Letters From War Wednesday: World War II – Bob Gage.

It’s LFWW time again.  This week we’ll feature a note from Lt. Bob Gage, of Albion, Indiana.  Lt. Gage was a B-24 bomber pilot, serving with the 370th Bomb Squadron, 307th Bomb Group, 13th Air Force in the South Pacific.  He and his crew had quickly made names for themselves.  Lt. Gage was bumped up to squad leader.  In this late summer 1944 letter home, Gage speaks of a recent R&R trip down under and of renewing the fight.

Lt. Bob Gage - 307th Bomb Group

“I had a very enjoyable rest leave in Sydney, Australia, the last of July.  I spent eight days there.  Needless to say the first thing I did was drink two quarts of milk.  Being a little ole country boy, I missed my milk more than anything else when I first got here.  I also ate numerous steaks and fried chickens, thanks to the American Red Cross.  They have three big clubs all fixed up down there where combat crews can really relax and enjoy themselves.  They furnish anything you want from blondes to steaks.  Of course, I took two steaks.  My co-pilot tried to take two blondes – poor jungle happy boy!

“We were large operators down there.  We rented a little Australian automobile.  It had the steering wheel on the right hand side and they drive on the left side of the street.  I had quite a time getting started off in it as it’s a little awkward shifting gears with your left hand.  I did fairly well after that until I’d turn a corner and would invariably start down the right hand side of the street.  Then I’d meet a car and jockey back and forth like two people in a doorway.  Amusing but confusing!  I’d finally get over on my side and the strangest thing was that the Aussies always shouted a greeting at me that sounded like ‘Bloody Yank!’

“…The censor relaxed a little and we can tell a few places we’ve been now.  I’ve been on Guadalcanal, Munda, Bougainville and Green Island.  Am now in the Admiralties.  …I now have 27 missions over such targets as Satawan, Truk, Biak, Wohai, Noemfore and Yap.  My gunners have six zeroes to their credit now.  Not bad, huh?

“A few missions have been a little rugged, but not bad.  You’re too busy to be scared.  However, I sure learned to pray all over again in a hurry.

“…I’ve got some gunners who are the world’s best with a pair of .50-calibers.  In fact, I’ve been lucky enough to get the finest crew who ever slept in a Liberator.”

On October 3, 1944, Lt. Gage and his crew left Kornasoren Airfield on Noemfoor Island for their most difficult run to date.  The target was the refinery at Balikpapan, Borneo.  Sadly, Lt. Gage’s bomber was lost shortly after completing their bomb run.  There were no survivors.  Lt. Gage not only left behind a wife, Geraldine, but also an infant son, Bob, who he never got the chance to meet.