Marvin J. Miller, Salt Lake City, Utah: an interview by Luke Kelly, June 11, 2001: Saving the legacy tape no. 242

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Marvin J. Miller J u n 11 ... ()() I and th bon1bardier had been standing pr viously. h re \ a 11 b I) 111 that particular ,u ~.:a at the time but that first burst of flak knocked out th third ngine. and the pil t pu ·bed tht: bailout button. The nose gunner opened the bomb bay do r and h jLUnped. The b 111bardit:r was just going into the waist and he turned around and he said, "You gu g t ut. I'll get the · fellows." And he disappeared into the waist and that was the last I saw him. I turned around and looked down-I was nineteen years old. I v a scar d. I'd nc r jumped out of an airplane before. I looked around, I turned and I saw the pilot copil t and navigator coming out. I thought, "If they're leaving I'd better not stay." o I st pped ut, stepped off the catwalk and dropped. As I left the aircraft there was some hydraulic nuid r gasoline, I don't know which, and I just was soaked. It was just kind of like I was taking a shower or something. And it stung 1ny face. As I cleared the aircraft, I looked around. I saw that the nose gum1er had pulled his chute and his chute was open. I thought, "Well, I'd better see if this thing works." o I pulled the ripcord, gave it a toss and nothing happened. I looked down and then a little puff of white flew by 1ny face, and it was the little pilot chute. I've got one here. I'll show you later. But that went by and that pulled out the lines for the parachute. And then the parachute opened. thought I was coming unglued when that parachute opened and just snapped me upright, the straps around the shoulders and the legs. Then, hanging in the parachute looking around, I saw the airplane. It went along in a straight line and then all of a sudden nosed down and went straight down. And there was just a black spot where it hit. I didn't see any sign of fire or explosion or anything. 21