Season’s Greetings

Christmas can be a particularly difficult time to be away from family and loved ones. It certainly was for many members of the 353rd Fighter Group in December 1943 stationed thousands of miles from home and fighting a war. To create some festive cheer and, no doubt, cure some of their homesickness the Group held a party for local children from the Metfield area. I attach a couple of photos from the event below and wish you all the very best for the festive season and 2013…

Children from the Metfield area were invited to Christmas party by the 353rd FG.

Lt. Col. Glenn E. Duncan and Group Chaplain Sterling F. Wheeler with local children at the 353rd FG Christmas party.

 

Mission#43 November 11, 1943 – Target: Munster

Date: Nov 11, 43

Dispatched: 39 Aborts: 7

Mission: Target support to 3rd Div  B-17’s Field Order: 177

Time Up/Down: 12:36 hrs 15:43 hrs Leader: Major Duncan

Target: Munster

Claims Air: 03-00-01 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00

Group arrived at Egmond at 13:32 hrs, 24,000ft. Bombers were ten minutes late. Group made a left turn over the Zuider Zee picking up the bombers at Egmond at 13:42 hrs. The 352nd Group [Squadron?]were with the lead boxes of the bombers. The 351^st FS positioned themselves on the left of the bombers, the 350^th on the right of the bombers at 32,000ft, above the cirrus clouds. Group proceeded on planned course to Munster, Senden and Elst where the 350th left them at 14:35 hrs, 23,000ft. The 352^nd left the bombers to the SE of Elst while the 351st left the bombers in the vicinity of Nijmegen. Heavy cloud made escort with the bombers difficult. In the vicinity of the target heavy smoke screen visible making bombing results unobserved. In this area 20 to 25 Fw190s in flights of 4 and 5 strung out came up from below at 10 o’clock heading towards the bombers. Major Duncan leading the 351^st made repeated attacks on this formation resulting in two Fw190s being destroyed [one by Capt. Beckham]. E/A outnumbered P-47s consequently they were persistent in their engagements with the P-47s. Call was made on R/T for assistance and other P-47S soon arrived. Enemy tactics were for part of the e/a to climb high into the cirrus haze at 25,000ft hoping the P-47s would engage the e/a below. Some of these e/a had belly tanks. In the vicinity of Niemansdorp 15 miles south of Rotterdam 15+ Me109s with red markings on the fuselage made persistent attacks on the bombers at 20,000ft from the lower sides and below. In the engagement that followed Major Duncan destroyed an Me109. No escort for the bombers seen at this level. In the vicinity ofWesthoofd 8 Fw190s, 4 on each side of the bombers, at the same level, would attack by diving below the bombers and pulling up and shooting at a 60 degree angle to the path of the bombers, roll over and break away then zoom hi to level position on the other side to repeat attack. One straggler B-17 flying at 16,000ft under main formation of bombers was seen given excellent escort by 4 U/I P-47s in the vicinity of Hertogenbosch. One B-17 seen on fire, wing came off and spun down 15 miles south of Rotterdam 4 chutes seen to open. One B-17 seen to go down just east of Gurtruidenberg as a result of attacks by e/a. One B-17 straggler was seen being attacked by 3 Fw190s just off Schouwen Islands. Group leader made several attacks alone but makes no claims. Moderate heavy flak over target area. Nine bursts of heavy flak Gilze Rijen. Fighter/fighter and fighter bomber inter communication excellent. Warmsun’s transmission gargled, weak and unreadable. Radio whine intense starting from English coast. No P-38s seen. One Group of P-47s seen in vicinity of Elst.

Headquarters

1 Fw190 destroyed Major Duncan

1 Me109 destroyed Major Duncan

351^st FS

1 Fw190 destroyed Capt. Beckham

350th: Major Rimerman. T/U 12:40 hrs. T/D 15:20 hrs. Total flight time 2:40 hrs. Made R/V with 3rd Bomb Div vicinity of Alkmaar, 30,000ft, 13:41 hrs. Continued on planned course, leaving bombers SE of Zuider Zee and out on coast just south of the Hague at 14:50 hrs, 17,000ft. No E/A seen. P-38s not seen. Burst heavy flak, Amsterdam area; accurate height and direction. Fighter-Bomber intercom satisfactory. R/T poor except near enemy coast. No bomb results observed. Weather 6/10 cirrus target are 23,000 ft top 29,000ft. Cumulus 12,000 top. Course: L/F, L/F, Enschode, Munster, Senden, Home. Squadron went back over bombers sometime in target area to investigate bandits reported on R/T but no E/A seen.

