8th Air Force FO 275 BOMBER ESCORT

20 March 1944

Description

A force of 594 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to escort heavy bombers attacking at Frankfurt and Mannheim, Germany. Dispatch summary follows:



A force of 44 P-38 from 364FG are despatched. There are no losses, casualties or claims in this element.



A combinded force of 345 P-47s from: 56FG; 78FG; 352FG; 353FG; 356FG; 359FG; and 361FG are despatched. 56FG flies two missions: one on penetration and one on withdrawl. 6 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 2KIA 3POW 1EVD. 9 aircraft are damaged. The fighters in this element claim 1-0-1 German aircraft on the ground. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.



A combinded force of 205 P-51s from: 8th Air Force 126 aircraft: 4FG; 355FG; and 357FG. These are joined by 79 P-51s from IX Fighter Command: 354FG and 363FG. 2 aircraft from 363FG (IX FC) Failed to Return (FTR) - 2KIA. 3 aircraft are damaged. The fighters claim 4-0-1 of attacking German aircraft. There are no other losses casualties or claims.

Mission Details

FRANKFURT

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 44
  • Aircraft damaged: 3

FRANKFURT

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: 56th Fighter Group flew two missions. The fighters claim 1-0-1 of German aircraft on the ground.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 2
  • People evaded: 1
  • Prisoners of war: 3
  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 1
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 1
  • Aircraft sent: 345
  • Aircraft missing in action: 6

FRANKFURT

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang

Notes: 354th Fighter Group and 363rd Fighter Group from IX Fighter Command contributed 79 P-51s to the escort, number included in total despatched.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 2
  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 4
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 1
  • Aircraft sent: 205
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2
  • Aircraft damaged: 3

Connections

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20402037 / O-810461
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 363rd Fighter Group 381st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18038508 at enlistment, then O-748527
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14092856 at enlistment, then 0-797664
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 388th Bomb Group 44th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17032453
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20614475 at enlistment, then T-122889
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 363rd Fighter Group 381st Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Kathleen Ann
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Nashville Belle
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 363rd Fighter Group 381st Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Mar-2016. Corrected statistics for P-47 element based on "The Mighty Eighth War Dairy", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Mar-2016. Added IX FC units and claims on enemy figthers to P-51 Mission event statistics based on "The Mighty Eighth War Dairy", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Mar-2016. Added fighter claims on enemy aircraft to P-47 Mission event based on "The Mighty Eighth War Dairy", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Mar-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Dairy", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

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'.