Mission Two: Fighting Blind Part 2

Cloud has returned from a disappointing mission. He has lost his newest pilot Tex. 

That night, alone on the tarmac, Cloud looks to his Big Brother for redemption. His shame is heavy. He needs more than just cumulus cover this time. 

Will his Big Brother help? And how?

Just then, his CO asks to see him, and Cloud fears that he will be demoted. Instead, the commander orders him to choose a volunteer for a secret bombing mission scheduled at daybreak. Cloud takes the assignment, as he sees an opportunity for redemption.

 

In a twist of fate, the target is the same windmill that was damaged when Tex crashed – The tower hides a fuel depot for V-2 rockets. As Cloud approaches the target, he sees that Tex has spelled out a warning using crash debris. Cloud lands in the adjoining field to rescue an incredulous Tex.

With both of them jammed into the cockpit, Cloud zeros in on the windmill. Just as he is starting his bombing run, three bandits dive in behind him. Cloud hits his target and breaks left just as the explosion reaches into the air. The bandits are all swept up in the fireball. WHROOOM!

Cloud is blinded by the blast. Tex tries to work the controls, but his injuries prevent him from taking the stick. And so, he guides Cloud verbally – two injured pilots make one.

They limp towards base when a lone Fw-190, seeing an easy kill, attacks head-on. Cloud and Tex hold steady and suffer the barrage of bullets. Just as the bandit pulls up to avoid collision, Tex shouts for Cloud to fire into the belly of the enemy – the Fw-190 detonates. WHRAAM!

At base, Tex raves about Cloud: “No one but the Chief could have done it!”

Later that evening, during a quiet moment on the runway, Cloud looks to his Big Brother and expresses relief that he was able to uphold his pledge of not losing a new man on his first flight.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#83 (February 1961); Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics.