He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type III, serial LK784, code MP-D).
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): In Operation COVER, two missions, both designated Mission 388, are flown.
In the first, 219 of 238 B-17s and 120 of 124 B-24s attack coastal defenses in the Pas de Calais, France area, bombing a total of 22 targets; 21 B-17s and 24 B-24s are damaged; no casualties.
Escort is provided by 91 P-38s and 129 P-47s.
In the second raid, 97 of 102 B-17s and 98 of 104 B-24s hit 16 of the same targets hit in the morning; 2 B-17s are damaged.
Escort is provided by 102 P-38s, 34 P-47s and 83 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and 1 P-38 is damaged; 1 airman is MIA.
During the night, 23 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER operations in France.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): 250+ B-26s and A-20s bomb airfields, highway bridges, and coastal defense batteries in N France; 400+ P-38s and P-47s dive-bomb targets in NW Europe.
128 aircraft - 105 Halifaxes, 19 Lancasters, 4 Mosquitos - of Nos 1, 4 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards at Trappes. Most of the bombing fell in the eastern half of the target area. 15 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster lost, 12.5 per cent of the force.
103 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos of Nos 1 and 8 Groups attacked a radar-jamming station at Berneval with great accuracy and without loss.
271 aircraft - 136 Lancasters, 119 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitos - attacked 4 coastal gun positions with the loss of 1 Lancaster. In only 1 raid was the bombing accurate but this was not too serious because these raids were part of the invasion deception plan. None of the targets were in the Normandy area; all were on the Pas de Calais coast.
Further raids in the next 2 nights would continue the deception and the Normandy batteries would only be bombed on the last night before the invasion.
23 Mosquitos to Leverkusen, 4 to Laval and 3 to Lison, 16 RCM sorties, 9 Serrate and 6 Intruder patrols, 53 aircraft minelaying from Dunkirk to Brest, 36 aircraft on Resistance operations, 11 OTU sorties. 1 Stirling lost on a Resistance operation.
Total effort for the night: 667 sorties, 17 aircraft (2.5 per cent) lost.
96 Lancasters of No 5 Group and 4 Pathfinder Mosquitos to attack the important German signals station at Ferme d'Urville which had escaped serious damage in bombing 2 nights earlier. 3 of the Oboe Mosquitos placed their markers perfectly and the Lancasters wiped out the station. No aircraft lost.
127 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3 and 8 Groups continued the deception raids on coastal batteries at Calais and Wimereux. The bombing was accurate; no aircraft lost.
20 Mosquitos to Ludwigshafen and 5 to Argentan, 4 RCM sorties, 6 Serrate and 3 Intruder patrols, 57 aircraft minelaying from the River Scheldt to Dunkirk. No aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 330 sorties with no aircraft losses.
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