Date: Sept 22, 43
Dispatched: 43 Aborts: 3
Mission: Rodeo Sweep Field Order: 3/138b
Time Up/Down: 11:25 hrs 13:13 hrs Leader: Major Duncan
Target: Dutch Islands
Claims Air: 02-00-00 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00
Group made landfall at Zandvoort, 28,000ft, 12:11 hrs. Continued on course and made right turn to the west of Utrecht to 20 miles south east of Rotterdam where Major Duncan heard on the radio that the 352nd Fighter Squadron were engaged. Made 180 degree turn flying to Boskof. Unable to locate engagement so a turn to the south was made at Gravendeel, turning right at this point coming out at Westhoofd, 27,000ft, 12.35 hrs. Just after the Group made landfall at Zandvoort, eight e/a were observed flying due west at 8 o’clock. Maj. Duncan believed these to be decoys which later proved to be correct, because the 352nd FS were bounced from 4 o’clock at Schoonhaven by 6 Me109s painted dark gray. They turned into them and engaged in combat, destroying tow Me109s. Just in the vicinity of Gilze Rijen, one flight of the 350th FS were bounced by 12 + e/a who were flying 2 to 3,000ft above in trail. One aircraft went down on the deck and returned home. Three other aircraft landed at North Coates. Just off Antwerp 351st FS were bounced by 4 Me109Gs painted with white bellies who came out of the sun at 31,500ft. Maj. Christian immediately broke up sun thereby causing e/a to undershoot. E/a continued on down and were not seen again. Two Me109s destroyed, one by Capt. Charles J. Hoey and one by 1st Lt. Jesse W. Gonnam, both 352nd FS. Capt. Rose and Capt Stafford of the HQ participated.
350th: Major Duncan. T/U 11:22 hrs. T/D 13:10 hrs. Total flight time 1:48 hrs. Squadron made landfall over Zandvoort and swept east of Rotterdam. E/A were sighted 20 miles east of Rotterdam. Red flight (Lt. Hurst) were bounced by 12 plus bandits. A 109 got on the tail of Lt. Tanner flying wing to Lt Hurst. He had to dive from 30,000 to 6,000 ft to escape and came out on the deck. Flight was split up, one plane coming home on the deck, and three planes landing at N Coates. No claims or battle damage were made.
Major | Glenn E. | Duncan | (Sqdn Ldr) |
1st Lt | John B. | Rose | |
1st Lt | John L. | Devane | |
2nd Lt | John | Zolner | |
Capt | Stanley R. | Pidduck | (Flt Ldr) |
1st Lt | Melvin P. | Dawson | |
1st Lt | William W. | Odom | |
2nd Lt | Joseph | Rosenberg | |
1st Lt | Wilford F. | Hurst | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | William F. | Tanner | |
2nd Lt | William J. | Price | |
2nd Lt | Robert C. | Peters | Pipeful 53 |
Capt | Robert E. | Fortier | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Charles O. | Durant | |
1st Lt | John | Sullivan | |
2nd Lt | Roland N. | McKean | |
1st Lt | Charles W. | Dinse | |
1st Lt | Robert L. | Newman | |
2nd Lt | Joseph F. | Furness |
351st: Major Christian. T/U 11:17 hrs. T/D 13:11 hrs. Total flight time 1:54 hrs. Route in at Zandavoort, Utrecht, Antwerp and out at Niewe Sluis.
Major | Shannon | Christian | (Sqdn Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Herbert K. | Field | |
1st Lt | Frank N. | Emory | |
2nd Lt | Francis L. | Edwards | |
Capt | Walter C. | Beckham | (Flt Ldr) |
1st Lt | Gordon B. | Compton | |
1st Lt | William J. | Maguire | |
2nd Lt | Edgar J. | Albert | |
Capt | Jack R. | Walsh | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Lloyd A. | Thornell | |
Capt | Charles L. | Stafford | |
2nd Lt | Richard D. | Stanley | |
1st Lt | Vernon A. | Leatherman |
352nd: Major Bailey. T/U 11:32 hrs. T/D13:14 hrs. Total flight time 1:42 hrs. Course: Zandvoort, Utrecht, Antwerp, Nievwesluis. After being bounced by Me109s at Schoonhaven, Capt. Hoey and Lt. Gonnam claimed one Me109 destroyed each. Flight plan as per Squadron records.
