Captain Harry R. Ankeny's Combat Diary
Page 8
them, our squadron taking the lead box of bombers. There
was a complete overcast over the continent, so much that
not a single enemy aircraft came up. Capt. Broadhead really
is a rough leader, terrible. He really wore us out, the boys
in his flight. Returning we crossed some terrific heavy
flak at Hanover. For a minute I thought they were going to
get all of us. I made a sharp turn to the right diving and
luckily nothing hit me. Lt. Adams who was right behind me got
two good sized flak holes in his plane. Was sure tired after
this mission. It wasn't the 1300 miles we covered but Capt.
Broadhead gave me such a rough time, it wore me out. You couldn't
tell what he was going to do next.
MISSION # 8 22nd March, 1944.
Took off for Berlin. weather not too good. Got half
way across the channel and my oil temp. got very high-went
up to the red line twice so I decided to come back. That af-
ternoon Lt. Pascal 363rd F. Sqd. and I took off to act as
spotters for Air Sea Rescue we stood by on B Channel (Air-
Sea Rescue) and waited around Great Yarmouth for them to
vector us out to circle anyone in the channel. They vectored
us clear across to the enemy coast to pick up a bomber in
distress but we didn't see them. A P-47 ditched in the channel--
we could hear him giving his May day (distress call) but his
buddies stayed with him and we weren't sent to him. Spent
three hrs. just flying around over the channel but didn’t see
anything. Weather was terrible--very low ceiling--clear down
on the water in some spots of the channel.
MISSION # 9 23rd March, 1944.
Went to Brunswick, Germany. I flew as a spare but Lt.
Becker immediately aborted and I filled in flying Lt. Norris'
wing. Everything went well going over except the bombers were
30 minutes early. By the time we arrived near Brunswick, several
boxes had already dropped their bombs and were heading back.
Going in we could see the Bremen flak and it looked terrific.
Escorted the lead box of B-17's right over the Hanover flak
and one bomber went down in flames by a direct hit. It, the
flak, got so thick for us we broke up and went all different
directions until we got out. Joined up again and 50 miles from
coast, around five ME109's dove down thru our box, head on
setting one B-17 flaming. I called Lt. Norris like mad and
told him to jump the 109's. He hesitated and we never caught
up with them. If I would have been leading, I'm sure I would
Copyright © 1996, Harry R. Ankeny