Flying Cross. His London Gazette citation reads: By December 1941 Wheeler was promoted to acting wing commander and took command of No. 219 Squadron RAF at RAF Tangmere flying the Bristol Beaufighter. From June 1942 he was 'rested', taking the post of Station Commander at RAF West Malling until Wing Commander Cathcart Wight-Boycott assumed the role in December 1942. On 29 December 1942 Wheeler assumed command of No. 157 Squadron RAF then at RAF Castle Camps flying the de Havilland Mosquito NF MkII in the night fighter role. Wheeler completed 29 defensive patrols with the squadron before flying the units first ever offensive Intruder operation on 23 March 1943 in the Paris area. He went on to fly a further 14 Intruder missions before his time with 157 Sqn came to an end in August 1943. Although he never managed to increase his tally of enemy aircraft further, he had some success at destroying ground targets such as trains during these missions. In recognition of his efforts with 157 Sqn he was awarded a bar to his DFC in September 1943, his London Gazette citation reads: Wing Commander Wheeler was then posted as Station Commander to RAF Honiley in Warwickshire. This was a night fighter station which at that time hosted No.63 Operational Training Unit (OTU). This OTU instructed pilots on Airborne Interception techniques using the Bristol Beaufighter and Bristol Blenheim. Bomber Command Wheeler soon grew frustrated when it became apparent that Fighter Command was intent on keeping him desk bound due to his advanced years (45). Following a rather one sided argument with his No. 9 Group RAF Commander, Air Vice Marshal Leslie Norman Hollinghurst, Wheeler decided to offer his services to RAF Bomber Command instead. As the bombing campaign against Germany was reaching its peak, his services were gratefully received. Following some conversion training and a short spell with No. 20 OTU at RAF Lossiemouth to pick up a crew, Wheeler took command of No. 207 Squadron RAF flying the Avro Lancaster from RAF Spilsby in Lincolnshire on 26 February 1944. Wheeler, in his typical lead from the front manner, flew with the squadron on its very next mission. This was a raid on Stuttgart on 1 March 1944. And so he continued, unlike some squadron commanders who only flew on the easy raids, Wheeler flew on every single mission that 207 Sqn was tasked for. This did