The 157 Sqdn left from Swannington at 1944-10-05 at 17:30. Loc or duty Training
He flew with a de Havilland Mosquito (type XVII, serial HK350, code RS-).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 442d Troop Carrier Group and the 303d and 304th Troop Carrier Squadrons move from Weston Zoyland, England to Bonnetable and Peray, France respectfully, with C-47s.
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): General Order 507 implements the decision of 15 Sep to assign staff officers of HQ VIII Fighter Command to HQ Eighth AF to represent units in administrative functions, thus eliminating the administrative and operational control from HQ VIII Fighter Command and placing it under HQ Eighth AF; this is necessitated by the transfer of fighter groups to Bombardment Divisions.
2 missions are flown: Mission 665: 1,090 bombers and 733 fighters are dispatched to hit industrial targets, airfields and railways in W Germany; 9 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
1. 348 B-17s dispatched hit targets of opportunity at Cologne (248), Brechten (27), Dortmund (14) and Coblenz (11) using GH and H2X; 3 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 156 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 16 MIA.
Escort is provided by 181 of 193 P-51s; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
2. 360 B-24s are dispatched to hit Lippstadt Airfield (175), Rheine marshalling yard (107) and Paderborn Airfield (28) visually; targets of opportunity hit are Herford marshalling yard (8) and Lipperode Airfield (2); 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged.
Escort is provided by 260 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and 15-0-7 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 3 P-47s and 1 P-51 damaged.
3. 382 B-17s are dispatched to hit Munster/Loddenheide Airfield (235) and Munster/Handorf Airfield (68) using PFF means; targets of opportunity hit are the Rheine marshalling yard (10) and other (2); 6 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 190 damaged; 6 airmen are WIA and 55 MIA.
Escort is provided by 234 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
Mission 666: 8 of 10 bombers drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): 330+ B-26s and A-20s dispatched against targets in Arnhem, the Netherlands and Aldenhoven and Duren, Germany are recalled; fighters hit pillboxes along the Westwall, support ground forces of the XV Corps in France, fly armed reconnaissance in the Prum, Bonn, Koblenz, Trier and Landau, Germany areas, hit targets along the Rhine-Marne Canal, and during the night of 5/6 Oct fly patrol in Belgium, E France, and W Germany.
In Belgium, the 493d Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group, moves from Cambrai/Niergnies, France to St Trond with P-47s.
In France, the 22d Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group, moves from Athis to Juvincourt with P-47s.
Campaign report of the RAF:
4/5 October 1944
6 Mosquitos to Pforzheim and 5 to Heilbronn, 4 RCM sorties, 36 Mosquito patrols, 47 Lancasters and 31 Halifaxes minelaying off Oslo and in the Kattegat, 15 aircraft on Resistance operations. 4 aircraft were lost - 1 Mosquito from the Heilbronn raid and 2 Lancasters and 1 Halifax from the minelaying operations.
5 October 1944
227 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of No 5 Group attempted to bomb Wilhelmshaven through 10/10ths cloud. Marking and bombing were all based on H2S and the raid appeared to be scattered. 18 Lancasters did not join in the main attack but bombed a group of ships seen through a break in the cloud over the sea. Wilhelmshaven's diary only states that 12 people died. 1 Lancaster lost.
5 RCM sorties, 5 aircraft on Resistance operations. No losses.
5/6 October 1944
531 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3 and 8 Groups on the first major RAF raid to Saarbrücken since September 1942. 3 Lancasters lost. The raid was made at the request of the American Third Army which was advancing in this direction; the intention was to cut the railways and block supply routes generally through the town. The bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused in the main town area north of the River Saar, the area through which the main railway lines ran. Damage was particularly severe in the Altstadt and Malstatt districts.
20 Mosquitos to Berlin and 26 to 5 other German targets, 36 RCM sorties, 47 Mosquito patrols, 10 Halifaxes minelaying off Heligoland and 9 Mosquitos of No 8 Group minelaying in the Kiel Canal. No aircraft lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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