Vernon Kirk wrote: “The flight to Hanau was routine, though we did see some flak and some planes we thought were German jets [Me 262s]. They seemed to be just staying out of range and did not attack. When we approached Koblenz, we could see heavy flak ahead so we started to drop the strips of anti-aircraft foil. The flak became thick and close, rocking the plane. I reached over to pick up my flak suit and for an instant I could or did not move from that leaning position. It was then I heard a loud noise and knew flak had hit the plane. Then I felt a burning in my right hip. I told Hank, the other waist gunner to help me and then we found blood. He and another crewman bandaged to stop the bleeding and we made it back to base. At the hospital that night I saw another person, probably George Schofield, and though I felt pain I realized how lucky I was because he appeared to have a head injury. This was only my second mission though one time we became lost in heavy clouds and lost the formation. “Some of the crew came to visit me in the hospital, then I never saw them again. Later I asked about them and was told they were lost over France, but could not get any other information.

Hobbs gave me the piece of flak and a Cuban nickel I had in my wallet. The flak had struck it and ripped it almost in half and then came out my hip at my waist. This nickel evidently deflected the flak and saved more serious injury and possibly my life.”

Kirk was transported to Hospital 4210 on 15 November and did not fly combat again. The Hobbs crew went down on 2 December 1944 in #42-50805. Hobbs, Cooper, Smith, Brown, Cowan, and Kraynik were KIA.