During the 30 January 1944 mission to Gilze-Rijen airfield, 2nd Lt. William Rowles' P-47D Thunderbolt was badly damaged by cannon fire from a Bf 109. Rowles had missed squadron-mate 1st Lt. Kendall Carlson's call to break after the German fighter had bee spotted closing on his tail. Fortunately for Rowles, 1st Lt. Paul Ellington reacted quickly and shot the Messerschmitt off his tail, but not before 42-75112 had been holed in its fuselage, tail, flaps and canopy.