Depending upon whose diary is to be believed, Lady Be Good took off at either 3:10 PM or 2:50 PM local time. The fourteen cylinder engines mounted on all of the B-24's in Lady Be Good's section were sputtering due to the sandstorm. Nine of the thirteen B-24's in the section turned back to Soluch, because sand had accumulated in their fuel lines.
By 7:45 PM, the four remaining B-24's of Section B were over Naples. The area had already been hit by B-17's approximately three hours earlier, and the last B-24's from Section A were already heading for home after unloading their bombs.
In the wake of this previous attack, three of the four Section B aircraft were following the lead of the unidentified fourth B-24. When the four airplanes were only thirty miles from the target (Naples), this mysterious lead aircraft suddenly veered away from the target. The three trailing aircraft were obligated by procedure to follow.
The crews in the three following B-24's were puzzled; some of them believed that the mystery airplane was, in fact, Lady Be Good. But, was it?
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