March 22

The big C-47 takes off at 0852, sweeps upward over the desert and levels off at 5000 feet for our first hop of 765 miles. Captain Markey, an Army Captain, three enlisted men and I occupy the rigged bucket seats. Starboard side loaded with badly gripped – down freight, right to the overhead. Captain Markey bored by flying, so we shoot the breeze, and adjust our weight on the hard bucket seats. 1130 – All the way it has been browned land, browner patches, winding rivers down below. 1300 – Brown land gives way to high rugged formations, very much like our Grand Canyon. Still more desert and then I see a river flow into a really big stream, on whose yellow surface sails reflect – and beyond dim in the distance Bombay’s blurred smudge. Land on British field 1320.

We arise from the field at 1440 and climb up to cooler air at 5000 feet. 1515 – Pass over city of Boona, compactly laid out, on a winding river. Try to dose. Later ears tell me we are dropping, look down and see Bangalore, looking clean and neat below. Land at 1830.