Date: Oct 20, 43
Dispatched: 54 Aborts: 13
Mission: Withdrawal support to 2nd TF 120 B-17’s Field Order: 163
Time Up/Down: 13:28 hrs 15:44 hrs Leader: Lt Col. McCollom
Target: Duren
Claims Air: 00-01-02 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00
Group crossed the enemy coast at Maristede at 14:06 hrs and proceeded on course making R/V with the bombers at Waldenrath at 30,000ft, 14:29 hrs. At 14:09 hrs the Group leader developed engine trouble and was forced to return, Capt Pidduck, Blue leader, 350th FS taking over. R/V with lead units of the 2nd TF as outlined in the FO at 14:29 hrs, 30,000ft. Bombers were at 28,000ft. Second box of bombers considerably strung out from the first box. One Squadron went back and circled over them. Being unmolested they retired to escort position with the lead unit. Left bombers at 14:55 hrs at Zevendergen, where another Group of P-47’s took up withdrawal support. Out at Westhoofd at 15:10 hrs at 20,000ft. 10+ Me109s were seen at our level at 2 o’clock just after R/V. Turning into them they broke down and away. Just after R/V point another gang of 3 Me109s were seen flying parallel with the bombers and upon turning into them they turned right and headed inland. Enemy tactics seemed to take advantage of cloud cover to manoeuvre, as our aircraft would turn to attack another e/a would appear from out of the clouds to position himself on the tail of our aircraft. Enemy fighters did not appear to be too aggressive but wished to engage the attention of our fighters rather than any concerted attack on the bombers. Pilots seemed to think enemy fighters were more experienced than recently encountered. A large white burst seen over Herrenthal apparently coming from centre of bomber formation on way to target. 5 to 6 freighters and 5 barges towed by tugs seen in Oostercheld. Approx 20 aircraft seen to land on field near Zerkzee on Schouwen Island. One large splash seen in Channel. Upon investigation only large oil slick visible. No chutes in the vicinity. Two flights circled. One flight leader gave mayday at 3,500ft. Radio whine not as intense as usual. Lt. Thistlethwaite, Capt. Stafford and Lt. Herfurth of Group HQ participated. Capt. Stafford returned early due to radio trouble.
One Me109 probable by Lt. Fogarty 352nd
Two Me109s damaged by Capt. Hoey 352nd
One Me109 damaged by Lt. Morris 351st
350th: Lt Col McCollom and then Capt Pidduck. T/U 13:19 hrs. T/D 15:45 hrs. Total flight time 2:26 hrs. One returned with prop failure. L/F was made at 14:06 hrs north of Walcheren Islands. Made R/V with bombers at 14:29, about 30 miles NW of target. Escorted bombers about 30 miles east of Eindhoven and in vicinity of Amsterdam. No action.
| Lt Col | Loren | McCollom | (Sqdn Ldr) |
| 1st Lt | Alan W. | Lowe | |
| 2nd Lt | William J. | Price | |
| 2nd Lt | William F. | Tanner | |
| Capt | Dewey E. | Newhart | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Francis T. | Walsh | |
| 1st Lt | Wayne K. | Blickenstaff | |
| 1st Lt | Tom | Lorance | |
| Capt | Stanley R. | Pidduck | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Walter B. | Stone | |
| 1st Lt | William W. | Odom | |
| 1st Lt | Wilford F. | Hurst | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Richard A. | Stearns | |
| 1st Lt | Melvin P. | Dawson | |
| 2nd Lt | John | Zolner |
351st: Major Christian. T/U 13:12 hrs. T/D 15:48 hrs. Total flight time 2:36 hrs. Route: In at Haamstede, R/V with bombers at Duren, escorted out to Turnout, out Schouwen Islands.
| Major | Shannon | Christian | (Sqdn Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | William T. | Thistlethwaite | |
| Capt | Charles L. | Stafford | |
| 2nd Lt | Hassell D. | Stump | |
| Capt | Frederick H. | Lefebre | |
| 2nd Lt | Don M. | Hurlburt | |
| 1st Lt | David C. | Kenney | |
| 2nd Lt | Irving | Toppel | |
| 2nd Lt | John G. | Treitz | |
| 1st Lt | Vic L. | Byers | |
| Capt | Orville A. | Kinkade | |
| F/O | Cletus | Peterson | |
| 1st Lt | Harry F. | Hunter | |
| 2nd Lt | George F. | Perpente | |
| Capt | Jack R. | Walsh | |
| F/O | Joseph E. | Wood | |
| 1st Lt | William R. | Burkett | |
| 2nd Lt | Lloyd A. | Thornell | |
| 2nd Lt | Harold J. | Morris | |
| 2nd Lt | Jack | Terzian | |
352nd: Major Bailey. T/U 13:35 hrs. T/D 15:27 hrs. Total flight time 2:02 hrs. Major Bailey was leading the Squadron but had to return to station and Capt. Hoey took over. Made landfall south of Haamstede at 14:06 hrs, two minutes late. Proceeded on course and encountered five Me109s near rendezvous point. Capt. Hoey believed to damage two Me109s and Lt. Fogarty believed to have damaged one. Made rendezvous with bombers and made left turn to escort them out. Four white Fw190s were observed but not damaged. They were flying approximately 2,000ft above the Squadron’s formation which was at an altitude of 31,000ft. Approximately 20 enemy aircraft seen to land on field near Zierkzee.
| Major | William B. | Bailey | (Sqdn Ldr) ERTN |
| 2nd Lt | Edison G. | Stiff | |
| 2nd Lt | Hildreth | Owens | |
| 2nd Lt | Clifford | Armstrong | ERTN (escort to Fogarty) |
| 2nd Lt | William S. | Marchant | |
| 2nd Lt | Victor L. | Vogel | |
| 2nd Lt | William J. | Jordan | |
| 2nd Lt | Glenn C. | Callans | |
| 1st Lt | Charles W. | Kipfer | |
| 1st Lt | Jesse W. | Gonnam | |
| Capt | Charles J. | Hoey | (Sqdn Ldr) |
| 1st Lt | Clinton H. | Sperry | ERTN |
| Capt | Raynor E. | Robertson | (Flt Ldr) |
| 1st Lt | Robert P. | Geurtz | |
| 1st Lt | Thomas J. | Forkin | |
| 1st Lt | Robert A. | Newman | |
| 1st Lt | Edward M. | Fogarty | (Flt Ldr) ERTN Motor |
| 1st Lt | Leslie P. | Cles |
Group Aborts/Early Returns:
| 42-8531 | ERTN engine overheated | SX-C |
| 42-8428 | ERTN radio dead | YJ-? |
| 42-8395 | ERTN no belly tank fuel pressure | YJ-S |
| 42-7972 | ERTN escort | |
| 42-8446 | ERTN low oxygen | |
| 42-8471 | ERTN escort | SX-S |
| 42-8522 | ERTN belly tank wouldn’t release | |
| 42-8376 | ERTN supercharger regulator out | SX-Q |
| 42-7910 | ERTN radio too loud | SX-J |
| 42-8687 | ERTN engine cutting out | SX-R |
| 42-22462 | ERTN escort | SX-P |
| 42-7900 | ERTN temperature problems | |
| 42-74659 | ERTN escort |
