Steven K. Dixon 2021
Squadron: 104 Aircraft Name: Sassy
Crew:
Missions 1942:
Mission Number |
Target |
Result |
16 |
Dusseldorf |
Aborted |
17 |
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18 |
Saarbrucken |
Off Target - 0% |
19 |
Mannhem |
On Target 40% |
20 |
Vegesack |
Off target 10% |
Credited Kills: 1942
Mission No. |
ME 110 F-4 |
ME 110 G-4 |
JU 88 C-6 |
JU 88 G-7 |
DO 217 J-1 |
DO 217 N-2 |
HE 219 A-0 |
FW 190 A-5UZ |
ME 109 G-6U4N |
ME 262 B-1AU1 |
TA 154 A-0 |
DO 217 J-1 (Italy) |
16 |
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17 |
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18 |
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19 |
1 |
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20 |
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Mission AAR
Previous aircraft - Dolly with Ale - lost on mission to Mannheim.
Previous aircraft - Dolly with Ale 2 - was lost on mission to Warnemunde.
Previous Aircraft - Cynthia - lost during Rostock mission.
Previous Aircraft - Cynthia 2 lost on Lubeck Mission.
Previous aircraft - Whitby Warrior lost on Osnabruck mission
Previous Aircraft - GT-K Lost on Emden mission
1943
Mission 3 - Encountered four E/A. Did not spot any of them ! Only one hit us, doing minor damages. Hit by flak over target. Minor wing damage. Target hit with est. 40%.
Mission 4 - Attacked in zone 2 outbound by Ju88. Knocked out Engine 4 before he disengaged with us. Made decision to abort mission. Turned for home, descended to altitude of 5000 feet and dropped bombs into the sea. Landed safely at base.
Mission 5 - SASSY took off and headed towards target without problems. Shortly after crossing the coastline of Belgium, we observed some flak, but none was near us. Both rear turret gunner Sgt. O'Roarke and Mid Upper gunner Cpl. Briese reported that SASSY was leaving contrails. The next thing we knew, SASSY was hit by an unseen E/A which apparently dove at us from nine high, Shells and bullets ripping into the wings. Sgt. Rogers (bomb aimer), believes he saw a German Ju88 shoot past us. The Jerry did not come around for further attacks on us. As it was, engine one was hit, but the engine continued to run normally. Sgt. MacCreeley, our engineer, said our port outer fuel tank was hit and leaking fuel at an alarming rate. Sgt. MacCreeley immediately began pumping fuel from the outer fuel tank to the inner fuel tank, then did some calculations. "Skipper, we won't have enough fuel get to Ludwigshafen and back," MacCreeley reported. "By my calculations, We'll run out of fuel shortly after reaching our target." That pretty much sealed SASSY's fate for this mission. I turned us for home, and dropped down to 7ooo meters altitude. After crossing the Belgian coast, we dumped our bombs. There was no further contact with E/A., and SASSY landed safely back at base. The damages to engine one was some of the engine cowling was shot away. Maintenance chief said SASSY should be patched up and ready for next mission.
Mission 6 - Sassy flying at low altitude after attack in zone 6 (outboud), by expert in Me110 took out tail oxygen and heat, lightly wounded two crewmen. Ran into flak in zone 7, BIP took off starboard wing; no member of the crew was able to exit the aircraft.
1942
Mission 16 - Attacked by two enemy night fighters (both believed to have been Me110's) in zone 3, enemy gunfire hit port wing outboard fuel tank. Fuel leak resulting in greatly decreased air time. Aborted mission and returned to base. Additional damages: heat to tail gunner position, hits to both port and starboard rudders, 7x misc. superficial hits. Lancaster SASSY of the 104th should be quickly repaired and ready for next mission.
Mission 18 - I was a bit put off as I returned to base after a brief bit of time off. I went home for a few days to visit family. My Mum was very attentive and fussy about me; later my uncle told me that several of Mum’s friends had recently lost sons in Libya and one who’d been in the RN who seemed to be missing. Then in line to the theater with my sister to see an America John Wayne western, the chap ahead of me was hobbling about on crutches and was missing a foot. He’d turned around to wish me luck and let me and anyone in earshot know that he’d been in the Navy and lost his foot in combat with several Italian MAS boats off the coast of Libya and that the war was over for him, even though the bloody RN was trying to teach him to use a typewriter to serve in an office. In the movie, the Indians and bad white men lost. My sister ate two Cadbury’s Ration chocolates that I purchased from a rogue who was working the theater ticket queue. They cost me a shilling each !
