8th Air Force Field Order 329

7 May 1944

Mission Details

BERLIN

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Notes: A mix of 754 fighters from 8th Air Force provides escort: 153 P-38s, 317 P-47s and 284 P-51s; 2 P-38s, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost with 3 pilots MIA, 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 5 P-38s, 3 P-47s and 1 P-51 damaged. Enemy fighter opposition is light. In addition 82 P-51s of IX Fighter Command, 354th Fighter Group and 363rd Fighter Group, with 47 RAF Mustangs flew in support of this force.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: NA
  • People missing in action: 3
  • Aircraft sent: 754
  • Aircraft missing in action: 4
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 9

Connections

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

People

Lawrence James Berry

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 338th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15069920 / O-756453
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Earl Cranston Garey

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-683907
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

42-106807

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 505th Fighter Squadron

42-39993

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hells Angels Out Of Chute 13, Grossly Inadequate
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron

42-67248

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 364th Fighter Group 383rd Fighter Squadron

42-8417

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorRainer
Changes
Sources

http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps51153/airforcehistory/usaaf/chron/in…

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'.