Henry Paul Michael
"Hank" Zary

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RCAF Shoots Down 26 Enemy Planes
in Normandy Between Dawn and Dusk

By P.O. H. R. McDONALD
A Canadian Airfield in France, June 29 (CP). — Canadian fighter planes, in one of the most brilliant achievements in the history of the R.C.A.F., shot down 26 out of a total of 34 enemy aircraft destroyed over the Normandy front between dawn and dusk yesterday.
In addition, R.C.A.F. pilots chalked up a number of enemy planes probab1y shot down and a number of others which were damaged.
Four pilots scored double kills. They were Wing Cmdr. J. E. (Johnny) Johnson, English–born commander of a Canadian fighter wing operating from an R.C.A.F. base in Normandy, and Flt. Lts. H. C. Trainor, Charlottetown; W. T. Klersy, 14 Harcroft Rd., Toronto, and R. K. Hayward, St. John's, Nfld.
Destroys Two, Damages Third
Hayward destroyed two FW-190's and damaged a third, which gave him the highest R.C.A.F. individual score of the day.
Earlier reports indicated the Canadian airmen had downed 18 enemy planes in yesterday's daylight operations.
The complete figures were reached by intelligence officers today after a period of aerial operations which exceeded in intensity anything since the Allied Normandy beachhead was opened June 6.
Besides the toll of enemy planes; which included all fighter types, R.C.A.F. pilots also strafed transport on the roads.
Final claims on two aircraft are being sifted.
Among the R.C.A.F. Spitfire pilots contributing to the total with one Hun each were: Flt. Lts. Irving Kennedy, Cumberland, Ont.; G. R. Patterson, Kelowna, B.C.; John McElroy, Kamloops, B.C.; Henry Zary, New York; R. M. Stayner, Saskatoon; A. F. Halcrow, Penticton, B.C.; G. W. Johnson, 102 Beechwood Ave., Hamilton, Ont.; D. E. Noonan, 146 Willingdon Ave., Kingston, Ont.; J. P. Rainville, Montreal; and Flying Officers W. J. Banks, Leaside, Ont. and G. H. Farquharson, Corbyville, Ont.
Wing Cmdr. Johnson's score of two brought his total of enemy planes downed to 32, equaling the mark set by Group Capt. A. G. (Sailor) Malan, a South African, now on ground duty.
Among the R.C.A.F. fliers scoring probables were FO. A. C. Brandon, Timmins, Ont.; FO. J. B. O'Sullivan, Vancouver; and PO. J. M. Flood, Hearst, Ont.
Nine Others Damaged
At least nine others wire damaged by fliers of the R.C.A.F.
Of the wings comprising Group Capt, W. (Bill) MacBrien's R.C.AF. sector, the one led by 22-year-old Wing Cmdr, George Keefer, D.F.C. and Bar, Charlottetown, was high scorer of the day with 13 confirmed victories. Johnson's wing was second with seven in a close race with a unit led by Wing Cmdr. R. A. Buckham, Vancouver.
The margin for Keefer's wing was established in two dusk operations in which seven enemy planes were destroyed and two damaged. In the first action Hayward sighted more than 25 Nazi fighters and led his formation in pursuit. He damaged one.
Later the same Spitfires became embroiled with a dozen FW-190's, and Hayward got two of them. The first fell out of control, and the second burst into flames and crashed after Hayward had followed it down to tree-top height.
"The Huns were like bees" said WO. Murray Havers, 1 Lloyd St., Hamilton, Ont. "They seemed confused and acted as though they did not know what they were doing."
The Canadian airmen said the Germans did not put up much of a fight despite their numerical advantage.
Other Canadians credited with kills during the day were FO. G. R. Stephen, Montreal; FO. Larry Robillard, Ottawa; FO. W. A. Gilbert, Dartmouth, N.S.; FO. Don Goodwin, Maynooth, Ont.; and FO. Tommy Wheler, 10 Beauford Rd., Toronto,

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ZARY, S/L Henry Paul Michael (J9261) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.421 Squadron
Award effective 19 September 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 2274/44 dated 20 October 1944.

This officer is a most distinguished fighter whose keenness to engage the enemy has always been apparent. In July 1944, he took part in an engagement against a superior force of enemy fighters, three of which he shot down. This officer has completed a large number of sorties and has destroyed six enemy aircraft.

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Halifax Greets Modest Heroes Aboard Letitia

Halifax July 16 (CP).—In striking contrast to the foggy weather which delayed the arrival of the Canadian hospital ship Letitia and her contingent of 733 sick and wounded Canadian servicemen for two days, a brilliant sun glistened on the white mercy ship as she docked here this afternoon. Of the 733 men aboard the Letitia 46 were members of the RCAF, five of the Royal Canadian Navy, and the remainder were army personnel.
As the big ship warped into her dock, a band on the pierside struck up "Roll Out the Barrel" and spontaneous bursts of cheering came from the men lining the rail.
Gallantry Awards
Winners of gallantry awards were liberally sprinkled about the ship. One of these was Sqdn, Ldr. H. P. M. Zary of New York City, who received the Distinguished Flying Cross while commanding a Canadian Spitfire squadron. He was one of the most talkative lads on the ship - until it came to talking about himself.
Zary blasted seven enemy planes from skies over Britain and France.

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Disband Canada's First Squadron

With the RCAF in Germany, July 26 (CP) — Canada's first air squadron to be formed overseas in this war, Spitfire Squadron No. 403, which in more than four years of combat from Feb. 19, 1941, accounted for at least 74 of the enemy, has been disbanded.
The RCAF tonight told of the disbanding.
Sqdn. Ldr. A. E. Fleming, of Smiths Falls, Ont., was the commanding officer of the squadron when it disbanded, having taken over VE-Day from Sqdn. Ldr. Hank Zary of New York.

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Hank Zary died of pleurisy in Ottawa, Ontario early in 1946

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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