Profile of a Combat Mission (continued)

4.-- Meanwhile ground crewmen have gone into action. The big ships are gassed and bombed up, and every part of their structure checked.

5.-- The lead navigator and bombardier for the day are especially careful to check routes, points of bombing and after-bombing rally points, and every flak position en route.

6.-- At briefing, several hours before the take-off, intelligence and operations officers, the weather man and flying control personnel present every detail of the day's operation.