AX 32 SIS Operation IDA II / DELFIN / FLYNDRE / ASLAUG

Beskrivelse

SIS operation - signal: NA
EUREKA: NA
GEE: NA

CON PAK M HD CRS SPD LAND . MERKNAD
6 3 2 5/10-1944 by seaplane

Squad: 1403 AAF Bu
1. Maj. Dave Schreiner B-24H-5-DT 41-28654

Out: 03:00 DROP C In:

• Crew:
• Maj. Dave Schreiner, pilot H 0-426999
• Lt. Col. Keith Allen, co-pilot N 0-303121 KIA
• 2nd Lt. Robert C. Durham, navigator 0-732711
• T/Sgt. Wm C. Jesperson, engineer 19054277
• T/Sgt. Albert Sage, radio operator 7000869
• S/Sgt. Harold E. Falk, asst. engineer-gunner
• S/Sgt. Minor Bobin, asst. radio operator-gunner
• S/Sgt. Joseph L. Bennet. gunner
• S/Sgt. Samuel L. Cooper, gunner.

2 agents.
Torstein Raaby
Kaare Karlsen

DZ: 69.38/29.42E

1. Captain's report:
Our intelligence people had ascertained that the German battleship "Tirpitz" was hiding in one of the fjords in the uppermost tip of Norway. Our intelligence headquarters wanted to keep it under surveillance. They proposed we parachute a two man team in the mountains on the north tip of Norway. This team would have a radio with which they could notify British intelligence headquarters if the Tirpitz tried to escape.

We installed two bomb bay gas tanks in a to enable us to make the extremely long trip to the top of Norway and return. We were scheduled to take off at 3:00 pm. on 20 September 1944 and return to Leuchers by 9:00 a.m. on 21 September 1944.

All went well during the first half of the journey. We made our drop but when we started to bring our wheels up and our flaps up for our return trip to Scotland we lost power on our #3 engine. We had to feather the prop. Now what to do?

Should we try to go back to England over the North Sea on three engines which would be an eight hour flight or should we go to Russia, which was our ally and only two hours away. We had the proper flares in our signal pistol to identify ourselves as friendly to the Russians. We decided to go to Russia. We went out over the water and turned east. When we arrived at the Kola inlet we headed south for Murmansk flying at 1500 feet with our lights on. We had about ten miles to go to reach Murmausk. At Vaenga the sky lit up. Every Russian ship in-the harbor was firing at us. We caught fire.
Col. Keith Allen would not leave the aircraft.

The rest of us bailed out, some landing in the water and some landing on land. I was in the water. I was in the water for quite a while before the Russians picked me up. My watch stopped at 12:30 a.m.
It was 21 September when they picked me up and took me to a Russian battleship that was in the bay. I guess that their whole fleet was there at that time. The Russians took good care of me. In mid-morning I was taken to the
British headquarters and the Royal Navy Hospital on shore. My crew was waiting there. Our Navy liaison officer, Captain Frankel met us and took charge. The Russian Admiral, Gulafgo, told Captain Frankel he was sorry for the unfortunate happening but was grateful for saving eight of our nine man crew. Captain Frankel made arrangements for Colonel Allen's funeral and our trip back to Leuchers.

We were transported on the British battleship, HMS Rodney, Captain R.O. Fitzroy, to the northern part of Scotland, either Orkney lies or Shetland Islands (Lerwick). We talked the British Navy into flying us back to Leuchers. They provided two seaplanes to complete our trip. We arrived back at Leuchers on 5 October 1944.
The september 23rd, 1944 - Convoy JW60 arrived Kola inlet - Look in Convoy JW60/RA60. and returned as RA60 at 28th September 1944 for arrival in Clyde 5th October 1944.

Screiners report is from "They flew by night" - editor Robert Fish and can download/read here. Extremely slow server.

Fra Sted

Til Sted

Fra Base

Til Base

Deltakere

Fremdrift

Galleri

PreviousNext

Nyttige lenker