VIII Fighter Command FO-191 BOMBER ESCORT

26 November 1943

Description

This mission is composed of two fighter elements. The first element is a combined force of 28 P-38s from 55FG and some of 20FG/73FS despatched to escort B-17 formations attacking Bremen, Germany. There are no losses of claims in this element.

The seconf element is a combined force of 353 P-47s from 4FG, 56FG, 78FG, 352FG, 353FG, 355FG, and 356FG. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 2KIA 1POW 1EVD. 3 crash land on return and are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 3RTD. 7 others are damaged. The fighters claim 36-3-9 of attacking German aircraft.

Mission Details

BREMEN

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning

Notes: 20th Fighter Group/77th Fighter Squadron flew with the 55th Fighter Group. Escort for heavy bombers on Bremen raid.

Mission Statistics

Aircraft sent: 28

BREMEN

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Fighters rack up good scores on the Luftwaffe.

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

People killed in action: 2
Prisoners of war: 1
People returned to duty: 1
Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 36
Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 3
Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 9
Aircraft sent: 353
Aircraft missing in action: 4

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Revisions

Date14 Jul 2015 20:38:03

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Jul-2015. Added fighter claims on enemy aircraft to P-47 element atatistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date14 Jul 2015 20:36:38

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:20

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'.