Date: Sept 9, 43
Dispatched: 44 Aborts: 0
Mission: Close escort to 7th TF 60 B-17’s Field Oder: 58/128
Time Up/Down: 07:34 hrs 09:27 hrs Leader: Major Duncan
Target: Vitry-En-Artois
Claims Air: 00-00-00 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00
Group made landfall between Calais and Gravelines. At Fruges sighted bombers on starboard of Cayeaux. Right turn at Hesdin. Picked up bombers between Abbeville and Doulens. Continued with bombers S-ing and orbiting to Vitry-En-Artois. Left bombers at Dunkirk at 08:51 hrs at 26,000ft. Lt. Rose and Lt. Herfurth [not listed in flight plan] of the Group HQ participated. Observed no attacks on the B-17’s – no stragglers. No response to attempts to contact them on C Channel.
350th: Major Rimerman. T/U 07:44 hrs. T/D 09:28 hrs. Total flight time 1:44 hrs. Squadron met the bombers at Doullens and escorted them to Douai Airport, the target. Buildings along Douai Airport, and dispersal areas received direct hits. An oil dump (presumably) was hit causing large fire and black smoke. Flak was negligible.
| Major | Ben | Rimerman | (Sqdn Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Robert N. | Ireland | |
| 1st Lt | William W. | Odom | |
| 1st Lt | John B. | Rose | |
| Capt | Dewey E. | Newhart | (Flt Ldr) |
| 1st Lt | Tom | Lorance | |
| 1st Lt | Charles W. | Dinse | |
| 2nd Lt | Dwight A. | Fry | |
| Capt | Robert E. | Fortier | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Charles O. | Durant | |
| 1st Lt | John | Sullivan | |
| 2nd Lt | Roland N. | McKean |
351st: Major Duncan. T/U 07:26 hrs. T/D 09:20 hrs. Total flight time 1:54 hrs. Route in at NE Calais, Doullens, Vitry en Artois, Adrm and out NE of Dunkerque.
| Major | Glenn E. | Duncan | (Gp and Sqdn Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Jack | Terzian | |
| 1st Lt | William R. | Burkett | |
| 2nd Lt | Harold J. | Morris | |
| Capt | Walter C. | Beckham | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Irving | Toppel | |
| Capt | Jack R. | Walsh | |
| 2nd Lt | Lloyd A. | Thornell | |
| Capt | Frederick H. | Lefebre | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | John G. | Treitz | |
| 1st Lt | George N. | Ahles | |
| 2nd Lt | Hassell D. | Stump | |
| 1st Lt | Vernon A. | Leatherman | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Richard D. | Stanley | |
| 1st Lt | Francis N. | King | |
| 1st Lt | William J. | Maguire | |
| 1st Lt | Vic L. | Byers |
352nd: Unknown. T/U 07:38 hrs. T/D 09:24 hrs. Total flight time 1:46 hrs. Close escort. Course: Doullens, Douai. Flight plan as per Squadron records:
| 1st Lt | Gordon L. | Willits | |
| 1st Lt | Gordon S. | Burlingame | |
| 1st Lt | Leroy W. | Ista | |
| 1st Lt | Wilbert H. | Juntilla | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Donald J. | Corrigan | |
| 1st Lt | Charles W. | Kipfer | |
| 2nd Lt | Maurice | Morrison | |
| 2nd Lt | Wilton W. | Johnson | |
| 1st Lt | Clinton H. | Sperry | |
| 1st Lt | Leslie P. | Cles | |
| 1st Lt | James N. | Poindexter | (Flt Ldr) |
| 1st Lt | William F. | Streit | |
| 1st Lt | Robert A. | Newman | |
A second mission led by Lt Col. McCollom, took off 17:51hrs and returned to Metfield at 18:58 hrs. Total flight time 1:07 hrs. The plan was to escort the 3rd Task Force of 60 B-17’s to Chievries. McCollom was first forced to abort and Capt. Hoey took over command. A dense layer of 10/10ths altostratus was encountered at 17,000ft. After five minutes of instrument flying the Group was forced to abort and returned home. No mission credit was given, but the pilots were given combat time credit. Lt. Herfurth of the Group HQ participated.
353rdFighterGroup 