Rudolph Tarolli

Rudolph Tarolli was the radio operator on the Eugene B. DeFilippo crew.

In a telephone conversation on August 9, 2014, Mr. Tarolli related an incidence that happened in late September/early October 1944. 

The DeFilippo crew was leading either their section or the group.  Rudolph normally was stationed in the waist and often looked out the left or port window.  For some reason, he chose to look out the right window when the plane suddenly did a violent roll to the left.  If he had been at his normal viewing position, he most likely would have been thrown out of the plane.

Meanwhile, the plane to their right did a similar violent roll to the right.

When things settled down, Rudolph heard the pilot ask the bombardier, over the intercom, if they had missed by 50 feet.  The reply was that if they had missed by 50 feet, they had missed by inches.

Apparently, another formation of B-24s had gotten lost and was heading straight at DeFilippo's section.