Edwin K Tester

Military

'I flew out of Barkston Heath from Feb 1944 to about March 1945 when the 53rd Troop Carrier Squadron was moved to Abbelville Fr. As one of 3 original members of the 53rd in Spirng (April/ May).



My introduction to the horrors of war/ combat came on the first para-drop in Sicily on (I think July 12) Operation "Husky". I was flying as co-pilot and navigator for Sqdn. Commander (not a very good pilot) He almost let the airplane fly into a nearby outcrop. We were hit by numerous low calibres and a least one 50mm took a chunk out of a prop of the right engine this apparently came through the side of the fuselage and practically severed radio ops leg at the knee. A small caliber bullet hit the crew chief -he was standing between pilot and co-pilot- don't know how the bullet missed me- when I looked up and saw the rocky cliff I grabbed the control and steered from the cliff- the jump stick commander said 'pull up and let us out' I then turned to a heading to get us back to our base'



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ContributorEmily
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Sources

Self, via Memory book correspondence to American Air Museum