HOP'N MAD!
Mission 96
Target: Orléans — rail yards
Date: Aug. 20 / 21, 1944
To Target: No encounters
Target: As we approached the target a Me-110 attacked; he missed on both his first two passes but on the third he put rounds into the pilot compartment lightly wounding flight engineer, P/O Henry Beams. We no sooner got rid of that Kraut when a Me-109 attacked resulting in a serious wound for tail gunner, and causing the turret to jam.
No flak hits; Bomb Run on, and 20% On Target
Return: Attacked when leaving the target area and were hit many times but the damage (except for some rounds in the port wing root) was negligible.
E/a shot down or damaged: None
Crew: Flight engineer P/O Henry Beams light wound
Tail gunner Sgt. Jake Weathers serious wound and will not fly again
(Signed) F/O Harry Maguire, Pilot
Pilot: F/O Harry Maguire
Bomb aimer: Sgt. Terrence Reilly
Flight engineer: P/O Henry Beams
Navigator: P/O Roger Skelton
W/O operator: Sgt. Thomas Herald
Mid-upper gunner: Sgt. Paul Monksford
Tail gunner: Sgt. Jake Weathers