Captain Harry R. Ankeny's Combat Diary
Page 9
have got a jerry. Those German pilots have got a lot of guts
and I have respect for their ability. They are far from
being licked. We coasted back home around 15,000 ft. and
logged 3 hrs. and 45 minutes. Total operational time to
date-- 37 hrs. and 35 minutes.
28th March 1944.
We were to escort heavy bombers to the middle of
France while they bombed an airfield. I flew Lt. Wallens
wing and while climbing thru the overcast, we lost the squad-
ron and group--never did catch up with them. We went on in
about 150 miles and then turned around and come back. Looked
over several airfields on the way back and followed a high
condensation trail clear to the coast. Went right over Dun-
kerque on the way out and didn’t see a bit of flak. Lt. Col.
Egenes was killed when his plane crashed into the ground while
strafing an airfield. One of our boys shot down an R.A.F. Mos-
quito thinking it was a ME410. Lt. Lynn "junior" Drollinger
bailed out near the target when his motor quit. Believe flak
hit his coolant system on the way in. A poor day.
29th March, 1944.
Started for Brunswick with Lt. Norris on my wing as
element leader in Capt. Lingo's flight. My fuel pressure
fluctuated a great deal and the engine quit several times.
My engine quit for nearly 30 seconds just past the Zeider
Zee so I turned and came back home.
1st April, 1944.
We were to make a fighter sweep into France. Had
Lt. "Rocky" Hill on my wing in Lt. Adams flight. Target
for the bombers was Frankfurt, Germany, just below the Ruhr
valley. We were supposed to hit the target the same time
the bombers dropped their bombs. Started into the overcast
at 8,000 ft. Lt. Adams got a little slow (150 mi/hr.) in the
overcast so I took Lt. Hill and decided to climb thru alone.
We climbed to 23,000 ft., still in the overcast, and I heard
someone say they were at 28,000 ft. still in. I decided to
turn back and everyone did. The radio relay ship was the only
one who hit the top--35,000 ft. Found the southern coast of
England and made my way back to the field flying along the
coast dodging barrage balloons. Capt. Perron and Lt. Rydberg
never did get thru the weather and probably spun into the
channel. Was terrible weather--should never have sent us on
a mission.
Copyright © 1996, Harry R. Ankeny