The U.S. Army's 499th Combat Engineer Battalion boarded nine C-119 Flying Boxcars at an air base near Stuttgart one afternoon last week. Their mission was to become familiar with the problems and advantages of moving themselves and their equipment by air. Within minutes, the 540 men and their heavy trucks and weapons disappeared into the yawning cargo holds, and the 20-ton planes took off over the Black Forest. It was perfect flying weather. As they flew along in tight formation, one engine of Plane 8 stuttered and cut out. The pilot requested and got...
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