8th Air Force Field Order 298

13 April 1944

Mission Details

SCHWEINFURT/ LECHFELD/ AUGSBURG

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Notes: A mix of 871 fighters from 8th Air Force and 9th Air Force provided escort: 204 fighters from IX Fighter Command were included, 134 P-38s, 504 P-47s and 233 P-51s. The 352nd Fighter Group and 362nd Fighter Group flew two missions, 352nd Fighter Group provided P-51s for the penetration and P-47s for the withdrawal. Claims are bundled for 8th Air Force and 9th Air Force and include 35-0-21 on the ground. Only 8th Air Force MIA losses are included in the table. However IX Fighter Command had 2 P-51s MIA: 354th Fighter Group 2and 363rd Fighter Group 1. Leading ace Captain Gentile struck the ground while celebrating the end of his tour with a low pass over the airfield. He survived, the aircraft was totaled.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: NA

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson receives the Distinguished Flying Cross
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-693852
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: Canadian
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39616202
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17020816
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-609503
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Revisions

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'.