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pg.34

to the pilot of the big bomber circling the island. Captain Jolley stood around tensely. I looked at my watch. Ten a.m. Mr. Suribachi, normally in easy view, was completely shrouded in white mist and fog. Rain dripped dismally. Williams and O'Brien came in and took their places at the final controller and scope respectively. Walnut tower, the code name for the control tower of the second airstrip at the center of the island, was still trying to land the plane visually but the visibility was so low that thepilot couldn't even see the island much less the runway. We on the ground could hear the plane up there circling blindly. O'Brien picked up the plane on the scope and watched intently the white-green sliver snaking around. 

At 9:45, Major Alford broke into the conversation between the pilot and the control tower and advised the former to work Darkie, the code name for GCA. Naturally the pilot had never heard of GCA and in a few short sentences we explained the system to him. "O.K.", he said uncertainly, "I'll try it". The tension mounted. Captain Jolley was so nervous he had to leave the trailer. My hand trembled as I lit a cigarette. We hadn't worked a bomber since November and we had never worked with a B-29. Immediately the crew went to work broughtthe plane around in the