Mission#68 January 23, 1944 – Target: Frankfurt, 350th Fighter Squadron Claims 05-00-01.

Date: Jan 24, 44

Dispatched: 58 Aborts: 3      Mission: Area support to 1, 2 & 3 ATF’s

Field Order: 222

Time Up/Down: 10:29 hrs     14:04 hrs Leader: Lt Col. Duncan

Target: Frankfurt (bombers recalled)

Claims Air: 05-00-01 Claims Ground: 01-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-03

Group made L/F at Knocke 11:08 hrs, 20,000ft. No bombers seen in enemy territory [Lt Col Duncan decided to take the Group on a sweep deep into Germany]. Many friendly fighters observed. Out enemy coast vicinity of Ostend at approximately 13:30 hrs from deck to 12,000ft. White and Blue flight of lead Squadron attacked five Me110s at 5000ft vicinity of Tirlemont. Five destroyed (radar equipped observer on these aircraft). These flights split up three planes attacking one Me109 taxiing at Tirlemont Gossomcourt Airfield. After destroying this E/A, three Fw190s bounced the flight which evaded by diving to the deck. One Fw190 pursued for a considerable distance firing continuously. The E/A was turned into and damaged by one flight. It is interesting to note that these P-47s pulled away from the Fw190. Lt Col. Duncan, Capt. Stafford, Capt. Rose, Lt. Thistlethwaite and Lt. Herfurth of HQ participated.

Claims:

2 Me110s destroyed Lt Col. Duncan.

1 Me110 destroyed Capt. Newhart.

1 Me109 destroyed Capt. Newhart.

1 Me110 destroyed Lt. Furness

1 Me110 destroyed (shared) Capt. Dinse and Lt. Stearns.

1 Fw190 damaged Lt. Zolner.

350th: Lt Col Duncan. T/U 10:27 hrs. T/D 14:06 hrs. Total flight time 3:39 hrs. L/F in Knocke 11:08 hrs, 22,000ft. Bomber formation close 3 CW to south as Group was halfway in. Me110 at Hannut 5000ft. Left bombers between Dunkirk and Ostend, 13:35, 15,000ft. Flak: Heavy vicinity Ghent accurate. R/T normal.

Lt Col	Glenn E.	Duncan	(Gp Ldr)	LH-X	42-8634
1st Lt	Joseph F.	Furness
1st Lt	Wayne K.	Blickenstaff
2nd Lt	Robert S.	Hart
Capt	Charles W.	Dinse	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	John H.	Winder
1st Lt	Francis T.	Walsh
2nd Lt	Richard A.	Stearns
Capt	Dewey E.	Newhart	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Kenneth	Chetwood
1st Lt	John	Zolner
1st Lt	William J.	Price
Capt	Robert E.	Fortier	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Robert N.	Ireland
1st Lt	John	Sullivan
2nd Lt	Carl W.	Mueller	P55
1st Lt	John L.	Devane	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Tom	Lorance
1st Lt	Melvin P.	Dawson
1st Lt	Roland N.	McKean
Capt	Wilford F.	Hurst

The area support mission was extremely successful for the Squadron. Lt Col. Duncan dove on two Me110’s that were flying 10000ft below his flight at 5000ft claiming two. His wing man, 1st Lt John ‘Lil Joe’ Furness saw him destroy one aircraft and then got one himself:

We started immediately after them and arriving closer we found there was a flight of 4 and one single. The flight of four was headed westerly, and by violent skidding and a slow roll, Col Duncan managed to slow down enough to get behind one which burst into a huge flame at once.

Two of the remaining 110’s did a wing over 180 degrees to the right. I fired at the second one as I followed him thru his manoeuvre and somehow finished directly on his tail at about 200 yards range. I closed my throttle and commenced a long burst. I saw incendiary flashes on the cockpit and all along the right wing. Pieces flew off, one of which I recognised as the right wing tip. This e/a seemed to quit evasive action as we went into a light stratus cloud in a slight dive. I was so close I could fire at him in this cloud. I remember wondering if the gunner was firing back, and noticed the canopy was tight closed. The right engine had been smoking some time and seemed to cough flames once we broke out of the bottom of the cloud at about 2000ft in almost a vertical dive. This was my first idea of our altitude, and I blacked out completely in pulling out. I shot back into the cloud and needed several seconds to find which way was home. I didn’t see my 110 crash, but I’m certain he augured in.

