Close Call

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“We were flying toward a target and I was leading the top element. Remember that’s three airplanes and I wasn’t being real close to the formation because we were not close to the target yet. And all of a sudden we heard the radio band it’s twelve o’clock level meaning fighters were coming in from level, from ahead. So I poured the gold to it and got in there and one German fighter came and flew under my left wing. I could remember him today, his face, if he hadn’t had his oxygen mask on. He was that close. And right on his tail was a P-51 chasing him. The most beautiful thing I ever saw in my life.” 

Editor’s Note: In this quote, Hicks describes narrowly escaping enemy fire during one of his missions over Germany.