VIII Fighter Command FO-108 BOMBER ESCORT
19 August 1943Description
A combined force of 178 P-47s are despatched from: 4FG; 56FG; 78FG; and 353FG to provide escort for the B-17 formations despatched to bomb the Gilze-Rijen and Woensdrecht airfields in Holland. 4FG and 78FG provide fighter cover on the penetration and 56FG and 353FG provide escort for the withdrawl. The bombers actually make two orbits which causes the fighter support to stay longer than planned. 1 P-47 from 56FG sustains an engine failure and the pilot is forced to bale out over eney occupied territory in Holland and is captured. 1POW.
Mission Details
GILZE-RIJEN / WOENSDRECHT
Description: FIGHTER SWEEP
Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
Notes: The bombers made two orbits in the target area before abandoning the mission. This caused the fighters to remain in the area much longer than planned. The 4th Fighter Group and 78th Fighter Group cover withdrawal and the 56th Fighter Group and 353rd Fighter Group escorted the penetration. One 56th Fighter Group P-47 is lost, pilot Missing in Action (MIA).
- 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
- Prisoners of war: 1
- Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 9
- Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 2
- Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 4
- Aircraft sent: 175
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-665391
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-666533
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 24-May-2015. Added fighter claims per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 24-May-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'.