VIII Fighter Command FO-86 FIGHTER ESCORT

29 July 1943

Description

A combined force of 128 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG provide escort for 20 B-26s from 386BG whihc flew a diversion for the B-26 attack on the airfield at St. Omer, France. One was damaged. The fighters claim 0-0-1 of enemy aircraft.

Mission Details

SAINT OMER

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Escort for the diversionary B-26 force

4th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

56th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, sit on the bonnet of a jeep at Duxford air base. Passed for publication 28 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - the "Guardian Angels" of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Pho

78th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

Mission Statistics

Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 1
Aircraft sent: 128
Aircraft damaged: 1

Revisions

Date11 May 2015 20:37:52

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 11-May-2015. Corrected typo in Mission Narrative.

Date11 May 2015 19:16:48

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunnningham 11-May-2015. Added claims on enemy aircraft to statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date11 May 2015 19:15:16

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 11-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty EIghth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:21

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'.