He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type III, serial ND841, code F2-D).
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Three mission are flown to France.
In the first mission (Mission 389), the effort is to be divided between the Pas de Calais (COVER) area and the Normandy assault (NEPTUNE) area, however, D-Day is postponed 24 hrs and the NEPTUNE force is cancelled.
183 of 201 B-17s and 51 of 56 B-24s attack 7 targets in the Pas de Calais area; 10 B-17s are damaged; no casualties.
Escorting are 130 P-47s and 42 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost; no casualties.
In the second mission (Mission 390) 222 of 246 B-17s and 53 of 68 B-24s bomb 8 coastal defense positions in the same area using PFF; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 12 B-17s and 6 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA.
The third mission consists of 263 B-17s and 185 B-24s hitting airfields, railway junctions and bridges; of the B-17s, 96 hit the Massey/ Palaiseau railroad bridge, 50 hit the Versailles/Metelots railroad bridge and 34 hit the Villeneuve/St George railroad bridge; of the B-24s, 23 hit Brourges Airfield, 72 hit the Romorantin/Prunieres Airfield, 56 hit the Avord Airfield, 55 hit the Bretigny Airfield and 8 hit the Melun bridges; 1 B-17 and 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair; 34 B-17s and 27 B-24s are damaged; 10 airmen are KIA and 4 WIA.
Escort is 135 P-47s and 277 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; no casualties.
2 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the UK and the Atlantic.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In France, 300+ B-26s and A-20s bomb highway bridge and coastal batteries; almost 200 P-47s and P-51s dive- bomb bridges, railroad junction, rolling stock and targets of opportunity.
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.
259 aircraft - 125 Lancasters, 118 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitos - of Nos 1, 4, 5, 6 and 8 Groups to bomb 4 gun positions; 3 of these were deception targets in the Pas de Calais but the fourth battery, at Maisy, was in Normandy between what would soon be known as Omaha and Utah Beaches, where American troops would land in less than 36 hours' time. Unfortunately, Maisy was covered by cloud and could only be marked by Oboe skymarkers, but it was then bombed by 52 Lancasters of No 5 Group. 2 of the 3 gun positions in the Pas de Calais were also affected by bad weather and could only be bombed through cloud but the position at Calais itself was clear and was accurately marked by the Mosquitos and well bombed by Halifaxes and Lancasters of No 6 Group. No aircraft lost on these operations.
20 Mosquitos to Cologne and 6 to Argentan, 4 RCM sorties, 6 Serrate patrols, 4 Halifaxes and 3 Lancasters minelaying from the Scheldt to Dunkirk, 17 aircraft on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 319 sorties with no aircraft losses.
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