8th Air Force FO 275 BOMBER ESCORT
20 March 1944Description
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
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.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
![Ground crew of the 356th Fighter Group congratulate the pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed "Zombie" at Martlesham Heath air base. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'ZOMBIE yellow, black outline. [illegible text] black white common practice of 361st FS.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377162.jpg.webp?itok=Cj8CR9kY)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
![Three P-51 Mustangs of the 369th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group fly together in formation. The aircraft foreground to background are: (IV-P, serial number 44-14543) nicknamed "Precious Pat", piloted by Lieutenant Ralston; (IV-Z, serial number 44-15007) piloted by Lieutenant Klem; and (IV-D, serial number 44-15394). First handwritten caption on reverse: 'November 15 1944- 369th FS Lts. Ralston (P), Klem (Z), [illegible] (D).' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '15/11/44 369th Fighter Squadron, 3](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377226.jpg.webp?itok=RQw6Mu-P)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
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.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
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: B17 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
Lee Cunningham 1-Mar-2016. Corrected statistics for P-47 element based on "The Mighty Eighth War Dairy", Roger A. Freeman.
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.
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.
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.
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'.