VIII Fighter Command FO 234 BOMBER ESCORT

4 February 1944

Description

A combined force of 637 fighter aircraft are despatched to provide escort to the heavy bombers attacking at and around Frankfurt, Germany. Mission summary follows:

A combined force 56 P-38s from: 20FG & 55FG are despatched. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 1KIA. 5 aircraft are damaged. There are no other losses or claims.

A combined force of 537 P-47s are despatched this included 48 aircraft from IX Fighter Command 358FG the remaining 489 are from: 4FG; 56FG; 78FG; 352FG; 353FG; 355FG; 356F; 359FG; and 361FG. No aircraft are lost to enemy action. 1 aircraft with battle damage makes a crash landing near Manston, UK, pilot is OK - 1RTD. 4 other aircraft are damaged. The fighters in this element claim 8-0-4 of attacking German aircraft.

44 P-51s from IX Fighter Command 354FG join in the escort. There are no casualties, aircraft losses or claims in this element.

Mission Details

FRANKFURT

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 1
  • Aircraft sent: 56
  • Aircraft missing in action: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 5

FRANKFURT

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: 48 P-47s of 358th Fighter Group (IX Fighter Command) and 44 P-51s of 354th Fighter Group (IX Fighter Command) join the escort (statistics not included in table). 637 fighters total

Mission Statistics

  • People returned to duty: 1
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 8
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 4
  • Aircraft sent: 489
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 4

Frankfurt, Germany

Description: 48 P-47s from IX Fighter Command 358FG are despatched to support the bomber escort. No losses or claims in this element.

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

The insignia of the 358th Fighter Group.

358th Fighter Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Fighter

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 48
  • Aircraft effective: 48

Frankfurt, Germany

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 44
  • Aircraft effective: 44

Connections

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

People

John Stanley Burkot

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 455th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 741st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13007515
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Kenneth Chetwood

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 66th Fighter Wing 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron 83rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17054191 / O-736111
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • 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

John B Gardner

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12050909
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Revisions

Date9 Feb 2016 17:34:15
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Feb-2016. Correting typo in Mission Narrative.

Date1 Feb 2016 20:49:30
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesCreated event
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added New Mission event for P-51s from IX Fighter Command per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date1 Feb 2016 20:47:53
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesCreated event
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added New Mission event for P-47s from IX Fighter Command per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date1 Feb 2016 20:43:12
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to event
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added claims on enemy aircraft to the P-47 element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date1 Feb 2016 20:40:55
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to event
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Corrected statistics on P-38 element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date1 Feb 2016 20:38:16
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to name and description
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative per "the Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freman.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:20
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
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'.