578 Squadron was formed at RAF Burn, near Selby Yorkshire in January 1944. The new formation being largely drawn from "C" flight of 51 Squadron (RAF Snaith). This development was part of the major expansion of RAF Squadrons which were taking part in the Battle of Berlin. The squadron also played a major part in the D-Day bombing campaign of 6th June 1944 in an attempt to soften up the German Coastal defences prior to the allied beach landings of 6th June 1944.On 22nd June 1944 during the massive 468 aircraft raid on SIRACOURT, (a V1 weapon assembly & launch site) Terry's Halifax LK830 'N' was seriously damaged by flak which caused the port inner engine to be feathered and shut down and a large hole to the starboard fuselage. The aircraft made an emergency landing at RAF Harrington near Kettering, Northamptonshire.Early on the morning of 9th August 1944 the squadron bombed the major German fuel storage dump at Foret de Mormal.
(THE 'BUZZ BOMB' & 'DOODLEBUG' SORTIES)
After D-Day in June, July & August 1944, Frank Terry and his squadron flew many highly important sorties against the German V1, V2 and *V3 (*The London Super Gun) emplacements in France. During it's time of service, 578 Squadron aircraft flew 2,722 sorties in 161 operations against 107 enemy targets, dropping 9,676 tons of bombs. Of the aircraft employed over that period, 46 failed to return from operations or crashed, with a loss of 219 airmen killed and at least 60 others becoming prisoners of war.
SOME MEMBERS OF 578 SQUADRON PICTURED IN 1944. (THE MEDALS & AWARDS)Members of the Squadron earned many awards for bravery and exemplary service including the Victoria Cross to Flying Officer Cyril Barton, the only such honour given to a Halifax crew member, two Distinguished Service Orders, 144 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 79 Distinguished Flying Medals, in addition to a posthumous Silver Star for Gallantry in Action, awarded by the President of the United States of America to Wing Commander Wilkerson DSO, DFC. 
