The 90 Sqdn left from Tuddenham at 1944-05-24 at 22:45. Loc or duty Gardening

On Wednesday 24 May 1944, a member of the 90 Sqdn, Flight Sergeant J Whyte, took off from Tuddenham in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on Back to Normandy. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 22:45.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial BK784, code WP-M).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS

(Eighth Air Force): Mission 367: 1,106 bombers and 602 fighters are dispatched on visual attacks on airfields in the Paris area and PFF and visual bombing of Berlin; 33 bombers and 10 fighters are lost; the fighters claim 33-7-6 Luftwaffe aircraft:

1. 616 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin; 464 hit the primary, 34 bomb Nauen, 13 bomb Rechlin and 6 bomb targets of opportunity; 33 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 256 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 24 WIA and 482 MIA.

2. 490 B-24s are dispatched to bomb airfields at Melun (168 bomb) and Orly (151 bomb); 58 bomb Pix Airfield and 23 comb Creil Airfield; 33 B-24s are damaged.

Escort is provided by 144 P-38s, 178 P-47s and 280 P-51s; P-38s claim 6-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft and P-51s claim 27-7-4; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 8 P-51s are lost; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 4 P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 10 MIA.

Mission 368: 222 fighter are dispatched to attack rail bridges in France; 1.

74 P-47s are dispatched to hit bridges at Creil (44 bomb) and Verberie (28 bomb); 1 P-47 is damaged.

2. 124 P-51s, escorted by 24 P-51s, are dispatched to bomb bridges at Beaumont-sur-Oise (59 bomb) and Soissons (34 bomb); 29 also hit St. Leger/Albert Airfield; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-1 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost and 6 damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 3 MIA.

Mission 369: 4 of 4 B-17s drop 2.54 million leaflets on France and Belgium without loss.

3 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations without loss.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS

(Ninth Air Force): In France, 450+ B-26s attack airfields, coastal defenses and V-weapon sites; and P-38s and P-47s dive-bomb 4 landing fields.

Campaign report of the RAF:

23/24 May 1944

46 Mosquitos - 24 to Dortmund, 16 to Berlin and 6 to a railway junction at Lison in France, 2 RCM sorties, 2 Serrate patrols, 30 aircraft minelaying off various coasts, 4 aircraft on Resistance operations, 8 OTU sorties. No aircraft lost.

24/25 May 1944

442 aircraft - 264 Lancasters, 162 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitos - of all groups except No 5 to attack 2 railway yards at Aachen - Aachen-West and Rothe Erde (east of the town). These were important links in the railway system between Germany and France. 18 Halifaxes and 7 Lancasters lost, 5.7 per cent of the force. The Aachen report duly records that the 2 railway yards were the targets attacked, with the railways to the east of Aachen being particularly hard hit. But, because this was a German town, Bomber Command sent more aircraft than normal for railway raids and many bombs fell in Aachen itself and in villages near the railway yards.

59 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos of No 5 Group were dispatched to attack the Philips factory at Eindhoven but the Master Bomber ordered the force not to bomb because of bad visibility. 1 aircraft did not hear the order and released its load. No aircraft lost.

106 Halifaxes, 102 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitos, split into small forces, attacked coastal gun positions at Boulogne, Colline Beaumont, Le Clipon and Trouville without loss.

44 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of 5 and 8 Groups to attack the Ford motor factory at Antwerp but the bombing missed the target. Some bombs fell on nearby dockside buildings. No aircraft lost.

15 Mosquitos to Berlin, 6 RCM sorties, 31 Serrate and 8 Intruder patrols, 18 Halifaxes and 7 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians and off Brest, 23 OTU sorties. 1 RCM Halifax lost.

Total effort for the night: 888 sorties, 26 aircraft (2.9 per cent) lost.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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