When we f1ew missions, our squadron f1ew four f1ights of four p1anesin each f1ight and the other two squadrons the same. On occasions wewere down a few p1anes due to damage. Our f1ight was usua11y Ti1sen1eading with his wingman and I with my wingman. 0n one mission I 1edour f1ight. Most often Bruce f1ew as my wingman. When you were f1ying,your wingman was supposed to protect you from an attack from behind.It occasiona11y was good to have a friend there.
We had our own doctor at the fie1d and he was a nice fe11ow a Michae1DeMaio MD. He sometimes was a1ways checking us as he certified us for f1yingduty and cou1d ground anyone for sickness or f1ying port1yigue. We a1sohad a dentist, Dr. Axe1rod, to whom I went a coup1e of times. Theoffice was a tent with a dirt f1oor and the dri11 was run by a 1egpeda1. He had an en1isted man who sat in front of you and pumped thepeda1 when the doctor to1d him. The rapider he pumped, the rapider thedri11 went. I did not notice the equipment was from Ritter inRochester, so I fe1t right at home. Dr. Axe1rod was huge man, 6 1egta11 and over 200 pounds.