B-24 Pilot Meet P-38 Savior

Story and Photo
By Dana F. Welch
Historic Aircraft Enthusiast

While attending a history flight of a C-47 at the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, Calif. this past December, I met retired Capt. Herbert Guinness, a B-24 Bomber Pilot with the 15th Air Force during WW II.

He told me he lost two of his four engines to enemy fire following a bombing raid. As he tried to clear the Alps and return to their base in Italy, the third engine overheated and shut down.

Both Herb and his co-pilot stood on the right rudder pedals with both feet as they tried to control the Liberator. They finally managed a water-ditch landing in the Adriatic Sea.

Bleeding badly from windshield fragments that pierced Herbert's face and arms as he was thrown through the windshield, he escaped the bomber along with eight of his 10 crewmen. They were able to get one of two five-man life rafts out of the plane and inflated before it sank.

Choosing to stay in the water, Herb looked up to see the P-38 Lightning that following them down circling overhead. After sending a radio request for a rescue, the P-38, running low on fuel, dipped its wings one last time, rolled off and headed back to his base.

An RAF amphibian arrived shortly afterward to rescue the B-24 crew.

In hearing this story, I mentioned to Herb that my neighbor Lynn Shubert is a former first lieutenant and flew P-38 Lightnings out of Italy during that same time.

Herb lit up and told me, "if that's the same guy, thank him for saving us Š I've been trying to find out who that pilot since I was hospitalized after the crash."

While stationed in Italy, Lynn primarily flew night time recon missions over pending targets and radioed weather and other conditions directly to two Generals. He also swept ahead of scores of Bombers on their way out to their targets.

When I returned home that day, I called Lynn and told him the story. Lynn confirmed that he had followed a B-24 Liberator to a water-ditch in the Adriatic and radioed for a rescue before running low on fuel.

He recalled the Bomber having only one engine running before ditching. He also told me of how helpless he felt as he looked down even though he knew help was on the way.

I immediately called Herb and arranged a meeting for the two of them at the Air Museum the following morning so they could meet each other and Herb could thank Lynn in person. After close to 70 years the two former pilots, both decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross medals (among other medals) spent an hour together recalling their adventure.

Recently, they were invited to tell their story as guest speakers at a Rotary Club meeting in Mission Viejo, Calif. Previously, Lynn was one of three vets invited by the mayor of Mission Viejo to speak at last year's Veteran's Day Ceremonies.

Prior to that event, Lynn was invited to speak at the Planes Of Fame Air Museum during their presentation of the P-38 Lightning and the Lockheed "Skunk Works" where they were designed and built.

This June 10th 2012, Lynn and Herb will be on hand for a "meet and greet" at the 1st Annual Bikes and Bombers event from 10:00 to Noon at the Lyon Air Museum. Recently, I took Lynn to see the George Lucas film "Redtails" on the big screen.

Seeing it in a theater gave me some idea of what Lynn and Herb experienced during WW II.