Richard Lockwood Alderman
MilitaryGilad Bashan
We attacked a column of tanks and trucks along a road near a castle on the edge of Hurtgen Forest and were shot by flak.
Statement from 1St Lt. Eber E. Simpson, Operation Officer:
Lt. Alderman and Girlinghouse were flying Red Three and Four, I was Foxhunt Red leader.
As we neared the target area, we received many accurate bursts of heavy flak, which spread out the squadrons somewhat.
Immediately after this primary burst of flak, I located the target, so I dove on it announcing, "Tally Ho".
I pulled off the target, I tried to observe the hits of the remainder of Red Flight, It was then that I first missed them.
The last time I actually saw Red Three and Four was just prior to the initial concentrated heavy flak mentioned above.
It was my belief that they must have been hit by that flak.
Two planes were reported "going into the overcast", but this I believed to be in error.
It was probably Red Leader and Red Two in the haze just under the clouds.
At no time did Red Flight enter the overcast.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 366th Fighter Group