SASSY and the 104th took off in the last one-third of tonight’s bomber stream to our designated target. We gained high altitude without any incidents or contact with enemy. As we flew over the coast, we were attacked by a single E/A, probably a Bf110, at 6 high. Jerry was spotted by Sgt. Sheffield (tail turret gunner) and evasive actions were initiated. Cpl. Briese chimed in on the intercom that his mid-upper guns jammed! Sgt. Sheffield fired tail guns at the 110, but missed. Jerry hit us, but did no serious damages to SASSY, but a bullet or bit of shell nicked Sgt. Rogers in the right foot, causing some bleeding and cursing. Then Jerry disappeared.
There was flak the rest of the way to designated target; SASSY was hit several times, the worse of it being a hit to our control cables. On approach to designated target, we were again attacked by a single E/A; Jerry was spotted by Sgt. Casper coming at us from 1:30 level; we fired at him, he fired at us, no one seemed to hit the other and Jerry disappeared in the night. Over target, Sgt. Rogers, (bomb aimer) reported his view of target was “=0=0=0= disrupted”, then released our bombs. While we are pretty sure we were over designated target city, it is believed our bombs were not on intended target. We banked and headed for home. Sgt. Briese informed me that he could not unjam the mid-upper turret guns, that they seemed to be broken, but would remain at station to keep an eye out for attacking E/A. In a clear area near German – Dutch border, we were attacked by what we think was a DO. 217 coming at us from 9-low. He fired and missed, passing beneath us to reappear to surprise us at 6 – high. This attack hit us, the worse of it being the death of Sgt. Sheffield. The DO. 217 disappeared after that second attack. We were again attacked near the coast by a single Bf110; Jerry hit us, the worse being he shot off our tail wheel before disappearing into the night.
We landed without incident. Sgt. Sheffield’s body was removed and taken away by the mortuary people. SASSY took some damage, but should be repaired quickly and ready for next mission.
Mission 19 - Encountered light fighter opposition. Hit by flak while exiting target zone, light damages. Light damages from E/A attack N.W. of Cologne. A few minor repairs and holes to patch and SASSY should be ready for next mission.
Mission 20 - Written Report
Previous aircraft - Dolly with Ale - lost on mission to Mannheim.
Previous aircraft - Dolly with Ale 2 - was lost on mission to Warnemunde.
Previous Aircraft - Cynthia - lost during Rostock mission.
Previous Aircraft - Cynthia 2 lost on Lubeck Mission.
Previous aircraft - Whitby Warrior lost on Osnabruck mission
Previous Aircraft - GT-K Lost on Emden mission
1943
Mission 3 - Encountered four E/A. Did not spot any of them ! Only one hit us, doing minor damages. Hit by flak over target. Minor wing damage. Target hit with est. 40%.
Mission 4 - Attacked in zone 2 outbound by Ju88. Knocked out Engine 4 before he disengaged with us. Made decision to abort mission. Turned for home, descended to altitude of 5000 feet and dropped bombs into the sea. Landed safely at base.
Mission 5 - SASSY took off and headed towards target without problems. Shortly after crossing the coastline of Belgium, we observed some flak, but none was near us. Both rear turret gunner Sgt. O'Roarke and Mid Upper gunner Cpl. Briese reported that SASSY was leaving contrails. The next thing we knew, SASSY was hit by an unseen E/A which apparently dove at us from nine high, Shells and bullets ripping into the wings. Sgt. Rogers (bomb aimer), believes he saw a German Ju88 shoot past us. The Jerry did not come around for further attacks on us. As it was, engine one was hit, but the engine continued to run normally. Sgt. MacCreeley, our engineer, said our port outer fuel tank was hit and leaking fuel at an alarming rate. Sgt. MacCreeley immediately began pumping fuel from the outer fuel tank to the inner fuel tank, then did some calculations. "Skipper, we won't have enough fuel get to Ludwigshafen and back," MacCreeley reported. "By my calculations, We'll run out of fuel shortly after reaching our target." That pretty much sealed SASSY's fate for this mission. I turned us for home, and dropped down to 7ooo meters altitude. After crossing the Belgian coast, we dumped our bombs. There was no further contact with E/A., and SASSY landed safely back at base. The damages to engine one was some of the engine cowling was shot away. Maintenance chief said SASSY should be patched up and ready for next mission.
Mission 6 - Sassy flying at low altitude after attack in zone 6 (outboud), by expert in Me110 took out tail oxygen and heat, lightly wounded two crewmen. Ran into flak in zone 7, BIP took off starboard wing; no member of the crew was able to exit the aircraft.