Number three in the flight, 1st Lt. Wayne K. Blickenstaff, also fired on one of the enemy aircraft, but was unable to get proper deflection, almost blacking out trying to follow the aircraft in tight turn, and was forced to break off the engagement.

Pipeful Red flight added to score with its leader, Capt. Charles W. Dinse sharing an Me110 destroyed:

At the same time Col. Duncan started his attack on 4 Me110’s, my wing man, Lt. Winder, reported one twin engine ship flying directly beneath me. I tipped up on a wing, saw the e/a and immediately started down, calling my flight to follow. I opened fire at about 800 yards and held my burst until breaking off at about 20 yards. I observed numerous strikes on the fuselage and wings. Large pieces came off of the right engine. The a/c was on fire when I broke off the attack.

2nd Lt. Richard A. Stearns then closed in to finish the attack and share the Me110 victory:

As Capt Dinse made a pass at this e/a, pieces started falling off and pretty soon the left engine caught fire. By this time I had closed to firing range and gave him a burst from about 200 yards and saw strikes around both engines and along the cockpit. I broke off around 75 yards. The e/a was trailing very black smoke and continued to move or less glide down in a straight line, when just before reaching the cloud layer, which was around 2000ft, it seemed to roll on is back and went into the clouds going straight down.

Capt Newhart in Blue flight was also able to destroy an Me110

I was on the left, slightly above Col Duncan who was leading our Squadron. We were coming out from patrolling our assigned area, and had dropped down to 16000ft to go under a cirrus layer. Lt Furness (Pipeful White #2) reported bogies below at about 5000ft. Col Duncan led his flight down on a bounce and I followed giving him cover. Col Duncan had shot his first one down, and was in close range on the second and firing, but this I didn’t know for I was coming in for about a 35 degree deflection shot on the same one and my wing blocked my view of him. I had just given a very short burst from about 300 yards when my #3, Lt Price yelled for me to break. I did this and Col Duncan passed right under my wing, and I saw the e/a go down in flames.

I saw another Me110 off to my right and below so I tried to slow down behind it. I finally managed to slow down and got about 10 to 15 degrees deflection shot and then to astern, opening fire from about 275 to 250 yards. I saw hits in the cockpit evidently killing the pilot. The plane dove straight ahead and into a woods. By now I was close to the ground and the e/a too, so I pulled up and did a sharp left turn and came in and gave a burst after he had stopped crashing through the woods, breaking up.

Lt Col. Duncan who reported what happened next:

About this time we came on Tirlemont/Gossoncourt airfield where we saw an e/a landing. Gosh, what I wouldn’t have given for a bit of ammunition and another tank of gas. Capt Newhart, seeing an Me109 landing, went down and shot him up (taxiing on the ground). I will confirm a destroyed for him. It was nice shooting. At the same time that Capt Newhart went down I saw three Fw190’s circling to the west of the drome at about 2000ft. As Lt Zolner and I turned, I called Lt Zolner and Newhart to come on and we would be getting out. I watched in the mirror for possible pursuit of the Fw’s and finally saw one chasing Newhart. I called for full throttle and a dive for the deck. The Fw was firing explosive ammunition, but he was out of range and they were bursting about 300 yards to the rear of Newhart.

It is interesting to note that we were pulling ‘balls out’ and indicating about 350 mph and easily outdistanced the Fw. As soon as I thought that we had lost him completely I called for Lt Zolner and Newhart to pull down to 2000 revs and 35 inches of mercury. We went along this way for about five minutes and were just beginning to pass over a town when the Fw caught up with us and began shooting at me this time. I took immediate violent evasive action. Lt Zolner, being on my left at this time, turned into the Fw and shot. The Fw turned left, and Zolner came out on his tail. Lt Zolner managed to damage the Fw (not confirmed) then came on with Newhart and me. By this time the gas problem was really getting touchy. All that combat and chasing was no help in the conservation of gas.

