VIII Fighter Command FO-128 BOMBER ESCORT

9 September 1943

Description

215 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; 78FG; 352FG; and 353FG are despatched is support of OPERATION STARKEY to escort the 330 bombers participating in VIII Bomber Command mission 94. This si the first combat operation for 352FG as they fly a patrol over the English Channel to protect the landings of fighters from 56FG and 353FG. 2 aircraft from 4FG Failed to Return (FTR)-1POW 1 RTD (rescued by ASR). The fighters claim 1-0-0 agsinst the Luftwaffe.

Mission Details

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Fighters escort the B-17s only. 353rd Fighter Group first mission a patrol over the English coast to cover the landings of 56th Fighter Group and 353rd Fighter Group. 4th Fighter Group loses two aircraft. One pilot Missing in Action (MIA), one rescued from the Channel two days later.

Mission Statistics

  • Prisoners of war: 1
  • People returned to duty: 1
  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 1
  • Aircraft sent: 215
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2

Connections

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

People

Vernon A Boehle

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 362nd Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885170
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
A P-47 Thunderbolt (LH-T, serial number 42-74665) nicknamed "Fatty Patty II" of the 353rd Fighter Group flown by Captain Charles W Dinse shoots down a BF 110 during a mission. Gun camera image. Printed caption on reverse: '50416 AC - Discovering an Me 110 below him, Capt. Charles W. Dinsa, 304 Touhy Ave., Park Ridge, Ill., dove down and destroyed it. The pictures were taken by his automatic camera as his bullets found their mark. Credit for the kill was shared with Lt. Richard A. Stearns, Jr., 102 Forest

Charles W Dinse

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-665391
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Frank Morris Fink

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron No 121 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885172
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

41-6328

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron

41-6400

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Indianapolis
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Jun-2015. Corrected typo in Mission Narrative.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Jun-2015. Added fighter claims to statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Jun-2015. Added Mission Narrative per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

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'.