Mission No. Six – August 13, 1944

Air Medal

The Air Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Armed Forces of the United States, shall have distinguished himself/herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. When Dad served, airmen were awarded the medal after 5 missions. Photo credit: American Heroes Museum.

Target: Rouen – Railroad Junction
Bomb Load: 38-100# G.P.
Gas Load: 2000 gallons
Briefing: 0830
Plane: X5903 – Toodles Boy
Position: #2, #2 Element, Low Sqdn., 41st “A” Gp.
T.O.: 1027 Land: 1512 Time: 4 hours, 45 minutes
Left Base: 1110 @ 9500′
Bombs Away:1313; 19000′; -12 degrees Celcius
Distance: 635 SM

Remarks: Moderate but extremely accurate flak for 15 minutes. Lost one engine and received other major damage in wings. All flak from Nazi field artillery. Those boys are too good. Two pieces flak thru nose. Scared hell out of bombardier & myself. Entire group badly hit. Grounded for three days to repair battle damage. Air Medal mission.

[Note: This was the 379th Bomb Group’s 189th mission.]