We were now pulling 30 inches of mercury and 1400 rpm and were below the trees. In fact, Lt Zolner took the side branches of one tree without much damage to the ship. We knew that this low flying was a breach of flying regulations, and also we were tied down by orders not to shoot at anything in occupied territory, even flak towers. So this was our only hope against the flak that was kicking up dust all around us. We went across the centre of Brussels, Ghent and Ostend as turning away from our course to go around the towers meant using more gas.

Lt. Zolner’s claimed an Fw190 damaged:

After about ten minutes the e/a caught up to us and again fired at long range. I turned back into him and fired a burst head on without aiming. He made an attempt to meet me but didn’t seem to press his attack. I then pulled around into a sharp wing over and ended up behind him. He made a sharp turn east and was right on the deck. I cut inside of him and gave him a few short bursts, at about 500 yards. I had trouble holding his line of sight because three guns in my right wing had jammed. I didn’t observe my strikes but he did start to smoke badly and wasn’t taking evasive action at all. I had to swing around for home then because my fuel was very low, about 60 gals. I had just set course when I glanced up and saw three e/a, about 400ft above, going south. I put everything to the fire wall and got down as low as possible. I passed under them without being seen, but was so intent on watching them that I hit a tree with my prop. This jarred me a bit but didn’t seem to affect the flying of the ship at all. I then caught up Col Duncan and Capt Newhart. We crossed out at Ostend and I landed at Manston with no gasoline at all.

351st: Major Beckham. T/U 10:33 hrs. T/D 14:03 hrs. Total flight time 3:30 hrs. Route: Entered enemy territory over Knocke. Proceeded along course as planned leaving coast in the vicinity of Ostend. Withdrawal support. Walcheren Island at 11:10 hrs at 25,000ft. Group of P-47s seen neat Bruxelles area on way out. Spitfires south of Bruxelles area seen on way out. NE of Ostende at 13:18 hrs at 12,000ft to 26,000ft. R/T same as usual. 80 plus freighters in and outside harbor at Ostende. About five minutes after leaving English coast two parachutes were seen at 17,000ft. No other planes seen in the vicinity at time. [Lt. Peterson, low on gas, landed his aircraft at the emergency strip at Woodbridge].

Major	Walter C.	Beckham	(Sqdn Ldr)	YJ-X
2nd Lt	Jack	Terzian		YJ-Z
2nd Lt	William T.	Thistlethwaite		YJ-A	42-8380
2nd Lt	John G.	Treitz		YJ-Y
1st Lt	Frank N.	Emory	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-E
F/O	Cletus	Peterson		YJ-P
1st Lt	Harry F.	Hunter		YJ-H	*
2nd Lt	George F.	Perpente		YJ-G
Capt	Frederick H.	Lefebre	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-L
2nd Lt	Hassell D.	Stump		YJ-K
Capt	Charles L.	Stafford		YJ-V
2nd Lt	Francis L.	Edwards		YJ-T
1st Lt	William J.	Maguire	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-M
2nd Lt	Frank J.	Mincik		YJ-W
2nd Lt	Richard D.	Stanley		YJ-R
F/O	Joseph E.	Wood		YJ-S
1st Lt	Gordon B.	Compton	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-O
2nd Lt	Don M.	Hurlburt		YJ-H
2nd Lt	Lloyd A.	Thornell		YJ-U
2nd Lt	Joseph A.	Schillinger	(352nd)	YJ-N
Capt	John B.	Rose	(350th Spotter)	YJ-D

352nd: Major Bailey. T/U 10:35 hrs. T/D Total flight time. Area support to 1st, 2nd and 3rd TF. Enemy coast overcast, believed to be on course and on time, altitude 18,000ft. No bombers seen over enemy territory at any time. P-51s seen on the way in and flights of P-47s seen at various times during the mission. Believed Squadron penetrated enemy territory 50 miles further than planned. Ostend approximately 13:30 at 12,000ft. Parker excellent inland, poor along enemy coast. One 4 engine bomber believed to be a B-17 seen crashing into sea about 5 minutes after leaving the English coast. 3 parachute flares observed. 9 to 10/10 overcast over continent. 50-100 barges in Channel at Nieuport and several freighters. Course: Landfall, R/V Offlingen, 50 20 N – 05 40 E, Landfall out, Home. One down Manston [W38 Lt. Armstong returned to Metfield 16:38 hrs.]

