VIII Fighter Command FO-116 BOMBER ESCORT
27 August 1943Description
A combined force of 173 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; 78FG; and 353FG are despatched to provide fighter escort for the bomber formations attacking the V-Weapon site at Watten, France. Freeman's "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" lists 1 aircraft MIA from 353FG, but no MACR confirmation could be located and Bishop & Hey in "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" don't show this loss.
Mission Details
WATTEN
Description: FIGHTER ESCORT
Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
Notes: Escort for Watten mission. 353rd Fighter Group one Missing in Action (MIA) pilot Missing in Action (MIA), 56th Fighter Group one damaged when Group bounced by RAF spitfires. No record found on 353rd Fighter Group pilot.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: Not Applicable
- People missing in action: 1
- Aircraft sent: 173
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 1
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-665391
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 27-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.