VIII Fighter Command FO-83 BOMBER ESCORT

28 July 1943

media-19275.jpeg UPL 19275 Nance Pg 2 Missing Air Crew Reports

MACR 141from AFHRA/RSA Maxwell AFB, AL 27 Apr 2007
Nephew John G Gorse

Object Number - UPL 19275 - Nance Pg 2

Description

A combined force of 123 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG are despathed to escort the VIII Bomber Command mission #78 against Kassel and Oschersleben, Germany. The escort encounters approximately 45 German fighters attacking the bomber stream. These P-47s are equipped with bellh tanks that give the fighters and additional 30-mile range. 4FG becomes the first 8th AF fighter group to penetrate German airspace. The fighters claim 9-1-6 of the German fighters.

Mission Details

KASSEL / OSCHERSLEBEN

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: 105 of the P-47s are fitted with belly tanks which provide an additional 30 miles of action radius. 4th Fighter Group engages approximately 45 enemy fighters attacking the bombers over Holland.

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

Prisoners of war: 1
Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 9
Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 1
Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 6
Aircraft sent: 123
Aircraft missing in action: 1
Aircraft damaged: 1

Connections

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

People

Henry L Ayres

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron No 133 'Eagle' Squadron
Service Numbers: O-885181
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

William B Nance

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-664435
Highest Rank: Captain
Role/Job: Pilot

Revisions

Date9 May 2015 19:12:38

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-May-2015. Added claims against enemy fighters to statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date9 May 2015 19:10:54

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-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'.