Major	William B.	Bailey	(Sqdn Ldr)	SX-B
1st Lt	William J.	Jordan		SX-T
1st Lt	Leslie P.	Cles		SX-G
2nd Lt	Clifford F.	Armstrong	W38	SX-C
Capt	Wilbert H.	Juntilla	(Flt Ldr)	SX-K
2nd Lt	Donald J.	Corrigan		SX-Q	42-75446
1st Lt	Edward M.	Fogarty		SX-O
2nd Lt	Maurice	Morrison	DNTO	SX-R
Capt	Raynor E.	Robertson	(Flt Ldr)	SX-S
1st Lt	Herman	Herfurth		SX-J
1st Lt	James N.	Poindexter		SX-H
2nd Lt	Glenn G.	Callans		SX-V
Capt	Charles J.	Hoey	(Flt Ldr)	SX-A
2nd Lt	Wilton W.	Johnson		SX-W
1st Lt	Robert P.	Geurtz		SX-I
2nd Lt	William S.	Marchant		SX-N
1st Lt	Jesse W.	Gonnam	DNTO	SX-U	42-8409
1st Lt	Gordon L.	Willits	(Flt Ldr)	SX-X
1st Lt	Gordon S.	Burlingame		SX-M
2nd Lt	Harry H.	Dustin		SX-Y
2nd Lt	Joseph A.	Schillinger	(with 351st)	YJ-N

Group Aborts/ERTNs/Damaged/DNTOs:

42-8409	DNTO tire blew out	SX-U	Lt. Gonnam flying
42-75446	ERTN pilot illness	SX-Q	Lt. Corrigan flying
42-8380	ERTN gas selector	YJ-A	Lt. Thistlethwaite flying
42-7958	ERTN push rod oil leak	YJ-V*
42-7989	BD Cat A	LH-L
42-8634	BD Cat AC	LH-X	Lt Col. Duncan flying
42-8480	BD Cat AC	LH-Z

*This appears to be an error in the records as Capt Stafford is recorded as flying YJ-V and did not abort. Lt. Hunter flying YJ-H did abort for mechanical reasons.

An Open Letter…

To the person who thinks it’s OK to copy pictures from this site and try and sell them to unsuspecting customers on a well known online marketplace site:

It is not OK to defraud people by charging for material that is freely available and lie about where it has come from.

It is not OK to claim credit for the hard work and good will of others.

It is not OK to make a cheap buck off the memory of the 353rd.

It is OK to report the infringment and I will do so.

Check your moral compass – it would appear you need a heading correction.

[To everyone else my apologies for the rant – I’m just ticked-off that someone would do this. Your thoughts and messages, whatever you think, are welcome].

Mission#67 January 23, 1944 – Target: Leeuwarden Airfield, Thunder Bombing.

Date: Jan 23, 44

Dispatched: 8 Aborts: 8 Mission: Thunder Bombing Field Order: 39 (wg)

Time Up/Down: 14:43 hrs 16:58 hrs Leader: Lt Col. Duncan

Target: Leeuwarden

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

Landfall 15:21 hrs, Tessel Island, 22,000ft. Out N of Egmond 15:59 hrs, 18,000ft. All A/C, 500lb, 1/10 sec nose, 1/100 sec tail. Target completely overcast. Flights went down to 10,000ft. Bombs returned to base. Nothing seen air or ground. Lt Col. Duncan of HQ participated. [This was volunteer mission called for by Lt Col. Duncan who wanted to test vertical dive bombing by a split “s” on to the target]

