The 149 Sqdn left from an unknown RAF station at 1944-07-17 at an unknown time. Loc or duty Training
He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial LK388, code OJ-L).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 478: In the morning 670 bombers and 472 fighters are dispatched to hit tactical targets in France; 1 bomber and 1 fighter are lost:
1. Of 331 B-17s, 37 hit Joigny la Roche, 36 hit Jussy, 35 hit Auxerre, 35 hit Peronne, 33 hit Ham-sur-Somme, 32 hit Anizy-le-Chateau, 25 hit Frevent, 12 hit Tergnier and 11 hit Eu Bridges; 12 hit Doullens road junction, 12 hit Hesdin fuel dump, 12 hit Frevent railroad and road junction, 11 hit Laon marshalling yard and 15 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 64 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA.
2. Of 339 B-24s, 58 hit Rilly la Montagne dump, 52 hit Belfort marshalling yard; 36 hit Gien, 34 hit Coulanges, 34 hit Neuvy-sur-Loire, 32 hit Sully, 30 hit Nanteuil and 10 hit Le Soulons Bridges; 11 hit St Dizier Airfield and 5 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 54 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 7 WIA.
Escort for the 2 groups above is 433 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA); elements of 4 fighter groups afterwards strafe ground targets, claiming 23 locomotives, 18 trucks, and 55 train cars destroyed.
Mission 479: During the evening 34 of 69 B-17s and 106 of 115 B-24s attack 12 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 23 B-24s and 28 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 5 WIA.
Escort is provided by 209 of 227 P-51s; 1 is damaged beyond repair.
Mission 480: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.
16 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): With operations limited by weather in France, 69 B-26s hit fuel dumps at Rennes while 37 A-20s strike fuel dumps at Bruz and a marshalling yard at Dol-de-Bretagne; fighters escort transports, fly area cover, attack fuel dumps and landing field at Angers, dive-bomb defenses at Coutances in support of the US First Army, attack Nevers marshalling yard, and hit troop concentrations in support of the First Army assault in the Saint-Lo area.
Campaign report of the RAF:
16/17 July 1944
38 Mosquitos attacked the synthetic-oil plant at Homberg without loss.
4 Stirlings minelaying off Brest, 5 OTU sorties, 8 Mosquitos on flying-bomb patrols. No aircraft lost.
17 July 1944
132 aircraft - 72 Halifaxes, 28 Stirlings, 20 Lancasters, 11 Mosquitos, 1 Mustang - attacked 3 V-weapons sites without loss. Few details of bombing results were recorded.
17/18 July 1944
23 Stirlings and 11 Halifaxes from Heavy Conversion Units of Nos 1 and No 5 Groups on a diversion flight over the North Sea without loss, although no major operation took place elsewhere, 31 Mosquitos to Berlin, 24 RCM sorties, 38 Mosquito patrols, 8 Halifaxes minelaying off Heligoland and the Frisians, 16 aircraft on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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