◆ SpookStack

Thorsrud was requesting additional B-26 replacements he cabled: Suggest B-26 be loaded with operational beer on bomb bay racks in the rear gunner's compartment. 47/ Even though convinced that the D-2 air strike had done more extensive damage than was apparent on the U-2 photography, air operations personnel at JMTIDE -- and Col. George Gaines who had returned to Headquarters -- wanted a second strike at the aircraft. Gaines was convinced that because of the 48 hours con- centrated briefings they had received that the B-26 pilots could easily manage the re-attack. Gaines was concerned that any potential combat aircraft had been left untouched; and in an Oral History interview he stressed that the air and ground force leaders and Chief, JMATE agreed that no troops would be landed as long as there was any combat capability available in Castro aircraft. Gaines stated: We knew we had to get every single gun that could be put in the air before we put our soldiers ashore. Jack Hawkins and I agreed to that over and over. We said, "we don't land anybody," and Ester- line agreed to that ••. that we don't ' land anybody until we can stop a goat if it goes down the highway. Our air - 214 -