Captain Harry R. Ankeny's Combat Diary
Page 14
9th May, 1944.
Our mission was to sweep an area in Belgium and after
the bombers dropped their load, we were to strafe the air-
drome. Started early again at 7:30 and flew as Lt. Adam’s
element leader in Green flight with Lt. Roughgarden on my
wing. Adams aborted as we hit the coast and left me with
Roughgarden way behind the squadron and group. Took us a
long time to catch up with the boys. I drew over 45 inches
of mercury most of the time. We rendezvous with the wrong
bombers and started escorting. The 354th Group was along
too and while we were crossing the big friends, I happened
to tack on to a bunch of 354th boys thinking I was still
with the squadron. After a little while I realized my mis-
take so I took Roughgarden and came on home.
13th May, 1944.
The longest mission ever to be carried out by fighters.
We were to escort the B17's over Posen, Poland and their tar-
get was a F.W. aircraft factory where tail assemblies were
manufactured. The trip on paper alone totaled 1355 miles.
All together we must have covered over 1500 miles--non-stop.
Started engines at 11:48 and I was element leader in Capt.
William's Red Flight. Willie dropped his drop tank on take-
off and I took over the flight with Roughgarden, Badger and
A. E. Smith on my wings. Being out in front and everything
messed up I headed straight out on course and took my boys
up thru the haze on instruments. Becker took over the squad-
ron and when he aborted Adams took over. We finally got to-
gether a little past Ijmuiden Holland and headed in. Made
rendezvous with our bombers and escorted them over their
target. Didn't see any enemy aircraft and where the blue
nosed P-51 came in we left the B-17's. Ran a little low
on oxygen so I took my flight and came out of Germany north
of Ludwigshaven and flew along the coast line along the Friesen
Island at around 10,000. Hitting above Ijmuiden, Holland
I dropped to 7,000 ft. and flew instrument clear across the
channel and hit the field on the nose. Logged 5 hrs. and 40
minutes--a long day's work.
15th May, 1944.
Ram-rod to Calais. We split up the group this morn-
ing into 357th A & B group. Half escorted a box of B-17's
and we picked up a box of B-24's escorted them into the
Pas de Calais area. Guess they bombed an airfield. They
threw up a little flak at our Green flight at Calais but
nothing to worry about. After leaving the enemy coast, we
flew close formation with the B-24's - Lt. Hill, Lt. Harris,
Capt. Adams and myself. The bomber boys really got a big bang out
of it. Weather was not too sharp.
Copyright © 1996, Harry R. Ankeny