VIII Fighter Command FO-194 BOMBER ESCORT
1 December 1943Description
This mission was composed of two fighter elements despatched to escort bombers attacking Leverkusen/Solingen, Germany. The first element was a force of 42 P-38s from 55FG. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 1KIA 1POW. 1 aircraft crahed on return and was declared Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 1RTD. There were no claims agains enemy aircraft.
The second element was a combined force of 374 P-47 from: 4FG; 56FG; 78FG; 352FG; 353FG; 355FG; and 356FG. 5 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 3KIA 2POW. 3 aircraft are damaged. This fighter element claims 20-4-7 of attacking German aircraft.
Mission Details
SOLINGEN
Description: FIGHTER ESCORT
Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- People killed in action: 1
- Prisoners of war: 1
- People returned to duty: 1
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
SOLINGEN
Description: FIGHTER ESCORT
Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
Notes: Fighter escort for Solingen raid. An introductory sweep was flown by P-51s from 384th Fighter Group, but number participating not in available record.
- 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
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- People killed in action: 3
- Prisoners of war: 2
- People returned to duty: 2
- Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 20
- Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 4
- Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 7
- Aircraft sent: 374
- Aircraft missing in action: 5
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 3
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 55th Fighter Group 38th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15069166 at enlistment, then O-748934
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 21-Jul-2015. Added fighter claims on enemy aircraft to tatistics of P-47 element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman
Lee Cunningham 21-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth 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'.