He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type III, serial LK846, code LK-R).
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 252: The primary target is the ball bearing plant at Erkner, a suburb of Berlin; enemy opposition is fierce and 37 bombers and 16 fighters are lost; 320 of 414 B-17s and 150 of 209 B-24s dispatched hit the primary; 36 B-17s hit Wildau and targets of opportunity; 33 B-24s hit Berlin and targets of opportunity; the bombers claim 63-17-19 Luftwaffe aircraft; 28 B-17s and 9 B-24s are lost, 1 B-17 and 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair; casualties are 4 KIA, 14 WIA and 364 MIA.
Escort is provided by 104 P-38s, 613 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 174 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; claims/losses are: 1. P-38s claim 9-2-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-38s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 2 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA and 4 MIA.
2. P-47s claim 49-6-18 Luftwaffe aircraft; 10 P-47s are lost, 13 damaged beyond repair and 4 damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 2 WIA and 10 MIA.
3. P-51s claim 29-4-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 P-51s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; casualties are 4 MIA.
An additional 8-4-7 Luftwaffe aircraft are claimed on the ground.
786th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 466th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrives at Attlebridge, England from the US with B-24s; first mission is 22 Mar.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In the Netherlands, 225+ B-26s attack Volkel Airfield once and Soesterberg Airfield twice in morning and afternoon missions.
Units arriving in England from the US: HQ 303d Fighter Wing at Ashford; 95th, 97th and 98th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 440th Troop Carrier Group, at Bottesford with C-47s.
On 5 days during this period, 2 Bomber Command Oboe Mosquitos acted as 'formation leaders' for bomber units of the Second Tactical Air Force attacking flying-bomb sites. The formation bombed as soon as it saw the bombs of the Oboe Mosquito being released. There were no losses from the 10 Bomber Command sorties flown in this period.
304 aircraft - 242 Halifaxes, 56 Lancasters, 6 Mosquitos - of Nos 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groups to Le Mans. No aircraft lost. The target was cloud-covered but heavy damage to the railway yards was believed to have been caused. Approximately 300 bombs fell in the railway yards; 250 wagons were destroyed, many railway lines were cut, a turntable was put out of action and 6 locomotives were hit.
15 Mosquitos to 4 German targets, 6 RCM sorties, 1 Serrate patrol, 51 aircraft on Resistance operations, 6 OTU sorties. No losses.
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