8th Air Force FO 270 BOMBER ESCORT

16 March 1944

Description

A combined force of 868 fighters of types: P-38; P-47; and P-51 are despatched to provide excort to heavy bombers attacking at Augsburg and Friedrichshafen, Germany. Despatch summary follows:



A combined force of 125 P-38s from: 20FG; 55FG and 364FG are despatched. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 1KIA. There are no other losses, casualties or claims in this element.



A combined force of 608 P-47s from: 8th Air Force: 56FG; 78FG; 352FG; 353FG; 356FG; 359FG; and 361FG are despatched. These are joined by IX Fighter Command: 358FG and 362FG. 3 aircraft (all from 8th AF units) Failed to Return (FTR) - 3KIA. 5 aircraft are damaged. The fighters in his element claim 25-3-7 of attacking German aircraft and 1-0-13 on the ground. There are no other losses, casualties or claims in this element.



A combined force of 135 P-51s from 8th Air Force: 4FG; 355FG; and 357FG are despatched. These are joined by IX Fighter Command: 354FG. 5 aircraft (from 8th AF units) Failed to Return (FTR) - 4KIA 1POW; 1 aircraft from IX FC Failed to Return (FTR) - 1 POW. 2 aircraft are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 1 battle damaged aircraft in a crash landing; the other crashed on takeoff - 2 RTD. 5 aircraft are damaged. There are no other losses, casualties or claims in this element.

Mission Details

AUGSBURG/ FRIEDRICHSHAVEN

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 1
  • Aircraft sent: 125
  • Aircraft missing in action: 1

AUGSBURG/ FRIEDRICHSHAVEN

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: 358th Fighter Group and 362nd Fighter Group contribute an undetermined number of P-47s to the escort, number included in total despatched. Lt Q. Brown of 78th Fighter Group, flying a P-47, claimed 3 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air, one on the ground and two others damaged. Claims on enemy aircraft are 25-3-17 in the air and 1-0-13 on the ground.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 3
  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 26
  • Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 3
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 30
  • Aircraft sent: 608
  • Aircraft missing in action: 3
  • Aircraft damaged: 5

AUGSBURG/ FRIEDRICHSHAVEN

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang

Notes: IX Fighter Command 354th Fighter Group contributes an undetermined number of P-51s to the escort, number included in total despatched. The plan to draw the Luftwaffe into the skies so it could be destroyed by the fighter/bomber combination is proceeding with excellent success. It is the loss of experienced pilots by the Luftwaffe which has the greatest impact even though the equipment loss is very great.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: Not Applicable
  • People killed in action: 4
  • Prisoners of war: 2
  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 53
  • Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 4
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 16
  • Aircraft sent: 135
  • Aircraft missing in action: 6
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
  • Aircraft damaged: 5

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Robert Arthur Newman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18061175 at enlistment, then O-665596
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot, Pilot

Donald Hugh Wright

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 358th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15068751 at enlistment, then O-793575
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

42-75530

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Squadron

43-6842

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Mona Lou
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 358th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cuninngham 27-Feb-2016. Made connections to IX FC Units, corrected statistics to include IX FC loss and added claims on enemy fighters to P-47 despatch statistics based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cuninngham 27-Feb-2016. Made connections to IX FC Units and added claims on enemy fighters to P-47 despatch statistics based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman abd "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

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'.