Flight Missions and Crew

Capt. Russell Earl with crew and LW170 – Summer 1944.

He flew 11 of the 24 war time missions shown below.

The QB on the plane indicates this is 424 Squadron.

RCAF HALIFAX LW170 – 424 SQUADRON

Date: May 27/28, 1944
Target: Bourg Leopold
Pilot: F/O F. Hamilton J-16121
Flt/engineer: Sgt W. McAlpine 1824486
Navigator: F/O A. Chapman J-24548
Bomb Aimer: F/O R. Smyth J-20914
Wireless Operator: W/O2 W. Thomson R-130883
Mid upper gunner: Sgt W. Mylchreest R-214600
Rear gunner: Sgt J. Power R-187753

Date: June 5/6, 1944
Target: Houlgate (D-DAY)
Pilot: F/O W. Palidwar J-26781
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Alexander 1823002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: Sgt W. Pliska R-121686
Wireless Operator: Sgt E. Elatt R-192041
Mid upper gunner: Sgt M. Gelinas R-221047
Rear gunner: Sgt O. Rheaume R-196070

Date: June 6/7, 1944
Target: Conde sur Noireau
Pilot: F/O J. Dundas J-25964
Flt/engineer: Sgt D. Barnes 1321681
Navigator: F/O D. Gage J-29414
Bomb Aimer: F/O B. Cohen J-29712
Wireless Operator: Sgt N. Winger R-187511
Mid upper gunner: Sgt J. Durkin R-163437
Rear gunner: Sgt C. Cutmore R-212655

Date: June 7/8, 1944
Target: Mining
Pilot: Sgt R. Earl R-167542
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: June 10/11, 1944
Target: Versailles
Pilot: Sgt R. Earl R-167542
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: June 14/15, 1944
Target: Cambrai
Pilot: Sgt R. Earl R-167542
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: June 16/17, 1944
Target: Sautrecourt
Pilot: Sgt R. Earl R-167542
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: June 17/18, 1944
Target: Oisemont-Neuville
Pilot: Sgt R. Earl R-167542
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: June 21, 1944
Target: St. Martin L’Hortier
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: June 24, 1944
Target: Bonnetot
Pilot: Lt A. Compton 0-886286
Flt/engineer: Sgt C. Jarvis 1604938
Navigator: F/O T. Woodsworth J-20965
Bomb Aimer: W/O2 M. Parker R-155991
Wireless Operator: W/O2 J. Clarke R-113021
Mid upper gunner: F/O P. Watson 155072
Rear gunner: F/Sgt J. Jacobson R-194844

Date: July 18, 1944
Target: Caen
Pilot: P/O R. Earl J-86872
2nd Pilot: P/O W. Bonar J-86939
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: June 25, 1944
Target: Gorenflos
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: June 27/28, 1944
Target: Wizernes
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: June 28/29, 1944
Target: Metz
Pilot: F/O L. Patten J-25838
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Watson 1819472
Navigator: F/O P. Provias J-28973
Bomb Aimer: Sgt R. Hill R-187719
Wireless Operator: Sgt G. Ford R-183552
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Kell R-205154
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Turner R-215595

Date: July 4/5, 1944
Target: Villeneuve St. Georges
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: July 6, 1944
Target: Siracourt
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: July 8/9, 1944
Target: Mining
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: July 10/11, 1944
Target: Nucourt
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: July 11/12, 1944
Target: Tours
Pilot: F/O H. Hannah J-28186
Flt/engineer: Sgt R. Catlin 1867791
Navigator: F/O J. Cope J-28702
Bomb Aimer: F/O G. Gray J-28504
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Burns R-184353
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Ririe R-202642
Rear gunner: Sgt E. Perini R-202981

Date: July 14/15, 1944
Target: Anderbelck
Pilot: Sgt J. Lang R-176026
Flt/engineer: Sgt W. Garside 643372
Navigator: F/O J. Peach J-35048
Bomb Aimer: F/O P. Parsons J-35014
Wireless Operator: P/O R. Skipper J-37368
Mid upper gunner: Sgt L. Davies R-163673
Rear gunner: Sgt J. Dickey R-162255

Date: July 20, 1944
Target: Ferme du Grand Bois
Pilot: P/O R. Earl J-86872
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: July 23/24, 1944
Target: Donges
Pilot: F/O H. Lefebvre J-16317
Flt/engineer: Sgt O. Tweed 1868911
Navigator: F/O G. Pappas J-29980
Bomb Aimer: F/O P. Kuch J-29698
Wireless Operator: F/O E. Norton J-24811
Mid upper gunner: Sgt H. Carr R-207865
Rear gunner: W/O1 C. Hayward R-112303

Date: July 24/25, 1944
Target: L’Hey
Pilot: P/O R. Earl J-86872
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: July 25/26, 1944
Target: Stuttgart
Pilot: P/O R. Earl J-86872
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: July 28/29, 1944
Target: Hamburg
Pilot: P/O R. Earl J-86872
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: July 30, 1944
Target: Villers Bocage
Pilot: P/O G. Hawthorn J-86925
Flt/engineer: Sgt J. Edwards 1817968
Navigator: F/O J. Myers J-29854
Bomb Aimer: P/O J. Richardson J-85309
Wireless Operator: Sgt C. Simonson R-170212
Mid upper gunner: Sgt F. Lazuk R-143517
Rear gunner: Sgt H. Clerke R-201879

Date: August 1, 1944
Target: L’Hey
Pilot: P/O R. Earl J-86872
Flt/engineer: Sgt G. Johnson 1825002
Navigator: F/O H. Vincent J-28068
Bomb Aimer: F/O J. Kinneard J-28266
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Peist R-197530
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. Reischman R-187527
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bucoviz R-215132

Date: August 3, 1944
Target: Foret de Nieppe
Pilot: P/O W. Bonar J-86939
Flt/engineer: Sgt F. Galbraith 1896231
Navigator: Sgt A. Cayer R-108109
Bomb Aimer: Sgt A. Lambert R-185327
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Cote R-189531
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. McMullen R-211660
Rear gunner: Sgt A. Keeping R-218247

Date: August 4, 1944
Target: Bois de Cassan
Pilot: P/O W. Bonar J-86939
Flt/engineer: Sgt F. Galbraith 1896231
Navigator: Sgt A. Cayer R-108109
Bomb Aimer: Sgt A. Lambert R-185327
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Cote R-189531
Mid upper gunner: Sgt A. McMullen R-211660
Rear gunner: Sgt A. Keeping R-218247

After this final operation with 424 Squadron LW170 was sent away for major maintenance and engine replacements. From here she was seconded to RAF Met squadron 518 and for the next year flew long distance meteorological patrols. On August 10, 1945 while on a Bismuth weather sortie LW170 experienced a major fuel leak and was unable to return to base. A text book ditching was performed by her crew at 9am and she floated for 7 hours, sinking into the deep at 4 P.M.. Her crew were safely rescued 1 hour later by a banana freighter, the Jamaica Producer.