He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type I, serial PB689, code AA-X).
(Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 718: 172 B-17s are sent to hit the Schowen oil plant at Gelsenkirchen (61); 93 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Munster; 25 B-17s are damaged.
Escort is 214 P-47s and P-51s; no losses.
Other flights: 12 of 12 B-17s fly a screening mission.
310 P-47s and P-51s make fighter-bomber strikes agains miscellaneous targets in W Germany; 1 P-47 and 7 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
12 of 12 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
Mission 719: 6 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets on the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS [First Tactical Air Force (Provisional)]: HQ 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 34th and 37th Bombardment Squadrons Medium) move from Corsica to Dijon, France with B-26s.
(Ninth Air Force): Bad weather prevents bomber operations; fighters fly sweeps and night patrols over broad areas of W Germany and strafe and bomb numerous railroads, trains, buildings and various military targets.
In France, the 365th, 366th and 367th Fighter Squadrons, 358th Fighter Group, move from Mourmelon to Toul with P-47s.
In Belgium, the 389th Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Group, moves from Couvron, France to Asch with P-47s.
183 Lancasters of No 3 Group made a G-H attack on the oil plant at Homberg but the weather was stormy and many aircraft were not able to maintain formation with the G-H aircraft on the bombing run. The bombing, through cloud, was believed to have been scattered. 5 Lancasters lost.
3 RCM sorties, 2 Mosquito Ranger patrols, 3 Hudsons on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.
43 Lancasters of No 8 Group made an unusual Pathfinder solo raid on Koblenz without loss. The purpose of the raid was not recorded. It is possible that either the large road and rail bridges over the Rhine and Mosel or the local railway yards were the targets. Only high-explosive bombs were carried. Koblenz was completely covered by cloud and all bombing was by H2S from 15,000 ft. The local report states that some bombs fell in the town, blocking several roads and railways and scoring hits on a road and a rail bridge, although these remained usable.
63 Mosquitos to Hannover, 14 each to Homberg and Castrop-Rauxel oil plants and 9 to Eisenach, 17 RCM sorties, 17 Mosquito patrols. 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 [email protected]. 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.