Major | William B. | Bailey | (Sqdn Ldr) | |
Blue#2 | 2nd Lt | Wilton W. | Johnson | |
1st Lt | Charles W. | Kipfer | ||
White#3 | 1st Lt | Jesse W. | Gonnam | |
Blue#4 | 2nd Lt | Clifford F. | Armstrong | |
Blue#1 | Capt | Charles J. | Hoey | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | George S. | Dietz | ||
2nd Lt | Donald J. | Corrigan | ||
Blue#3 | 1st Lt | Clinton H. | Sperry | |
2nd Lt | Victor L. | Vogel | ||
2nd Lt | Edison G. | Stiff |
Date: Sept 22, 43
Dispatched: 38 Aborts: 3
Mission: Sweep (2nd mission) Field Order: 139/4
Time Up/Down: 15:10 hrs 16:41 hrs Leader: Major Duncan
Target: Lille/Ghent
Claims Air: 00-00-00 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00
Group made landfall at Furness, 28,000ft, 15:46 hrs. Came in behind the 352nd FG. Flew over Lille, Ghent and out north of Knocke 27,000ft, 16:02 hrs. No e/a or flak seen – no flak. Small fast boat going east of Flushing.
350th: Major Rimerman. T/U 15:17 hrs. T/D 17:35 hrs. Total flight time 2:18 hrs. Squadron led by Major Rimerman left English coast about 12,000ft and entered enemy coast at 27,000ft between Ostend and Blankenburgue. Swept south to Lille, made left turn and on to Ghent, left turn and went north to northwest coast. They proceeded along coast to about Knocke and then out at Niewe Sluis. Visibility unlimited. No E/A. No flak.
Major | Ben | Rimerman | (Sqdn Ldr) |
2nd Lt | William F. | Tanner | |
1st Lt | John L. | Devane | |
2nd Lt | John | Zolner | |
Capt | Robert E. | Fortier | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Charles O. | Durant | |
1st Lt | John | Sullivan | |
2nd Lt | Roland N. | McKean | |
Capt | Stanley R. | Pidduck | (Flt Ldr) |
1st Lt | Wayne K. | Blickenstaff | |
1st Lt | Charles W. | Dinse | |
2nd Lt | Dwight A. | Fry | |
1st Lt | Robert L. | Newman | |
2nd Lt | Joseph F. | Furness |
351st: Major Duncan. T/U 15:10 hrs. T/D 16:40 hrs. Total flight time 1:30 hrs. Route in south Walchern Island, Ghent, Courtrai and came out at Furness.
Major | Glenn E. | Duncan | (Gp & Sqdn Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Benedict E | Kraft | |
1st Lt | William R. | Burkett | |
2nd Lt | Harold J. | Morris | |
1st Lt | Vernon A. | Leatherman | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Richard D. | Stanley | |
1st Lt | William J. | Maguire | |
2nd Lt | Edgar J. | Albert | |
Capt | Jack R. | Walsh | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Lloyd A. | Thornell | |
1st Lt | Vic L. | Byers | |
2nd Lt | Jack | Terzian |
352nd: Major Bailey. T/U 15:17 hrs. T/D 16:45 hrs. Total flight time 1:28 hrs. Course: Furness, Lille, Ghent, Niewe Sluis. Flight plan as per Squadron records.
Major | William B. | Bailey | (Sqdn Ldr) |
Capt | Charles J. | Hoey | (Flt Ldr) |
2nd Lt | Donald J. | Corrigan | |
1st Lt | Robert P. | Geurtz | |
1st Lt | James N. | Poindexter | |
2nd Lt | George S. | Dietz | |
1st Lt | Wilbert H. | Juntilla | (Flt Ldr) |
1st Lt | Leslie P. | Cles | |
2nd Lt | Wilton W. | Johnson | |
1st Lt | William F. | Streit | |
2nd Lt | Victor L. | Vogel | |
2nd Lt | Clifford F. | Armstrong |