A NEAR MISS After our Normandy airstrip was completed and we had moved the Squadron into permanent residence (never to see RAF Ibsley,again), we flew aerial patrol over the beach. The break-out had not yet occured and every kind of supplies, vehicles and ordinance was being stockpiled all along the Channel coast. This was an open invitation for the Luftwaffe to create havoc by sneak or suicide attack. Therefore, during that critical period an aerial umbrella was kept over the area during daylight hours. The task was rotated among the many fighter Squadrons that were now stationed in Normandy. We had twelve planes on our first patrol. We flew line-abreast spread far enough apart to cover the entire depth of the invasion sector, patrolling from one end of the beach head to the other. Clouds forced us to stay about 800 feet above the ground. The leader of the formation flew along the Channel coast with each plane further and further inland. I was tail-end-Charley--number twelve --and nearest to enemy locations. As we flew back and forth over the beach head, it was impossible to tell where on the ground the friendly troops ended and the bad guys began. On one pass I was rudely made aware that I was flying low and slow over enemy territory. Suddenly, in the right quadrant between the nose and wing, a stream of red tracers from a German machinegun on the ground came directly at me. It was impossible to react before that stream of bullets passed through my aircraft ,from right to left, and through the cockpit. I was amazed to be still flying so I scooted ,without delay, to a position nearer the Channel and finished the mission. The German gunner had me tagged, for sure. He seemed to be aiming for me in the cockpit. We searched for bullet holes when I landed. There was a hole in the right wing beside the cockpit and a like hole on the left side of the cockpit. A straight edge tape connecting the two holes ran through my seat. Apparently, the interval between the two bullets kept me from harm. My Guardian Angel was working full time! ©whcameron2000