'Morgan Hill' - After Action Report
17/18 February, 1944 - Miss no. 43;
Operation: Detailed against Leipzig - Aircraft Facilities.
Crew: Pilot: F/L Jake Fields; Bomb aimer Sgt. Nicolas Gaining; Navigator P/O Norm Belling; Flt. Eng. F/L Ian Bellworthy; W/O Sgt. Sean Hemming; Mid-upper Sgt. Rich Dayton; Tail gunner Harry Black
Weather at take-off: Poor (wind gusts)
Weather over target: Good (no cloud, good visibility)
Opposition.
Outbound: Moderate: Eindhoven area: Me-110 knocked out flap controls, starb. outboard fuel tank hit (self sealed), tail gunner hit enemy plane but with little effect. North of Kassel: tail section - Sgt. H. Black, tail gunner - KIA; port ammo box, starb. wing root, tail plane root, brakes. (I moved the mid-upper gunner to the tail after removing Sgt. Black and putting him on the emergency cot.)
Over target: Night fighters active; moderate flak cooperating with searchlights: Coned by searchlight and attacked by a ME-109 (I attempted evasive action but not effective due to wing and tail damage) which caused oxygen fire in the waist compartment (extinguished by flt. eng.), serious hit to tail plane - probably root? Numerous other hits but no serious damage. After bombing another Me-110 hit port wing root, nose compartment - bomb aimer Sgt. Nicolas Gaining - serious wound
Return: near Essen Me-110 hit port wing root twice
Landing: Safe, but difficult due to not having flaps or brakes
Bombing run: OFF TARGET - 0%
A/E destroyed: 0, Damaged: 0
Crew casualites:
Sgt. Harry Black, tail gunner - KIA
Sgt. Nicolas Gaining, bomb aimer - serious wound (I've just been told that he will recover but will not fly again …)
A/C and remainder of crew serviceable for next mission
(Signed) F/L Jake Fields
Pilot: Morgan Hill