He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type III, serial MZ460, code EY-R).
5 April 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force):: 2 missions are flown.
Mission 928: 1,358 bombers and 662 fighters attack marshalling yards, ordnance depots, armament works and airfields in Germany; they claim 8-0-6 aircraft; 10 bombers and 1 P-51 are lost:
1. 436 B-17s are dispatched to hit munitions dumps at Ingolstadt (211) and Grafenwohr (94), and the marshalling yard at Bayreuth (73); targets of opportunity are Weiden (30) and Nurnberg (1); the attacks are made visually; 1 B-17 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 2 damaged; 11 airmen are KIA and 2 WIA.
Escorting are 182 of 201 P-51s; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft in the air and 7-0-3 on the ground.
2. 397 B-24s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Plauen (151) and the munitions dump at Bayreuth (39); targets of opportunity are the munitions dump at Grafenwohr (1) and munitions plant at Ingolstadt (1); bombing is with H2X radar; 5 B-24s are lost and 5 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 44 MIA.
280 P-47s and P-51s escort; they claim 1-0-2 aircraft in the air; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
3. 521 B-17s are sent to hit the Unterschlauersbach Airfield (59), an aircraft parts factory (13) and munitions depot (54) at Furth, and the Nurnberg S marshalling yard (37); 271 bombers hit the Nurnberg Station marshalling yard, the secondary; bombing is visual; 4 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 112 damaged; 8 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 39 MIA.
The escort is 91 of 104 P-51s.
4. 4 B-17s fly scouting missions.
5. 18 P-51s escort 5 F-5s on photo reconnaissance missions over Germany.
6. 35 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
Mission 929: 12 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): Unit moves: HQ 27th Fighter Group and 522d and 524th Fighter Squadrons from Ochey, France to Biblis, Germany with P-47s; 406th Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group from Metz, France to Eschborn Airfield, Frankfurt, Germany with P-47s; 417th Night Fighter Squadron, 64th Fighter Wing [attached to First Tactical AF (Provisional)] from La Vallon to St Dizier, France with Beaufighters.
Ninth Air Force: Weather prevents operations by the 9th Bombardment Division.
In Germany, fighters fly patrols, sweeps, and armed reconnaissance, and support the US 7th Armored Division's attack on the Ruhr pocket SW of Brilon, the XX Corps' drive E in the Muhlhausen area, the XII Corps' advance in the Meiningen area, the 2d Armored Division bridgehead astride the Weser River S of Hameln, the 8th Armored Division (preparing for an assault on Soest), and the 5th Armored Division near Minden.
Units moving: HQ 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) and the 31st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron from Evren Airfield, Trier to Ober Olm, Germany with F-5s; HQ 344th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 497th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) from Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France to Juzaine Airfield, Florennes, Belgium with B-26s; the 153d Liaison Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command (attached to Twelfth Army Group) from Bad Godesberg to Marburg, Germany with L-5s; the 167th Liaison Squadron, Ninth AF (attached to Sixth Army Group) from Vittel, France to Kaiserslautern, Germany with L-5s; the 450th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 322d Bombardment Group (Medium), from Tille Airfield, Beauvais, France to Le Culot, Belgium with B-26s.
AIRBORNE OPERATIONS
(IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 315th Troop Carrier Group and the 34th, 309th and 310th Troop Carrier Squadrons move from Stanhoe, England to Amiens, France with C-47s.
6 April 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force):: Mission 930: 659 bombers hit rail targets in the Leipzig, Germany area using H2X radar; 4 B-17s and 1 P-51 are lost:
1. 183 of 207 B-24s hit the marshalling yard at Halle; 22 others hit Eisleben, a target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are damaged.
Escorting are 201 P-47s and P-51s.
2. 430 of 452 B-17s hit secondary targets, the main station and marshalling yard at Leipzig (321) and hit Gera (109); 11 others hit the marshalling yard at Halle; 4 B-17s are lost and 2 damaged beyond repair; 17 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 33 MIA.
The escort is 392 of 410 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
3. 26 of 27 P-51s fly scouting missions.
4. 11 P-51s escort 5 F-5s on photo reconnaissance missions.
During the night, 3 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): The 523d Fighter Squadron, 27th Fighter Group, moves form Ochey Airfield, Toul, France to Biblis, Germany with P-47s.
Ninth Air Force: In Germany, 99 B-26s, A-20s and A-26s hit marshalling yards at Gottingen and Northeim and the city area of Herzberg, and drop leaflets over 3 city areas; fighters fly escort, alerts, sweeps, and armed reconnaissance, and support the US VIII Corps in the Eisenach area, and the XX Corps E of the Werra River near Muhlhausen.
Unit moves: 422d Night Fighter Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command, from Florennes, Belgium to Strassfeld, Germany with P-61s; 451st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 322d Bombardment Group (Medium), from Beauvais Airfield, Tille, France to Le Culot, Belgium with B-26s.
327 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos 3, 6 and 8 Groups attacked the synthetic-oil plant at Leuna. The target was cloud-covered, the bombing was scattered and only minor damage was caused. 2 Lancasters lost.
327 aircraft - 277 Halifaxes, 36 Lancasters, 14 Mosquitos - of Nos 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked the Rhenania oil plant, Harburg. The target was easily identified and severe damage was caused to it. 2 Lancasters and 1 Halifax lost.
258 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos 1 and 8 Groups attacked the oil refinery at Lützkendorf. Bomber Command claimed 'moderate damage'. 6 Lancasters lost.
35 Mosquitos to Berlin and 31 to Magdeburg, 70 RCM sorties, 66 Mosquito patrols, 30 Lancasters minelaying in the Oslo Fjord and the Kattegat. 5 aircraft lost. 12 Mosquitos from the Magdeburg raid and 3 Lancasters of No 1 Group from the Kattegat minelaying operation. The 136 aircraft dispatched by No 100 Group on this night were that group's largest effort of the war.
Total effort for the night: 1,172 sorties, 16 aircraft (1.4 per cent) lost.
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