Gambler's Luck Bomb Run
386th Bomb Group - A-26 "Gambler's Luck"
Note: This is a transcript of a wire recording made during a bomb run. I'm not 100% sure of the reporter's name, nor the name of their target as there was a lot of static on the recording.
Reporter: This is your AAF Combat Reporter, Lt. Tom Gehagen? speaking from an A-26 Invader bomber over Germany and about to take you on target. This is the first report from an A-26, for its work, firepower, and speed have been secret. We are flying with Carbin's Crusaders of the 386th Bomb Group this morning. Our wire recorder is set up in Gambler's Luck, lead ship of a 6-plane flight, manned by 3 veterans. Pilot, Captain Harris Striker of Dayton, Ohio, Captain Nick Borris of Chicago, our Lead Bombardier, and Lt. Bob Copeland of Seattle, Washington, our Navigator. Target is G... rail yard, a marshalling yard in Germany.
Reporter: Target coming up. Our altitude 13,500 feet. We are carrying 1,000 bombs. Let's hear some of this teamwork between pilot Striker, Bombardier Borris, and Navigator Copeland.
Nick: Bombardier to pilot, bomb bay doors opening.
Striker: Bomb bay doors open.
Nick: Okay, Strike, give me straight and level. Straight and level.
Striker: Okay, Nick, here she is, straight and level.
Nick: Let's do a little evasive action, Strike.
Striker: Roger.
Nick: Take a 20 degree turn to the right. 20 degrees right.
Striker: 20 degrees right, Nick.
Nick: Turn left, turn left and I'll tell you when to roll out.
Striker: Okay, turning left.
Nick: Okay, Strike, start your roll out, start your roll out.
Striker: Rolling out now.
Nick: Straight and level now, follow the beady eye, follow the beady eye. We are on the on the bomb run.
Striker: Okay, straight and level, following beady eye. Target's looking good, Nick.
Copeland: Let's get 'em in there, Nick, let's get em in there, boy.
Nick: Hold her steady, Strike, hold her steady. Here she goes.
Copeland: Flak nine o'clock high.
Nick: Bomb's away, bomb bay doors closing. Okay to turn, Strike.
Striker: Okay, we're getting out of here, let's go home.
Copeland: Uh, Strike, take up a heading of 3-1-1, 3-11 degrees.
Reporter: Let's get the hell out of here! Yes, that's 9th Air Force Tactical Bombing and teamwork over G---- Germany. Flak still going up, we are getting out of it now. The rest of our loose formation is coming up below us. They're drawing up now. From inside a bomber over Germany, this is your combat reporter returning you to the United States.
Note: I'm not exactly sure what they mean by "Beady Eye". I listened to the recording about 20 times, and I'm 90% sure that's what they say. I suspect that it's slang for something. My best guess at the moment is the level indicator on the pilot's instrument panel.
I have not yet confirmed the names of the people mentioned or attempted to ID which specific mission this is, but I have little doubt of the accuracy of this recording. There was a well-known B-26 Marauder named "Gambler's Luck" which was serial number 41-31639 - it served with the 554th Bomb Squadron. It was fairly common for Invaders to bear the names of their Marauder predecessors.