Barbara loved painting and music, but figured, "whatever it takes."
"So under his orders, a convoy of armored tanks and trucks is now taking all known Lipizzaner stallions, mares, and foals out of three locations in Czechoslovakia. Most are being returned to Vienna, while others are going to temporary hiding places in American-occupied Bavaria in southern Austria.
"You may have heard, the general is not especially fond of the Soviets. Now it's become sort of a private crusade with Patton, to keep them from having even one Lipizzaner. And that brings me up to this moment and to you."
"If all the Lipizzaners are accounted for and being trucked by our GIs to Austria, what do you need me for?"
"Since the convoy began its mission, Colonel Podhajsky reported to Patton's command that a Lipizzaner foal he didn't know about has been seen. She's on a farm near a remote village in Czechoslovakia that the Germans are still trying to hold and the Soviets are moving in on.
"The filly went undiscovered because Lipizzaner foals are dark brown and only gradually lighten in color. They're ten years old before they become pure white, like the stallions and mares. But each Lipizzaner has a distinctive mark. It's branded with an 'L' on the left cheek and a 'P,' topped with a crown, on the left hip. The filly that Patton wants you to rescue is not white but brown, but has those marks."
Barbara was already in love with her.
"But why me?" she asked.
"Someone in General Patton's communications section knows you, that you're flying bombers in London for the ATA, and you know about horses."
Oh, my God! Stephen recommended me! It must have been him! "You're to fly a B-17 to Vienna tonight. When you get there, you'll be briefed further on how to rescue the foal. By the way, the plane is an old B-17C, one of the first bombers Britain was allocated under Lend-Lease in 1941. It was one of twenty delivered and, to be perfectly honest, they aren't very good."
"They have a lot of mechanical problems," Barbara said.
"The RAF has been disappointed in them after some unsuccessful raids over Europe. My guess is nobody would miss the one you're to fly to Czechoslovakia. Do you still want to take on the assignment?"
It almost sounded like a suicide mission, but Barbara had made up her mind.
"More than ever!"
She wanted a challenge in the war, and she was finally going to get it, in spades. She would still do this, for Becky. Besides, she would always consider herself a WASP pilot, and they often flew planes their male counterparts wouldn't think of flying.