Blake - #7/26

Blake - #7/26

Standing L-R: Dabrowski, Leon S. (E); Aversa, Vincent (RO); Kershaw, William (G); Glaser, Alvin (G); Everly, Charles (G); Allen, Euel (Shorty) (G)

Kneeling L-R: Soch, Richard (N); Blake, Robert T (P); Devlin, John (CP); Santoro, Angelo (B)

While flying the Plastard Bastard, Alvin Glaser shared this story:

The crew was returning to Torretta from a mission with 2^nd Lt. Robert Blake in command. The hydraulics (part or all, I do not know) shot out by flak. The landing gear had to be cranked down and apparently the right strut did not lock in place. As they landed the plane bounced a little and the strut folded up causing the right wing to drag and the aircraft to ground loop coming to rest in a ditch. Lt. Blake reportedly exited through the top hatch, walked down the right wing and said, "Well, I guess we really plastered that bastard".

Robert Blake, Pilot

Robert Blake in #39

Robert Blake

Robert Blake at the controls

John Devlin, Co-Pilot

Richard Soch, Navigator

Leon (Red) Dabrowski, Engineer/Right Waist Gunner

Leon (Red) Dabrowski

Sgt. Vincent Aversa, Radio Operator/Left Waist Gunner