“They Volunteered Me”
Corporal James H. “Hank” Mills in Assam, India, soon after he was placed on flight status
Known as “Hank” to his friends, my dad was generally called “Mills” by other squadron members, in compliance with long-standing military tradition. This event took place as Capt. Thomas S. Simpson and his aircrew were making their way back to base after being shot down on July 4, 1944 (see “Shot Down in Burma” for more of the story). The following excerpt was taken from chapter 5, “Bombing in Burma.” Narratives from squadron records at that time did not include details regarding names of crew members or aircraft numbers involved in missions.
Two B-25Hs took off on July 9 to check the weather and proceeded to bomb the railroad south of Mohnyin to Naba, each carrying six 500-lb. HEs. Over the target at 1530, they released bombs at 300 feet and scored two direct hits on the railroad bed immediately south of Naba, six hits on the embankment, and four near misses that twisted the rails. Gunners strafed and fired boxcars with 400 rounds of .50-caliber. A fire that broke out in a previously-damaged car suggested it was being used to store fuel or ammunition. The aircraft encountered small arms fire from an area to the left of the railroad station and siding at Naba that caused no significant damage.
On a second mission that day, a formation of six planes (five Hs with a J) attempted once again to get through to the Hsenwi bridges and came within fifteen miles before being forced back by weather. The Mitchells proceeded to their secondary target―"the same old railroad"―arriving on target at 1650. Bombs dropped from 300 feet covered an area from Hopin south to Naba with thirty-six 500-lb. HEs and eight 250-lb. HEs. It was the best mission to date, knocking out two bridges by direct hits and heavily damaging two others, and aircrews reported at least ten direct hits on the rails. Machine gun posts were strafed and silenced. "Hasty repair work visible along railroad and increased A/A signify importance of rail communications. Opine the railroad will be out of commission at least three days," wrote Lt. Louis F. Graves Jr., squadron historical officer. Lt. George P. Wood, communications officer, had taken part in three previous missions, and he also flew this one, according to his personal flight record. The Mitchells were in the air for five hours, and all returned safely.
It was at about this time that Capt. Mark T. Seacrest, as acting operations officer in Capt. Simpson’s absence, put Hank on flying status. "They volunteered me.” He explained, "I never did request flight duty, but they put a duty list on the bulletin board. I started to see my name on the bulletin board, that I was scheduled for the flight for the next bombing run.” He flew his first mission the very next day. "From then on I was on flight status.” Those on flying status were expected to "participate frequently and regularly in aerial flights until released by competent authority.” Although his only gunnery training had been for qualification on the submachine gun at Sheppard Field, Hank was assigned duty as an aerial gunner on combat missions. Since gunners were required to be familiar with the coverage area of every gun position and to bring the proper gun to bear on the target as required, all of Hank’s training was “on the job.”
He did not remember the number of missions in which he took part but estimated that he flew about fifteen to Burma. During this period, "We flew every day, somewhere.” He retained clear memories of the "big balls of fire coming out of the barrels of those big guns trying to shoot us down.” When asked in an interview if he was afraid, Hank replied, “You didn't think about fear during the flight. Some of the people, after they first were put on flight duty, some of them said, 'I'm done'—said, 'Take me off flight duty. I'm not doing that anymore.' Well, I understood why they felt that way, but I didn't. I couldn't do it. I knew someone had to do it, and there I was. I wasn't scared. I knew if my time to die was there, then God would take care of that." Like many others who went into combat, Hank learned to focus on accomplishing the task at hand and set aside thoughts of personal danger. An added incentive: "Flight personnel earned 50% more money than anyone else."