On the mission to Wilhelmshaven 21 May 1943 they were hit by flak and dropped out of formation, were again hit in No 2 engine and Smith made the decision to go down in the sea rather than turn round and bail out over enemy territory. They ditched and got aboard the two A-2 rafts from where they were picked up 2 days later. A full account of the action was reprinted in the January 2000 edition of 306th Echoes.