Fri, August 27, 1943
Well I was awakened at 3:15 this morn and dressed in the cold. At at 4:00 and at 4:30 was in the crew briefing room. Our target was Rouen, France, a power station. I was also given instructions to take a pic of Le Trait, France where we bombed a couple of weeks ago to record the damage. We took off at 7:40 and was over the target at 8:30. It was rather broken up by big white clouds. I got several good pictures of the target. We circled it 3 times & after the third time flack and fighters hit us all at once. Three Focke Wulf’s took in after us and when we blazed away at them 2 turned off but the other was stubborn but he paid for it with his life as he bellied up under us and gave his last burst. It tore big holes in our wing flaps and one bullet just missed coming in at me by 1/2 inch. It hit the window ledge & ricocheted off. Flack also took its toll. We lost our air speed indicator and a 20mm went thru the prop blade and the governor of the left engine. It began to leak oil and when we buzzed the first field to make an emergency landing the wheels would not come down. I don’t know about the others but I done some praying. We made it to our own field but the plane will have to be in the shop for quite awhile. I got some good pictures and after dinner slept all afternoon. We arrived back at 10:00 and after we left the interrogation it was lunch time. I’m hitting the bed early tonite too. I’m glad God was so gracious in answering my prayers. Ebbet Lynch left for gunnery school & Elliot and Mandy on a 48 hour pass to London. Kind of lonesome here.
Sun, August 27, 1944
No entry.