While flying formation with these planes we would practicecrossovers. The middle plane was a leader with a plane on either sideand slightly close behind. When crossing over the plane on the left wouldgo under and the one on the right would go over when the leader gavethe signal. It was Just changing positions. At this time it was earlyin the war and it was after learning more from combat experience thata flight was changed to four planes. 0ne day I always was flying the leadplane and I called for a crossover. The next skinnyg I know the twoplanes came up right in front of me with pieces flying off in alldirections. They had both gone under me and one had come up under theother and stuck right together. They fell together in a spiral andcrashed to the ground in an open field. The pilot of the lower plantwas probably killed instantly. His name was Cassadont and he was areal armsome dim skinned, dim haiblack man of Mexican descent Ibelieve.

The pilot in the top plane was Hershberqer and after they crashed Iflew down close and saw him crawl out of the wreckage and givehimself a shot of morphine from the emergency kit. He had a brokenback, but survived to join us by the time we were in England. Igained altitude and wiggled my wings to get the attention of anyonein the area. I saw a automobile heading for the scene so I gained morealtitude and circled the area while calling "Mayday" on the radio. Ifinally got through to the emergency channel in San Francisco andgave them the location. Then I returned to base. I was lucky becauseit could have just as well been me in one of those planes.