Blackie slapped the back of Ecky’s jacket, but Ecky did not raise his head. Crawling closer, Blackie saw that the tail gun position had been destroyed; the glass was gone, and the metal walls had been hacked open to the sky. A cold breeze blew from one side to the other. Only direct hits from several cannon shells could have done this. Blackie turned Ecky by a shoulder then reeled back in fright. Ecky’s head had been nearly severed and dangled onto his chest. His guns pointed silently earthward.
