VIII Fighter Command FO-116 BOMBER ESCORT

27 August 1943

Description

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.

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

A P-47 Thunderbolt (LH-T, serial number 42-74665) nicknamed "Fatty Patty II" of the 353rd Fighter Group flown by Captain Charles W Dinse shoots down a BF 110 during a mission. Gun camera image. Printed caption on reverse: '50416 AC - Discovering an Me 110 below him, Capt. Charles W. Dinsa, 304 Touhy Ave., Park Ridge, Ill., dove down and destroyed it. The pictures were taken by his automatic camera as his bullets found their mark. Credit for the kill was shared with Lt. Richard A. Stearns, Jr., 102 Forest
  • 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

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-May-2015. Correction of typo in Narrative.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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'.