Mission#42 November 7, 1943 – Target: Duren

Date: Nov 7, 43

Dispatched: 39 Aborts:7

Mission: General support to 2nd TF (3rd Div) 80 B-17’s. Field Order: 172

Time Up/Down: 09:30 hrs 12:22 hrs Leader: Lt Col. McCollom

Target: Duren

Claims Air: 00-00-00 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00

Group made landfall west of Zeebrugge at 10:12 hrs, 24,500ft. Due to complete overcast ground references are conjectured but believe planned course was followed to R/V point. No bombers seen until possibly Eupen when bombers sighted to the north. R/V made vicinity of Maeseyek at 11:19 hrs, 30,000ft. Escorting then to south of Gilze Rijen leaving them at 11:30 hrs. Out enemy coast over Schouwen Island 11:42 hrs, 25,000ft. 1^st box of bombers approx 40 in good formation, 2^nd box of 20+ considerably strung out. First TF seen coming from northeast vicinity of Asten in good formation. No stragglers. No e/a. Bursts of flak Ghent going in, Dutch Islands coming out. Accurate height, inaccurate direction. Moderate flak from neighbourhood target area, possibly Aachen. Smoke screen believed around target area. From above account it would appear that bombers did not fly planned course. Radio whine intense. Capt. Rose and Lt. Thistlethwaite from Group HQ participated.

350th: Lt Col. McCollom. T/U 09:30 hrs. T/D 12:20 hrs. Total flight time 2:50 hrs. Course L/F over Bruges to 50 degree 00 n, 05 degree 00 E to Duren to 51 degree 20 N to O5 degree 20 E to home. Lt Col. McCollom led the Squadron with Major Rimerman leading the second element. Squadron carried further in than planned by strong wind and had to orbit a while to make R/V with bombers. No e/a encountered, no ground or sea activities observed. Flak negligible except for several heavy bursts accurate as to course and height but slightly behind Capt Newhart’s ship over Dutch Island on course out. Weather 10/10 overcast except over Dutch islands on course out. Three aborts: one gun trouble, one radio and one belly tank.

Lt Col	Loren	McCollom	(Gp Ldr)
Capt	John B.	Rose
1st Lt	William W.	Odom
2nd Lt	Robert S.	Hart
Capt	Dewey E.	Newhart	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Francis T.	Walsh
1st Lt	Charles W.	Dinse
2nd Lt	John H.	Winder
Major	Ben	Rimerman	(Sqdn Ldr & Dep Gp Ldr)
1st Lt	Tom	Lorance
1st Lt	John L.	Devane
1st Lt	John	Zolner
Capt	Wilford F.	Hurst	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Melvin P.	Dawson
1st Lt	William J.	Price
2nd Lt	William F.	Tanner
1st Lt	Charles O.	Durant	P30	LH-B

351st: Capt. Beckham. T/U 09:30 hrs. T/D 12:20 hrs. Total flight time 2:50 hrs. Route: In NE of Ostend to Dinant, R/V at Duren and out to Schouwen Island.

Capt	Walter C.	Beckham	(Sqdn Ldr)
2nd Lt	William T.	Thistlethwaite
Capt	Frederick H.	Lefebre	R31	YJ-L
1st Lt	William J.	Maguire	R65	YJ-M
1st Lt	Gordon B.	Compton	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Edgar J.	Albert
2nd Lt	Don M.	Hurlburt	R32	YJ-D
1st Lt	George N.	Ahles

352nd: Major Bailey. T/U 09:33 hrs. T/D 12:25 hrs. Total flight time 2:52 hrs. Target Support. Squadron led by Major Bailey made landfall at 10:12 hrs at 24,000ft. Made R/V three minutes late and proceeded to target area. Made landfall out over Dunkirk.

Major	William B.	Bailey	(Sqdn Ldr)
2nd Lt	Clifford F.	Armstrong
1st Lt	Jesse W.	Gonnam
1st Lt	Gordon L.	Willits
1st Lt	Wilbert H.	Juntilla	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Charles W.	Kipfer	W42	SX-H
1st Lt	Edward M.	Fogarty
2nd Lt	Maurice	Morrison
Capt	Raynor E.	Robertson	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Edison G.	Stiff	W56	SX-J
1st Lt	Gordon S.	Burlingame
2nd Lt	William S.	Marchant	W32	SX-Y
1st Lt	Thomas J.	Forkin	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	William J.	Jordan
1st Lt	Robert A.	Newman
2nd Lt	Glenn C.	Callans

Group Aborts/ERTNs/Damaged:

42-7940	ABT   glass elbow cracked	LH-M
42-74669	ABT belly   tank cut out	LH-O
42-74618	ABT   radio out [s/n crtd]	LH-?
42-8664	ABT   gyro inst and air speed ind out	?
42-8396	ERTN   escort	SX-T
42-22470	ERTN   escort	SX-?
42-8687	ABT oil   temperature	SX-R

*The Control Tower Log also records YJ-A returned to base 10:18 hrs, but I have no further information on this currently.