355th FG, above all, I want them remembered when everyone has passed - ditto for the 355th in Viet Nam. Warm Regards, Bill