His 2nd mission as a Co-Pilot was to Schweinfurt on 17 Aug 1943.



During this Mission, Southeast of Frankfurt, the aircraft was attacked and set on fire causing the aircraft to dive due to fires causing damage to the controls. Lieutenant Layn assisted the pilot in pulling out and then proceeded to the rear of the aircraft to assist in fire fighting and the crew to bale out. The Navigator and Bombardier had already baled so Lieutenant Layn, Pilot Joe Judy and Injured Engineer Sgt Cherry attempted to head for England. Whilst Judy flew, Layn fought fires, threw out any movable equipment and held off numerous attacks from fighters using the badly Burned waist guns and Radio compartment guns until he drove the fighters off before running out ammunition. Once the aircraft had cleared the enemy coast he jettisoned any remaining ammunition, attempted to repair the control cables to the rudder and tried to bring up the jammed bomb bay doors without success.



Over England he stood on the bomb bay catwalk over open bomb bay doors to crank down the undercarriage for a landing at Manston, Kent and assisted Lt, Judy in making a successful landing. He, Lt Judy and Sgt Cherry were all recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor but not awarded.



On February 4th 1944 whilst serving as PFF observer / Gunner on 482nd BG plane B-17F #42-3500 the aircraft was hit by Flak near Frankfurt. Most of crew including Lt Layn baled out, but the pilot was wounded so Lt Col Alford, the H2X operator, made a forced landing near Winterswijk, Holland. Lt Layn was taken Prisoner of War (POW) and Interned at Stalag Luft 1, Barth, Germany



Air Medal, Silver Star