352nd: Lt Col Duncan. T/U 14:43 hrs. T/D 16:08 hrs. Total flight time 1:25 hrs. Landfall 15:21 Tessel Island, 25,000ft, out N of Egmond 15:59 hrs, 18,000ft. All A/C, 500lb GP’s 1/10 sec nose, 1/100 sec tail. Target completely overcast. Flights went down to 10,000ft. Bombs returned to base. Nothing seen air or ground. Weather: Few patches of light cumulus, alto cumulus across the North Sea. 4/10-6/10 light cumulus along the immediate coast with apparent front along east side of Zuider Zee with 10/10 cumulonimbus tops to 20,000 from there inland. Visibility excellent very light contrails at 32,000ft.

Lt Col	Glenn E.	Duncan	(Gp Ldr)	LH-X
1st Lt	Gordon L.	Willits		SX-X
1st Lt	William J.	Jordan		SX-T
2nd Lt	Maurice	Morrison		SX-R

351st: Lt. Emory T/U 14: 35 hrs. T/D 17:00 hrs. Total flying time 2:25 hrs [no report details available].

1st Lt	Frank N.	Emory	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-E
2nd Lt	Don M.	Hurlburt		YJ-H
1st Lt	Gordon B.	Compton		YJ-O
2nd Lt	Edgar J.	Albert		YJ-U

Mission#66 January 21, 1944 – Target: Crossbow Area Patrol Albert. Major Beckham and Lt. Thistlethwaite claims and Group’s First Airfield Strafing.

Date: Jan 21, 44

Dispatched: 59 Aborts: 2

Mission: Plan Eye Que – Patrol Area ‘E’ Field Order: 221

Time Up/Down: 12:50 hrs     16:12 hrs Leader: Lt Col. Duncan

Targets: Crossbow targets

Claims Air: 03-00-00 Claims Ground: 01-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00

Group crossed the enemy coast at Gravelines 13:38 hrs, 24,000ft. Patrolled area ‘E’ from Albert at 13:55 hrs until 15:15 hrs. North of St. Quentin four Me109s engaged by White flight of 351st Squadron. Three destroyed. White flight of 352nd pursuing S/E E/A passed over airdrome vicinity of Albert. Destroyed T/E E/A probably a Do217 on ground. 60 to 75 small boats off Dunkirk heading south. Out enemy coast Berck sur Mer 15:28 hrs, 10,000ft. Lt Col. Duncan, Capt. Stafford, Capt Rose, Lt. Thistlethwaite, Lt. Herfurth of Group HQ participated.

2 Me109s destroyed Major Beckham

1 Me109 destroyed Lt. Thistlethwaite

1 T/E/A/C believed Do217 shared by Lt Col. Duncan, Lt. Johnson and Lt. Sperry.

350th: Capt Newhart. T/U 12:55 hrs. T/D 16:15 hrs. Total flight time 3:20 hrs. L/F Gravelines 13:38 hrs, 24,000ft. P-38s & P-47s, Left area 15:05 hrs, left coast Cape Gris Nez 15:35 hrs, 17,000ft. Flak St. Omer, Calais, Amiens Heavy. R/T Good.

Capt	Dewey E.	Newhart	(Sqdn Ldr)
1st Lt	Francis T.	Walsh
Capt	Charles W.	Dinse
2nd Lt	John H.	Winder
Capt	Stanley R.	Pidduck	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Chauncey	Rowan
Capt	John B.	Rose
1st Lt	Melvin P.	Dawson
Capt	Wilford F.	Hurst	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Richard A.	Stearns
2nd Lt	William F.	Tanner
2nd Lt	Kenneth	Chetwood
Capt	Robert E.	Fortier	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Charles O.	Durant
1st Lt	Roland N.	McKean
2nd Lt	Carl W.	Mueller
1st Lt	John L.	Devane	(flew 352nd)	LH-Z
1st Lt	Tom	Lorance	(flew 352nd)	LH-K

