He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type I, serial NG294, code CF-H).
16 December 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 752: 236 B-17s are dispatched to attack rail targets at Stuttgart, Germany but extremely poor weather conditions result in many aborts; primary targets are the marshalling yard at Stuttgart (81) and Bietingheim (33); 1 other B-17 hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17s is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 9 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA and 9 MIA.
Escorting are 106 of 114 P-51s without loss.
10 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): Bad weather cancels 9th Bombardment Division combat operations.
In Germany, fighters escort RAF aircraft, fly night patrol and intercept missions, and support US First Army elements in the Ardennes in Belgium as Field Marshall Gerd von Rundstedt begins an allout counteroffensive, and the XII and XX Corps at Saarlautern the bridgehead and in Saint-Avold-Saarbrucken area where news of the Ardennes counteroffensive cancels the XII Corps plans for an assault on the Westwall.
HQ IX Air Defense Command moves from Versailles to Paris, France.
17 December 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 753: 3 B-17s and 7 B-24s are dispatched to drop leaflets on France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
The 859th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 492d Bombardment Group (Heavy) is detached to Italy and begins a movement to Brindisi today.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In Germany, weather prevents bomber operations; 1,000+ fighters fly armed reconnaissance, defensive patrols, and attacks on bridges and gun positions; the IX and XIX Tactical Air Commands also support ground forces (8th, 28th, 78th, 99th, and 106th Infantry Divisions, 5th Armored Division, and V, VII, VIII, XII, and XX Corps) against the counteroffensive in the Ardennes and in a battle to hold the Saarlautern, Germany bridgehead.
327 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 6 and 8 Groups despatached to Ludwigshafen. 1 Lancaster lost. The target area for this raid was the northern part of Ludwigshafen and the small town of Oppau in which two important IG Farben chemical factories were situated. Severe damage was caused and fierce fires were started. The Oppau factory ceased production completely.. 5 other industrial firms were also badly hit. Some damage was also caused to housing areas around the various factories but this was not serious. Damage was also caused to installations and ships at the nearby Rhine quays.
62 Mosquitos to Hannover, 11 to Osnabrück and 3 to Duisburg, 31 RCM sorties, 38 Mosquito patrols, 15 Lancasters and 8 Halifaxes minelaying off north-eastern Denmark. 1 Lancaster minelayer lost.
Total effort for the night: 509 sorties, 2 aircraft (0.4 per cent) lost.
The great German offensive in the Ardennes started on this day, with the object of capturing Brussels and the port of Antwerp and splitting the Allied armies into two parts. The attack was launched under cover of poor weather conditions, with low cloud and mist, and it would be several days before the RAF and American bomber forces could intervene in the battle.
108 Lancasters of No 3 Group in a G-H raid on the railway yards at Siegen. 1 Lancaster lost. The bombing was accurate enough to hit Siegen and the neighbouring town of Weidenau but not to destroy the railway yards which were hit by only a few bombs. Many public buildings and houses were destroyed in Siegen, which had not been bombed seriously before.
1 Hudson flew on a Resistance operation.
1 Mosquito attempted to bomb Wiesbaden but did not reach the target and 2 Wellingtons flew RCM sorties. No aircraft lost.
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