He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type X, serial KB716, code VR-D).
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 453: 371 bombers and 445 fighters are dispatched to attack 3 airfields in the Netherlands and 2 in Belgium, a factory near Mol, and 3 V-weapon supply sites in France; 5 fighters are lost:
1. Of 79 B-17s dispatched to the Netherlands, 38 hit Gilze-Rijen Airfield, 20 hit Volkel Airfield and 19 hit Noll without loss.
2. Of 221 B-24s, 43 hit Bois de Cassan V-weapon site, 36 hit Le Coulet Airfield, 29 hit Foret de L'Isle Adam and 29 hit hit Mery sur Oise V-weapon sites, 13 hit Eindhoven Airfield, 5 hit Melsbroek Airfield and 2 hit Tulemont Airfield; 49 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA.
The two missions above are escorted by 180 of 192 P-51s that claim 4-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
3. 70 of 71 B-17s hit Beziers marshalling yard; 13 B-17s are damaged.
228 P-47s and P-51s escort the bombers and claim 18-1-9 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA).
Of 93 P-47s, 22 bomb Rouen, 10 hit L'Arche Bridge, 10 hit Seine River locks, 7 hit Boissy le Bois, 7 hit Pantgouin, 7 hit Veulettes Bridge and 6 hit communication targets; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-47s are lost (pilots are MIA).
The P-47s are escorted by 181 of 190 P-38s; 2 P-38s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 is damaged beyond repair.
During the night, 8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets in France with the loss of 1 B-17; and 8 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
70 B-17s on shuttle mission (UK-USSR-Italy-UK) attack a marshalling yard at Beziers, France (with Fifteenth AF B-24s) while on the last leg from Italy to the UK; 42 P-51s return to UK with the B-17s (of the 11 P-51s remaining in Italy, 10 return to the UK the following day and the last several days later).
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In France, about 180 B-26s and A-20s bomb bridges at Caen and also sidings, tracks, and rolling stock; in the afternoon 4 NOBALL (V-weapon) HQ are hit; 600+ fighters escort the bombers, carry out armed reconnaissance of communication and enemy movements, attack rail lines, rolling stock, marshalling yards, bridges, supply dumps, and cover the beach area; HQ 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and 107th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron move from Middle Wallop, England to Le Molay with F-6s; the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) (attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group), moves from Middle Wallop, England to Le Molay with F-6s; and the 380th Fighter Squadron, 363d Fighter Group, moves from Staplehurst, England to Maupertus with P-51s.
231 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos, mostly from No 5 Group but with some Pathfinder aircraft, continued the attack on the underground flying-bomb store at St Leu d'Esserent with 1,000lb bombs, in order to cut all communications to the site. The bombing was accurate but 13 Lancasters were lost when German fighters engaged the force.
282 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 6 and 8 Groups attacked railway yards at Orleans and Villeneuve. Both targets were accurately bombed. 14 Lancasters were lost, 11 from the Villeneuve raid and 3 from Orleans.
36 Mosquitos to Scholven/Buer oil facility, 25 RCM sorties, 61 Mosquito patrols, 6 Stirlings and 5 Halifaxes minelaying off Brest and St Nazaire, 16 aircraft on Resistance operations, 30 OTU sorties. 1 Halifax RCM aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 712 sorties, 28 aircraft (3.9 per cent) lost.
542 aircraft - 321 Lancasters, 201 Halifaxes, 20 Mosquitos - of Nos 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked 2 flying bomb launching and 2 storage sites. The night was clear with a bright moon and all targets were hit. 4 Lancasters lost.
154 Lancasters of No 1 Group to the main railway area at Dijon, which was heavily bombed. No aircraft lost.
35 Mosquitos to Scholven/Buer and 10 to Düren, 9 RCM sorties, 50 Mosquito patrols, 6 Halifaxes minelaying off Brest and St Nazaire, 29 aircraft on Resistance operations, 3 OTU sorties. 3 Mosquitos were lost - 1 from the Scholven raid, 1 RCM aircraft and 1 Serrate aircraft.
Total effort for the night: 838 sorties, 7 aircraft (0.8 per cent) lost.
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