He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type III, serial NE145, code WP-D).
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 445: 992 bombers and 638 fighters are dispatched to targets in France, Germany and Belgium; 2 bombers and 2 fighters are lost.
485 B-17s attack targets in France: 72 hit Laon/ Couvron Airfield, 64 hit Juvincourt Airfield, 60 hit Laon/Athies Airfield, 36 hit Fismes bridge, 28 hit Denain/Prouvy Airfield, 24 hit targets of opportunity, 20 hit Anizy le Chateau bridge, 19 hit Le Bourget Airfield and 18 hit the Dugny oil depot; 1 B-17s is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 99 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA.
Of 378 B-24s, 331 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yards, 11 hit Florennes/Juzaine Airfield and 1 hits Givet Bridge; 1 B-24 is lost and 125 damaged; 8 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA.
Escort is provided by 188 P-38s, 169 P-47s and 231 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA) and 2 P-51s damaged beyond repair.
About one-third of the escorting fighters afterward bomb and strafe transport targets, claiming 3 locomotives and an armored vehicle destroyed.
30 of 50 P-47s fly a fighter-bomber mission against La Perthe Airfield without loss.
18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): 220+ fighters, based in France, attack railroad facilities, bridges, fuel and ammunition dumps, artillery, troop concentrations, vehicles, and other targets; bad weather cancels bomber and fighter operations from the UK; HQ 365th Fighter Group moves from Beaulieu, England to Azeville; and 107th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Middle Wallop, England to Jumeaux with F-6s.
In England, 422d Night Fighter Squadron, 71st Fighter Wing, based at Scorton with P-61s, sends a detachment to operate from Hern.
721 aircraft - 477 Lancasters, 207 Halifaxes, 37 Mosquitos - attacked 6 flying bomb sites. All raids were believed to have been successful. 3 Lancasters lost.
214 Lancasters and 9 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 5 and 8 Groups attacked Vaires and Vitry railway yards. The No 8 Group raid on Vaires was particularly accurate; the Vitry yards were hit only at the western end. 4 Lancasters lost, 2 from each raid.
22 RCM sorties, 61 Mosquito patrols, 8 Halifaxes minelaying off Biscay ports, 14 Halifaxes on Resistance operations. 2 Mosquitos were lost but other Mosquitos claimed 6 German night fighters destroyed.
Total effort for the night: 1,049 sorties, 9 aircraft {0.9 per cent) lost.
103 Halifaxes of No 4 Group with 5 Mosquitos and 2 Lancasters of the Pathfinders attacked the V-weapon site at Wizernes without loss. No report of the bombing results was filed.
2 Mosquitos flew uneventful Ranger patrols.
202 Halifaxes of 4 and No 6 Groups with 28 Pathfinder Lancasters attacked railway yards at Blainville and Metz. Both targets were hit. 20 aircraft were lost, 11 Halifaxes of No 4 Group and 1 Lancaster from the Blainville raid and 7 Halifaxes of No 6 Group and 1 Lancaster from Metz. The combined loss rate was 8.7 per cent.
33 Mosquitos to Saarbrücken and 10 to Scholven/Buer oil plant, 21 RCM sorties, 35 Mosquito patrols, 8 Halifaxes and 4 Stirlings minelaying off Lorient and St Malo. No aircraft lost.
This record can also be found on the maps of WW2 History Europe with Google coordinates. You can find the maps by clicking on this link on this location.
There are several possibilities to investigate the flight records on WW2 History Europe. All the flights are plotted on maps, sorted "day by day", "by squadron", "by type aircraft", "by year or month", "by location" and much more! Don't miss this!!!
If you have any information that you want to share, please add your comment at the bottom of this record. Or send your information to info@ww2history.eu. This information will be added to the record.
Your photos and your information are very welcome! The young do care and with your help we keep up the good work.
