On their first mission over Formosa, they picked up enemy fire through the cockpit with pilot, co-pilot and navigator wounded by debris. He reported that none of the injuries were serious but cuts around face and neck areas were bloody "and we were a sorry sight". I did remember part of my job as navigator was first aid, so I applied sulpha to prevent infection. The flight surgeon who met them was first amazed but then broke out laughing as he grasped the humor of the situation. "We looked like something out of vaudeville, but at least none of us got infection"
On his second mission with Brady an engine was knocked out over Kyushu, the prop could not be feathered , and they were forced to ditch "with Brady doing a fantastic job of bringing the crew down safely". In the water Meacham noticed a wound in his left calf, "but we were so busy getting the life rafts dropped to us, I did not pay much attention to it." Picked up by the submarine "Blackfish", a medic tended his wound, determined it was not serious, and brought us some medical brandy. "At first I was reluctant to 'drink on duty' but finally gave in; however, the liquor remained locked the rest of the trip during which the THE bomb which ended the war was dropped."
Meachams adventures were not over. A typhoon hit the area where he was awaiting his ticket home. "Some of us sought shelter near a large boulder and watched quonset huts literally explode and blow away." As night came on, they gained shelter with a group that had erected doubled pyramidal tents (one on top of the other pegged closely all around to prevent the wind from getting under the canvas). The shelter was closely packed for the night, "some of us actually got some sleep." Attesting to the extreme force and direction of the wind, the metal flagpole at Headquarters was bent at a 90 degree angle - "Awesome" said Meecham.