351st: Major Beckham. T/U 12:45 hrs. T/D 15:55 hrs Total flying time 3:10 hrs. Route: Landfall in over Dunkerque and proceeded to assigned area. Crossed out of enemy territory over Cape Griz Nez. SW of Dunkirk at 13:37 hrs, 25,000ft. Very good formation, close. 56A and 55th. Four Me109s headed SW, bounced by White flight just north of San Quentin at 12,000ft, Left area 13:40 hrs. Cape Griz Nez at 15:26 hrs, 23,000ft. Much medium heavy flak along coast. Very accurate flak at St. Omer fired at Yellow flight. 60-75 small boats off Dunkirk, headed south. One B-17, smoking, seen to jettison bombs 4-5 miles off coast at Cape Griz Nez and then ditch in the water. No chutes seen. P-47 seen circling spot.

Major	Walter C.	Beckham	(Sqdn Ldr)	YJ-X
2nd Lt	Hassell D.	Stump		YJ-K
2nd Lt	William T.	Thistlethwaite		YJ-A
2nd Lt	Lloyd A.	Thornell		YJ-M
1st Lt	Vernon A.	Leatherman	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-N
2nd Lt	Don M.	Hurlburt		YJ-H
1st Lt	Gordon B.	Compton		YJ-O
2nd Lt	Irving	Toppel		YJ-W
Capt	Frederick H.	Lefebre	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-L
2nd Lt	John G.	Treitz		YJ-R
1st Lt	William R.	Burkett		YJ-Y
2nd Lt	Jack	Terzian		YJ-Z
1st Lt	Frank N.	Emory	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-E
2nd Lt	Francis L.	Edwards		YJ-T
1st Lt	Harry F.	Hunter		YJ-H	42-8379
2nd Lt	George F.	Perpente		YJ-G	42-22483
Capt	Charles L.	Stafford	(Flt Ldr)	YJ-V
F/O	Cletus	Peterson		YJ-P
2nd Lt	Herbert K.	Field		YJ-F
F/O	Joseph E.	Wood		YJ-S
2nd Lt	Edgar J.	Albert	(Spare)	YJ-U

At 14:40 hrs, whilst flying at 17,000ft, west of St. Quentin, 4 Me109’s were seen flying south east, just above the cloud tops. Major Beckham was able to destroy two:

We opened out throttles and nosed down, closing easily. I fired from less than 200 yards astern of one, getting many strikes. Lt Stump, the #2 man and Lt Thornell, the #4, saw the pilot bail out.

I opened fire on another 109 to the right as he was breaking left. Range was so short that hits resulted in spite of the deflection. I followed this 109 down in a series of manoeuvres, with throttle full back and turning so sharply that I was stalling most of the time. I think he was also stalling. The electrical sight went out after the first burst at the second 109. Each time he straightened out, I gave him a burst, using the mechanical gunsight. His canopy and miscellaneous pieces came off, but I don’t think the pilot got out. The plane broke apart. I watched one of his wings with a piece of fuselage attached, spiralling down flaming. When it struck the ground it started a large circular area burning.

Beckham’s wing man, 1st Lt. Hassell D. Stump, was close behind but failed to score:

As we closed from astern they continued to fly in a line abreast formation, evidently not seeing us. I started to line up on the number 4 man, but saw Major Beckham was going after him, so I took the number 3 man.

Just as I started to fire he saw me and took violent evasive action down, forcing me to shove the stick forward hard. When I did this, dirt from the floor of the cockpit came up and blinded me so that I could not see the results of my shooting. Range was about 200 yards with 50 degrees deflection. When I got my eyes cleared I looked for the e/a, but could not see him.

1st Lt. William Thistlethwaite, flying White #3, had better luck and was credited with a 109 destroyed:

I concentrated on the e/a directly ahead of me, taking a one second burst at about 15 degrees of deflection from 400 yards. At first there were no strikes, the e/a flicked to the left and I observed a strike on his left wing. I was then closing, and at about 200 yards I gave another long burst, seeing strikes on both wings and fuselage. The e/a was upside down in a flat inverted spin. I pulled back up to 17000ft and joined a flight of six P-47’s. My wing man, Lt. Thornell, observed this e/a to go down smoking.

