page_title: Joseph Berry (RAF officer)
section_title: V-1 campaign
hierarchical_section_title: Joseph Berry (RAF officer) / V-1 campaign
caption_attribution_description: English: Royal Air Force- Air Defence of Great Britain (adgb), 1943-1944. Hawker Tempest Mark V, JN766 'SA-N', of No. 486 Squadron RNZAF based at Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire, in flight.
context_page_description: Joseph Berry, DFC & Two Bars was a British aviator and flying ace who shot down 59½ V-1 missiles during the Second World War, more than any other fighter pilot.
context_section_description: In 1944, Berry was posted to the elite Fighter Interception Unit (FIU) at RAF Wittering in East Anglia as a temporary squadron leader, and began flying night sorties against V-1s in single-engined Hawker Tempests and was awarded a Bar to his DFC on 1 September 1944.
  Berry quickly became the pilot most successful in destroying V-1s. He claimed 52 in less than two months, including seven destroyed in one night, on 23 July 1944.
  His successes were: 28 June 1944, 2 V-1s; 29 June 1944, V-1;  30 June 1944, 3 V-1s at night;  2 July 1944, V-1; 3 July 1944, V-1; 5 July 1944, 2 V-1s;  6 July 1944, 4 V-1s at night;  8 July 1944, 3 V-1s at night;  9 July 1944, V-1; 17 July 1944, 2 V-1s at night; 19 July 1944, 4 V-1s;  21 July 1944, V-1; 23 July 1944, 7 V-1s at night;  25 July 1944, 4 V-1s at night;  27 July 1944, shared V-1;  29 July 1944, 2 V-1s;  3 August 1944, 5 V-1s at night; 5 August 1944, 5 V-1s; 7 August 1944, 4 V-1s; 12 August 1944, 2 V-1s at night; 13 August 1944, V-1 at night; 15 August 1944, 2 V-1s at night; 20 August 1944, V-1; 31 August 1944, V-1.
  On 23 August 1944 the Tempest flight from FIU was merged into an existing fighter unit, No. 501 Squadron RAF, at RAF Manston. Berry was appointed commanding officer of No. 501 Squadron.
  For his service with No. 501 Squadron Berry was awarded a second Bar to his DFC, which was posthumously announced on 13 February 1946. His citation read:
  Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross, this officer has flown on many operational sorties and has destroyed a further 41 flying bombs bringing his total to 58 bombs destroyed at night. On several occasions his aircraft has been damaged by the explosion of the bombs. As Squadron Commander, Squadron Leader Berry has displayed courage and devotion to duty of a high order and under his inspiring leadership the squadron has attained many successes.
caption: A Hawker Tempest in flight.
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