Incident Over Holland

Sergeant Dennis Smith, R.A.F., stood in the doorway of his burning bomber and looked down on northern Holland. Behind him in the plane lay his friend, Flight Sergeant Ernest Salway, badly wounded, his parachute burned. Smith knew his parachute was built to carry 250 pounds, knew that two men with equipment weigh nearly twice as much. But, hoisting his wounded friend onto his back, he jumped. The chute snapped open, held--but Smith lost his grip on his friend, saw him plummet to his death. When Smith floated down to earth, he was taken prisoner. Last week, for a brave try that went wrong, the Air Ministry awarded him the Distinguished Flying Medal.

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