 On 8 December 1940 , the nineteen @-@ year @-@ old Isaacson enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) . After completing his training in Australia and Canada , he was posted to the United Kingdom and joined No. 460 Squadron RAAF at RAAF Breighton , Yorkshire , as a sergeant pilot . Operating Vickers Wellington medium bombers , No. 460 Squadron had been raised under the Article XV provisions of the Empire Air Training Scheme and was one of a number of nominally Australian formations taking part in RAF Bomber Command 's strategic air campaign against Germany . The squadron commenced operations in March 1942 and participated in 1 @,@ 000 @-@ bomber raids against Cologne , Essen and Bremen in May and June . It converted to Avro Lancaster heavy bombers in October . Isaacson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal on 6 November 1942 for " many successful night attacks on the enemy " with No. 460 Squadron . The following month his Lancaster was damaged by a Junkers Ju 88 night fighter after a raid on Munich . 
