After Black Week, Rosie and some of his crew were summoned to 3rd Air Division Headquarters at Elveden Hall for a mission critique.
General LeMay was angry about how many aircraft the 3rd Air Division had lost and so he held a critique to get to the bottom of it. One by one, Colonels and Majors who’d flown on the missions to Bremen, Marienburg, and/or Munster stood up and gave their perspectives. Throughout the entire critique, General LeMay was “very cryptic and critical,” and he “really let some of the people have it.”
Then it was Rosie’s turn.
“I told him what had happened and promptly sat down. He looked at me and said, 'Good.' Good? What does that mean? In my book good means sort of mediocre. But after the meeting was finished some Colonel came over to me and said that he had never heard such lavish praise from the General!"
The Colonel who approached Rosie might not have ever heard LeMay give such praise, but I know I have.
Remember when Crosby and the Just-a-Snappin’ crew were similarly summoned to Elevden Hall for a similar critique? (Context)
Colonel LeMay turned to Colonel Harding. “Why is he here, Chick, if he isn't a lead navigator?"
"He was the lead on Trondheim and Warnemünde. Before he replaced the navigator on the lead crew, he was on a wing."
Colonel LeMay looked back at me.
"Trondheim? Good show."
