On the night of June 2, the Flying Fortresses from the 15th Air Force took off from their base in Foggia, Italy and set a course for the north-east. Each bomber carried eight tons of bombs, and thirteen on-board machine guns provided protection in every direction. Through the cockpit window Lieutenant Creighton could see scattered clouds and starry sky, and the bomber formation in the moonlight was an enchanting sight. The same could be seen by the pilot in the left chair, Major Eddington, the crew’s commander. However, it was the gunner who could boast the best view; his round glass bubble with a swiveling gun rose from the cabin behind the pilots’ backs and was directed toward the rear.
The seventy P-51 Mustang fighters escorting the group of bombers kept alongside them on a parallel co
