Beats Walkin'
Operation: Detailed against Bourg Léopold
May 24/25, 1944
Crew: Pilot: F/L Evan Starling; Bomb aimer F/O Reggie Newhouse; Navigator Sgt. Abe Hanover; Flt. Eng. Sgt. Lawrence Peering; W/O Sgt. Milton Rhome; Mid-upper Sgt. Osborne Hackswell; Tail gunner Sgt. George Whipple
Weather en route: Bad over target.
Opposition:
Outbound: No encounters until a Me-109 hit us as we approached the aiming point. We took numerous hits, a serious one to the port tail plane root. On his second pass the tail gunner nicked him, but not enough to prevent him from seriously wounding our w/o and causing a minor wound to the mid-upper gunner. He made the mistake of coming back for a high head-on attack and bomb aimer, Reggie Newhouse destroyed him. (Me-109 destroyed: Sgt. Reggie Newhouse)
Homeward: No attacks
Bomb run: on; 96%
Assessment of attack: We couldn't see much through the clouds …
Landing: Ok
Crew casualties: W/o Sgt. Milton Rhome, serious wound; Mid-upper Sgt. Osborne Hackswell, minor wound
Comments: This was our first trip and from what Sgts. Hackswell and Whipple (both previously flew with Sit Here, Adolf that went down a couple nights ago over Brest) tell us it was business as usual — except for the 96% on target! Considering the loss of Sgt. Rhome it seems to me that's a bit callous — but perhaps in time with enough missions I will see it similarly.
(signed) F/L Evan Starling, pilot, Beats Walkin'