Hethel
#9 April 1, 1944- Ludwigshafen, Germany
They flew the deputy lead with the 2nd Combat wing, and led the 453rd BG.
They encountered heavy flak and the #4 engine was hit and feathered.
Al saw 200 German fighters attack a wing of B-24s; when Thunderbolts came to the rescue, he saw the largest air battle of any of his missions.
#10 April 8, 1944- Brunswick, Germany; aircraft factory
They led the 458th BG.
They encountered intense and accurate flak.
#11 April 13, 1944- Oberphaffenhofen, Germany; fighter airfield
They flew the deputy lead for the 96th Combat wing (458th, 466th, and 467th BG).
Between 500-700 bombers were sent out with over 1000 fighters accompanying them.
#12 April 18, 1944- Rathenow, Germany; Arado Flugzeugwerke aircraft components factory
They led the 20th Combat Wing (93rd, 446th, and 448th BG)
#13 April 29, 1944- Berlin
They led the 466th BG of the 2nd Combat Wing.� They were hit directly by AA fire over Berlin and attacked several times by German fighters; two engines were knocked out and one of the main fuel tanks was punctured and leaking fuel.� They had to ditch in the English channel, 30 miles off the coast of Great Yarmouth, because there was not enough fuel to make it back to the base.� Three of the 12 crew members aboard were KIA during the ditching, with two more dying of their injuries after being picked up by Royal Navy Motor Launch 498.� They were:
Capt. Ralph Bryant, command pilot
Lt. Arthur Delclisur, bombardier
Lt. Kenneth Reed, instrument navigator
Lt. John Bloznelis, dead reckoning navigator
Sgt. Harold Freeman, replacement engineer
