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joy he had unconsciously lifted his Banshee 400 feet higher than the
formation.
But ground fog did not save him, for in the next minute a miracle of modern
war occurred. Cag received a radio message from Admiral Tarrant, and instantly
the twelve jets stopped in mid-flight, almost as if they were a flock of
pheasant searching for a Colorado grain field. Abruptly they turned south,
heading for the mountainous battle front, where in the trenches a new
emergency had arisen.
At dawn that morning a battalion of South Korean infantry had been hit by a
murderous concentration of communist power and it became apparent that the
Koreans would be annihilated unless air support could be provided. So a United
States army liaison officer serving at the front phoned a Korean general, who
called the United States army command in Seoul, who got hold of an air force
general, who said he had no planes but would try to get some from a marine
general, who suggested that Admiral Tarrant, far out to sea, might have some
to spare. The inquiry arrived in flag plot just as the early-morning weather
plane was reporting: Toko-ri closed in but good. Takusan ground fog. Takusan
no see.
Tarrant, who normally would not see such a message, made a note to chew out a
pilot who would use Japanese in a battle report, and replied, One flight of
twelve heavily armed jets available.Already airborne.
Seoul immediately ordered, Proceed Roundelay. Operate as he directs.
So by means of field telephone, radio, ship-to-shore communication and
ship-to-plane, American jets were diverted to rescue South Korean foot
soldiers. As the planes swept south Cag called ahead, Roundelay, twelve jets
reporting for orders. We re loaded.
From the bright morning skycame a whispery voice: This is Roundelay. I m
flying an SNJ.
Each jet pilot was astonished that in today s swift war the out-of-date old
SNJ would stillbe used. It had been ancient before they took basic training,
but no one had quite the shock that Harry Brubaker experienced. An SNJ? he
repeated incredulously and he was back in 1935, a gangling boy stretched out
upon the floor, quietly and supremely happy, for he had mailed the box tops
and the company had kept its promise. Here was the highly colored put-together
of America s latest plane. It was an SNJ, he recalled.
Then suddenly from behind a mountain, there was the real SNJ, a rickety,
two-bladed propeller job with a high greenhouse, a useless spare seat and six
smoke rockets slung precariously under its wings. A slap-happy air force
captain was wheeling it slowly around and Harry thought, What s an SNJ doing
here? Then he learned.
This is Roundelay. Get the big guns first.
Can t see em, Cag said.
Follow me.
And to the amazement of the jet pilots Roundelay trundled his slow plane down
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almost to the treetops and delivered a smoke rocket against the target. See
it now? he called.
Will do! Cag cried, and he led his twelve screaming jets into a howling
dive, right onto the gun and it fired no more.
Strictly wonderful, Roundelay called. D yousee the other two?
Negative.
Watch this smoke. And the bug-like SNJ hopped almost at ground level up a
narrow valley to deliver another smoke rocket against another gun. Then, when
it seemed the midget plane must follow the rocket against the rocks, the pilot
twisted free, skipped over a ridge and ducked down upon a third gun.
Will do! Cag reported, and when his swift jets had silenced the guns,
Roundelay called cheerily, You must come back often.
The jets had zoomed so high they could not keep track of the tiny plane, but
then sunlight glinted on the ridiculous greenhouse and they heard Roundelay
call, I think I see Red troops beginning a new attack. Follow me. And once
more he hurried off like a busy old woman going to market.
Brubaker s division was aloft and he watched Cag s four jets roar low into a
column of communists assaulting a hill. With appalling accuracy the Banshees
spread their hundred pound bombs, each wound with high-tension steel wire that
shattered into small pieces with machine gun fury. The communist advance
wavered.
Next division, Roundelay called. Keep hitting them while they re
confused.
Will do, Brubaker replied, but as he prepared for his dive, the SNJ wheeled
suddenly and Roundelay called, Do you see what I see?
Below, in obedience to some order of incredible stupidity, more than one
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