The 161 Sqdn left from Tempsford at 1944-09-21 at 13:45. Loc or duty SOE
He flew with a Short Stirling (type IV, serial LK208, code MA-X).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
21 September 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 644: 486 bombers are dispatched to hit targets in W Germany using PFF methods; 2 bombers are lost:
1. 154 B-17s are dispatched to hit the synthetic oil plant at Ludwigshafen/ Opau (147); 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 54 B-17s are damaged.
Escort is provided by 39 P-38s and P-51s; 1 fighter is lost.
2. 153 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Mainz (141); 52 B-17s are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA.
Escort is provided by 34 of 35 P-51s without loss.
3. 179 B-24s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Koblenz (144); 12 others hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 83 damaged; 15 airmen are KIA, 3 WIA and 18 MIA.
Escort is provided by 44 of 46 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
90 P-47s and P-51s support the First Allied Airborne Army C-47s dropping supplies and paratroops of the Polish 1st Brigade near Driel, the Netherlands; they encounter about 50 Luftwaffe fighters, claiming 20-0-2; 3 P-47s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 2 damaged; 3 pilots are MIA.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 79 B-26s and A-20s bomb marshalling yards at Gerolstein, Pronsfeld, and Ebrang; fighters escort the bombers, fly armed reconnaissance over the Bonn, Koblenz, Karlsruhe, Cologne, and the Strasbourg area, and support the US First and Third Armies in W Germany and E France; the IX Tactical Air Command is exceptionally effective in aiding the V Corps withdrawal from the Wallendorf bridgehead; during the evening IX Air Defense Command fighters patrol the Luxembourg- Chaumont, France area.
In Belgium, the 33d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Toussus le Noble, France to Gosselies with F-5s.
In France, HQ 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 453d, 454th, 455th and 456th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Lessay to Chartres with B-26s; HQ 354th Fighter Group moves from Gael to Orconte; the 355th and 356th Fighter Squadrons, 354th Fighter Group, move from Gael to Orconte with P-47s; the 410th Fighter Squadron, 373d Fighter Group, moves from St-James to Reims with P-47s; the 584th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 394th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Tour-en- Bassin to Bricy with B-26s; and the 670th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 416th Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Wethersfield, England to Melun with A-20s.
22 September 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 645: 661 bombers are dispatched to hit armoured vehicle and votor vehicle factories at Kassel/ Henschel, Germany bombing by PFF; 453 B-17s are dispatched; 410 hit the primary, 10 hit Wetzlar and 7 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-17s are lost and 104 damaged; 7 airmen are WIA and 27 MIA; 208 of 208 B-24s hit the primary; 3 bombers are damaged.
Escort is provided by 268 of 286 P-51s; 1 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
The last Operations FRANTIC missions ends as 84 B-17s and 51 P-51s return to the UK from Italy; the remaining aircraft return on 8 Oct.
77 of 79 P-47s patrol the Arnhem, the Netherlands area; 1 P-47 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair.
108 B-24s fly fuel to France.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): No bomber missions are flown.
In Germany, fighters attack railroads, supply and ordnance depots, and strongpoints, and fly sweeps and armed reconnaissance over the Cologne, Dusseldorf, Aachen, Koblenz, Trier, Bonn, Mannheim, and Strasbourg areas.
In France, HQ 406th Fighter Group and the 513th Fighter Squadron move from Le Mans to Mourmelon-le-Grand with P-47s; the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362d Fighter Group, moves from Rennes to Prosnes with P-47s.
23 September 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): 559 of 586 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s bomb and strafe flak positions and other ground targets in 2 landing zones in the Nijmegen, the Netherlands area, immediately preceding the arrival of the remainder of the US 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions and the Polish 1st Brigade; the P-38s are flown by Eighth and Ninth AF units; they engage 150+ Luftwaffe fighters; AAF claims 27-2-6 aircraft in the air; 4 P-47s and 10 P-51s are lost, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are damaged beyond repair and 25 P-47s and 10 P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 14 MIA.
162 B-24s fly a TRUCKIN' mission to France delivering fuel.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): B-26s and A-20s sent against targets in W Germany are recalled due to weather; fighters support the US First Army in W Germany, US Third Army in the Chateau-Salins, France area, escort bombers (recalled), and fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas of W Germany.
In France, HQ 36th Fighter Group and the 22d Fighter Squadron move from Le Mans to Athis with P-47s; HQ 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 450th and 451st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) move from Rougham, England to Beauvais/Tille with B-26s; HQ 416th Bombardment Group (Light) and the 669th and 671st Bombardment Squadron (Light) move from Wethersfield, England to Melun with A-20s; the 412th Fighter Squadron, 373d Fighter Group, moves from St-James to Reims with P-47s.
Campaign report of the RAF:
20/21 September 1944
2 Mosquitos and 1 Fortress of No 100 Group took off but were quickly recalled because of the widespread fog in England which prevented major operations being mounted.
21 September 1944
2 Fortresses and 2 Wellingtons on RCM sorties and 12 Stirlings and 1 Hudson on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost. Bad weather - rain and low cloud - prevented any major operation during the next 48 hours.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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