Well, Tarazed didn't last long, and it was a close-run thing for all of us. Danforth spotted the first Me-110 about as early in the flight as we've ever encountered one. Eagan blasted it good as it chased us around the sky. He joins Dahlgren, our bomb aimer, as an ace!
We didn't run into the Luftwaffe again until we'd been flying over Germany for quite a while. This Me-110 slipped by Danforth, and only put a couple shells into us, but they were good ones. Davis reported the petrol in the outboard starboard tank draining rapidly, and Cain reported his navigation instruments smashed. We didn't have the range to get back to England, but if we turned back immediately and Cain didn't guess at too winding a route, we might at least get back within the Air-Sea Rescue patrol lines. I turned us for home.
A couple more Me-110's caught us near the Dutch border. The first one knocked out Danforth's turret before we got away. Dahlgren managed to damage the second one, which drove it off.
Chalmers kept Air-Sea Rescue apprised of our progress. Davis let me know when there was just enough petrol remaining for a powered landing, I set Tarazed down in the North Sea as nice as you please. I don't think Air-Sea Rescue appreciated coming out so far to pick us up, but we sure appreciated it!
Flight Sergeant Gideon Day
Pilot, Tarazed
December 22, 1943