In episode three of Masters of the Air, we see that Crosby, Douglass, and Blakely are just as surprised to see they’re going to Africa as all of the other flyboys. In reality, the officers of Just-a-Snappin’ were well aware of their destination.
In early August, two lead crews were chosen from each group and brought to 3rd Air Division Headquarters where they were briefed by Curtis LeMay on what would later be called the “double-strike mission.” They, along with their commanding officer, would be given details so that the lead crews could train and prepare themselves ahead of time.
LeMay: "It's a hard target. Bombardiers and navigators will come [to Elveden Hall] every other day and be briefed for the route and target. It's a dangeous mission, especially for you lead crews. Tomorrow two new planes will arrive at your base, and you get them. No one but your line crews is even to touch them. Certainly no one is to fly them. … This is top secret. Nine people in each group know about it, and no one else. We're redundant on this. We're training two crews for the lead. We will select the one to go on the day of the mission. Pilots will go up every day to simulate as much of the mission as we can. When you aren't here for training, you will all be in the air. When we call the mission, we want you to be ready."
It was Jack Kidd who was picked by higher bomber command to lead the 100th BG on the inevitable mission instead of their commanding officer. Unlike the CO of every other group involved, Colonel Harding was kept in the dark, which Crosby believed was due to him (and the 100th) falling into disfavor due to poor results and their negative reputation.
“No one else knew about our forays and only Jack Kidd and Swartout's crew knew why we weren't flying missions. Major Egan, our Squadron C.O., was told he was not to question us, and Flying Control was told they were to clear any flight plan we requested. Everyone was told to stay away from our plane. We could tell that Egan was steaming, but he never said anything.”
—A Wing and a Prayer by Harry Crosby