352nd: Lt Col. Duncan with Major Bailey leading B*stard Squadron (6 352nd ships, 2 350th and 4 351st). T/U 12:49 hrs. T/D 16:10 hrs. Total flight time 3:21 hrs. Course: Gravelines, Albert, withdraw, L/F out Cayeux, Home. Gravelines 13:38 hrs, 26,000ft. 1 flight of 4 P-38s observed on the way out. White flight of Wakeford Squadron down on deck on the way out passed over airdrome at Albert and strafed an E/A believed to be a Do217 destroying it on the ground. Wakeford and B*stard Squadrons [Bailey’s flight and Poindexter/Herfurth with Devane and Lorance from 350th and Stafford’s flight from the 351st] left French coast by elements and flights at various points from Pointe Haut-Bade to St. Inglevert. Time ranging from 15:20 to 15:30 hrs and altitudes from the deck to 12,000 ft. Moderate medium and heavy flak accurate from Boullens. Many gun emplacements along the beach between Berck-s-Mer to Le Touquet firing light flak. 5 to 8/10 low clouds over course flown, instead of 3-4/10 as briefed.

Lt Col	Glenn E.	Duncan	(Gp & Sqdn Ldr)	LH-X
2nd Lt	Wilton W.	Johnson		SX-C
1st Lt	Clinton H.	Sperry		SX-E
2nd Lt	Joseph A.	Schillinger		SX-J
Capt	Thomas J.	Forkin	(Flt Ldr)	SX-W
1st Lt	William J.	Jordan		SX-T
1st Lt	Robert A.	Newman		SX-N
2nd Lt	William S.	Marchant		SX-Y	42-22465
Capt	Raynor E.	Robertson	(Flt Ldr)	SX-S
1st Lt	Robert P.	Geurtz		SX-I
1st Lt	Edward M.	Fogarty		SX-A
1st Lt	Charles W.	Kipfer		SX-Q
Capt	Wilbert H.	Juntilla	(Flt Ldr)	SX-K
2nd Lt	Donald J.	Corrigan		SX-G
1st Lt	Gordon S.	Burlingame		SX-M
2nd Lt	Maurice	Morrison		SX-R
Major	William B.	Bailey	(Flt Ldr)	SX-B
2nd Lt	Harry H.	Dustin		SX-Z
1st Lt	Jesse W.	Gonnam		SX-U
1st Lt	Gordon L.	Willits		SX-X
1st Lt	James N.	Poindexter	(Flt Ldr)	SX-H
1st Lt	Herman	Herfurth		SX-V

White flight of Wakeford Squadron went down to low level on the way out and completed perhaps the first “official” strafing run by P-47’s on a German airfield at Albert. The raid resulted in Lt Col. Duncan, Lt. Sperry and Lt. Johnson sharing a Do217 destroyed as

1st Lt. Clinton H. Sperry reported:

We were in an ideal position to investigate the field. Col Duncan went down through the hole and fired on an aircraft parked in a revetment. I could see a cloud of dust and smoke and many flashes from strikes, but could not identify the aircraft from my position. Lt Johnson followed Col Duncan on to the same target and again there was a spray of debris and a belch of flame for a second. In order to avoid possible gun fire from the airdrome and prop wash from the other two ships I went down onto the taxi ramp which was a long straight one. I guess I was about five feet off the ground because I could see people running on my right out of the corner of my eye. With a quick look around the field, I could see no other target; so pulled up and pushed my nose down enough to fire into what was left of the aircraft Col Duncan and Lt Johnson had fired on. There was still so much smoke, dust and debris around that I could not possibly recognise the aircraft

Group Aborts/Did Not Take Off (DNTO):

42-22465	DNTO right magneto	SX-Y	Lt. Marchant
42-8379	ABT radio failure	YJ-H	Lt. Hunter flying
42-22483	ERTN escort 8379	YJ-G	Lt. Perpente flying