I was hit by flak as I was pulling out of a dive-strafing pass on an airfield called Tarnewitz, up on the Baltic. Five P-51s made a pass on the airdrome that April day. I was the only one to return home...When I tested the stall characteristics of my wounded bird over our home airfield, I found it quit flying at a little over indicated and rolled violently into the dead wing ("note: the right flap had been blown away and two large holes knocked in the same wing"). What to do? Bailout seemed the logical response, but here's where sentiment got in the way of reason. That airplane ("note: "Scat VI"") had taken me through a lot and I was damned if I was going to give up on her...why the bird and I survived the careening, bouncing and juttering ride down the length of the field, I guess I'll never know.