Kenneth DeLong Mission November 15, 1942

MISSION #25

DATE Sun. 11/15 COMBAT FLYING HOURS 13:30 (Total tour 247:55)

TARGET Tripoli, Libya   HOME BASE Abu Sueir, Egypt

BRIEFING 0445 TAKE OFF 0645 LANDING 2005

CREW Lt. Medford (crew #12 HALPRO B Flight, co-pilot) PLANE #48 Skylark BOMB LOAD 6-500 lb NO. OF PLANES 9-B24's and 18-98th B-24's

TARGET TIME not listed (bombed alternate)

BOMBING ALTITUDE not listed

BOMBING RESULTS--direct hits on camp and road southwest of Benghazi.

ENEMY ACTION_-No mention of anti-aircraft fire, but 10 minutes after bombs were dropped, 1 FW 190 (Russian Campaign) and 4-ME 109's jumped our formation. Made at least 15 passes and followed us for 40 minutes. Lt. Wilcox reported difficulty and headed for Allied territory near Tobruk. We had bullet hole in our windshield(no injuries). All planes landed safely at Abu Sueir except #37 (Lt. Wilcox--crew #21 HALPRO C Flight, co-pilot).

OTHER REMARKS--My second mission as volunteer with another crew. Seems like these are rough ones! Substituted for T. A. Smith. Lt. Wilcox and crew returned to base at 1730 Mon. 11/16.

OTHER REMARKS-:"Long time buddy, Radio Operator Noel Meek filled me in on what happened. Enemy fighters damaged # engines on #37. Tail gunner Anthony Filippi was injured (5 bullet wounds). Plane hit by no less than 5-20 mm cannon shells and 80 30 cal. bullets. Lt. Wilcox made belly landing in the desert, in enemy territory. Sgt. Meek sent an S. O. S. A 98th plane located them and dropped rations. They spent the night there. Slept in their flying clothes. A Lockheed aircraft landed and rescued them the next day (Mon. 11/16). Happy ending!!!