1942
Mission 16 - Attacked by two enemy night fighters (both believed to have been Me110's) in zone 3, enemy gunfire hit port wing outboard fuel tank. Fuel leak resulting in greatly decreased air time. Aborted mission and returned to base. Additional damages: heat to tail gunner position, hits to both port and starboard rudders, 7x misc. superficial hits. Lancaster SASSY of the 104th should be quickly repaired and ready for next mission.
Mission 18 - I was a bit put off as I returned to base after a brief bit of time off. I went home for a few days to visit family. My Mum was very attentive and fussy about me; later my uncle told me that several of Mum’s friends had recently lost sons in Libya and one who’d been in the RN who seemed to be missing. Then in line to the theater with my sister to see an America John Wayne western, the chap ahead of me was hobbling about on crutches and was missing a foot. He’d turned around to wish me luck and let me and anyone in earshot know that he’d been in the Navy and lost his foot in combat with several Italian MAS boats off the coast of Libya and that the war was over for him, even though the bloody RN was trying to teach him to use a typewriter to serve in an office. In the movie, the Indians and bad white men lost. My sister ate two Cadbury’s Ration chocolates that I purchased from a rogue who was working the theater ticket queue. They cost me a shilling each !
SASSY and the 104th took off in the last one-third of tonight’s bomber stream to our designated target. We gained high altitude without any incidents or contact with enemy. As we flew over the coast, we were attacked by a single E/A, probably a Bf110, at 6 high. Jerry was spotted by Sgt. Sheffield (tail turret gunner) and evasive actions were initiated. Cpl. Briese chimed in on the intercom that his mid-upper guns jammed! Sgt. Sheffield fired tail guns at the 110, but missed. Jerry hit us, but did no serious damages to SASSY, but a bullet or bit of shell nicked Sgt. Rogers in the right foot, causing some bleeding and cursing. Then Jerry disappeared.
There was flak the rest of the way to designated target; SASSY was hit several times, the worse of it being a hit to our control cables. On approach to designated target, we were again attacked by a single E/A; Jerry was spotted by Sgt. Casper coming at us from 1:30 level; we fired at him, he fired at us, no one seemed to hit the other and Jerry disappeared in the night. Over target, Sgt. Rogers, (bomb aimer) reported his view of target was “=0=0=0= disrupted”, then released our bombs. While we are pretty sure we were over designated target city, it is believed our bombs were not on intended target. We banked and headed for home. Sgt. Briese informed me that he could not unjam the mid-upper turret guns, that they seemed to be broken, but would remain at station to keep an eye out for attacking E/A. In a clear area near German – Dutch border, we were attacked by what we think was a DO. 217 coming at us from 9-low. He fired and missed, passing beneath us to reappear to surprise us at 6 – high. This attack hit us, the worse of it being the death of Sgt. Sheffield. The DO. 217 disappeared after that second attack. We were again attacked near the coast by a single Bf110; Jerry hit us, the worse being he shot off our tail wheel before disappearing into the night.
We landed without incident. Sgt. Sheffield’s body was removed and taken away by the mortuary people. SASSY took some damage, but should be repaired quickly and ready for next mission.
Mission 19 - Encountered light fighter opposition. Hit by flak while exiting target zone, light damages. Light damages from E/A attack N.W. of Cologne. A few minor repairs and holes to patch and SASSY should be ready for next mission.
Mission 20 - Written Report
Position |
Name |
Rank |
Pilot |
David Gallagher |
PO |
Wireless |
Vincent Upbridge |
Cpl. |
Tail Gunner |
Jaime O’Roarke |
Sgt. |
Navigator |
Lester Casper |
Sgt. |
Mid-Upper |
Edwin Briese |
Cpl. |
Bomb Aimer |
Harold Rogers |
Sgt. |
Engineer |
Brian MacCreeley |
Sgt. |
Missions 1943:
Mission Number |
Target |
Result |
3 |
Hamburg |
On Target 40% |
4 |
Remscheid |
DNB |
5 |
Ludwigshafen |
DNB |
6 |
Belin |
DNB (Shot Down) |
7 |
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Credited Kills: 1943
Mission No. |
ME 110 F-4 |
ME 110 G-4 |
JU 88 C-6 |
JU 88 G-7 |
DO 217 J-1 |
DO 217 N-2 |
HE 219 A-0 |
FW 190 A-5UZ |
ME 109 G-6U4N |
ME 262 B-1AU1 |
TA 154 A-0 |
DO 217 J-1 (Italy) |
3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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7 |
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