VIII Fighter Command FO - 57 BOMBER ESCORT

26 June 1943

Description

A combined force of 130 P-47s is deptached from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to provide escort for the heavy bomber formation despatched to Villacoublay, France. The formation tangles with German fighters and the 56FG loses 4 P-47 to direct cause by enemy aircraft and a 5th is so damaged that the pilot abandoned the aircraft over the North Sea near Great Yarmouth and is recued by ASR. The Americans claim 3-3-2 of the enemy fighters.

Mission Details

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: 56th Fighter Group gets mauled losing 5 aircraft and 4 pilots (one aircraft came down in the sea off Scratby, pilot rescued).

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 killed in action: 4
People returned to duty: 1
Aircraft sent: 130
Aircraft missing in action: 5
Aircraft damaged: 1

Connections

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

People

Raymond Charles Care

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Service Numbers: O-885185
Highest Rank: Captain
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Merle C Eby

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 56th Fighter Group 61st Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 16004248 at enlistment, then O-429058
Highest Rank: Captain
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot; Operations Officer

Revisions

Date8 Jan 2015 19:13:37

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Jan-2015. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman and "The Losses of the 9th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:21

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'.