JUNE 11, 1945
SAN 77 - SANGA SANGA
BACK
PHOTOS AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS.
SAN 77 - On June 11, six Beaufighters carry out direct air support Obeo 6. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-153 Thompson/Meachem, A8-165 Read/Koff, A8-187 Fellowsmith/Duncan, A8-179 Storry/Crichton, A8-91 Mierisch/Larsen, A8-72 Redfern/Collison, departed 1118/11I returned 1614/11I. Bombed and strafed enemy troop concentrations strafed and fired on one M/T north of target area.
Geoff Mierisch - Pilot A8-91 - SAN 77.
On June 11, 1945, I was in A8-91 and was heading up to Jesselton, still with bombs on board, to go wandering back through the north of Borneo looking for depots and personnel to knock off. We spotted the Papar River which was spanned by a bridge. I ran the length of the bridge and timed my run back all done visually it wasn’t done with any great precision. However, I was fortunate because one of the bombs fused with an 11 second delay, dropped right on the bridge I saw it rolling along the bridge. And as I pulled up and turned, I saw it go off and blow away the centre span of the bridge. The two other spans were dragged down into the ravine. I was particularly pleased with that and felt that I had done something useful.