VIII Fighter Command FO - 18 BOMBER SUPPORT

14 May 1943

Description

A combined force of 118 P-47 is despatched by 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to provide support for the B-17 formation attacking at Antwerp, Belgium.

Mission Details

ANTWERP

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Fighter escort for bombers attacking Antwerp only. Number despatched by each Fighter Group not broken out in available data. All 3 Missing in Action (MIA) losses in 78th Fighter Group, one came down in the sea. Pilots Missing in Action (MIA). First use of P-47s in direct escort role for bombers.

4th Fighter Group

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

56th Fighter Group

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

From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, sit on the bonnet of a jeep at Duxford air base. Passed for publication 28 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - the "Guardian Angels" of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Pho

78th Fighter Group

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

Mission Statistics

People evaded: 1
Prisoners of war: 2
Aircraft sent: 118
Aircraft missing in action: 3

Connections

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People

Fred P Sherman

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-661979
Highest Rank: Colonel
Role/Job: Pilot & Co-Pilot

Aircraft

42-5826

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: JERAVAD Une Petite Peu
Unit: 306th Bomb Group

Revisions

Date1 Jan 2015 21:55:03

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Jan-2015. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:20

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'.