Major	Ben	Rimerman	(Sqdn Ldr)
1st Lt	Charles O.	Durant
1st Lt	Robert N.	Ireland
2nd Lt	Chauncey	Rowan
Capt	Dewey E.	Newhart	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Robert S.	Hart
1st Lt	Charles W.	Dinse
2nd Lt	John H.	Winder
Capt	Stanley R.	Pidduck	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Carl W.	Mueller
1st Lt	John	Sullivan
1st Lt	Roland N.	McKean
1st Lt	John L.	Devane	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	John	Zolner
1st Lt	William W.	Odom
1st Lt	Joseph F.	Furness

351st: Major Duncan. T/U 12:28 hrs. T/D 15:43 hrs. Total flight time 3:15 hrs. Route: In at Egmund, R/V over Zuider Zee. Escorted to target Munster. Left coast N of Schouwen Island.

Major	Glenn E.	Duncan	(Gp & Sqdn Ldr)
1st Lt	William J.	Maguire
Capt	Walter C.	Beckham
1st Lt	David C.	Kenney
1st Lt	Francis N.	King
2nd Lt	Harry H.	Dustin
1st Lt	Vernon A.	Leatherman
2nd Lt	Harry D.	Milligan
2nd Lt	Edgar J.	Albert
1st Lt	Gordon B.	Compton
2nd Lt	Irving	Toppel
2nd Lt	Richard D.	Stanley
2nd Lt	Herbert K.	Field
2nd Lt	George F.	Perpente

Duncan was able to destroy an Me109 and Fw190 and damage a further 190 (see p84-85 of Cross’s Jonah’s Feet Are Dry for his account). In his report Duncan mentions that he responded to a call from Lt. Edgar Albert who was under attack. Lt Albert managed to evade his predicament and landed, low on fuel, at Bradwell Bay in a battled damaged aircraft. Capt. Beckham was able to add another Fw190 to his score, leading Red flight:

I was leading Roughman Red flight with Lt G B Compton flying #2, Lt Kenney #3 and Lt Toppel as #4. A few minutes after the bombers had made their bomb run, we saw about 12 or more Fw190’s behind then at about 5 o’clock, I believe they were the same ones which Major Duncan had reported a minute or so before. We were at about 27000ft and they were at about 25000ft.

They were not attacking the bombers but were merely flying towards them. We dropped down the couple of thousand feet altitude advantage which we had and attacked three of them, shooting down one. He still had a belly tank.

I fired from about 250 down to about 40 or 50 yards getting strikes mainly on the fuselage and cockpit area, knocking pieces off his belly tank and other pieces. He tried to evade by skidding; once I fired directly at his nose when he was at least ten or more degrees deflection according to his longitudinal axis. I could tell by the background that he was moving straight away in a skid, and I got strikes. I last saw him go straight down in a vertical dive at what I estimate at 8 to 10000ft. None of the other Fw190’s were seen to attack the bombers.

After receiving the order to return to base, we were flying in front of and to the right hand side of the bombers when we saw a Fw190 coming in on the tail of P-47 that was climbing and turning left. We orbited and were closing on the 190. He obviously saw us for he half rolled and went straight down. We did not follow.

352nd: Major Bailey. T/U 12:39 hrs. T/D 15:10 hrs. Total flight time 2:31 hrs. Penetration support. Squadron led by Major Bailey made landfall at 13:32 hrs at 28,000ft. Made R/V with bombers ten minutes late. Difficulty in escorting bombers due to 8-9/10 ciro-stratus covergae. Lost bombers shortly after passing target area, Made landfall out over Hague.

Major	William B.	Bailey	(Sqdn Ldr)
1st Lt	Leroy W.	Ista
1st Lt	Leslie P.	Cles
2nd Lt	Hildreth R.	Owens
1st Lt	Jesse W.	Gonnam	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Wilton W.	Johnson
1st Lt	Robert P.	Geurtz
2nd Lt	Victor L.	Vogel
Capt	Raynor E.	Robertson	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Richard V.	Keywan
1st Lt	James N.	Poindexter
2nd Lt	Russell E.	Moriarty
1st Lt	Edward M.	Fogarty	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Joseph A.	Schillinger
2nd Lt	Harry H.	Dustin	(fill in the 351st FS ?)
2nd Lt	Clifford F.	Armstrong

Group Aborts/ERTNs/Damaged:

42-22462	ABT   generator regulator stuck	SX-P
42-7910	ABT   engine cutting out	SX-J
42-22458	ABT   electrical system failure	SX-L
42-8380	BD Cat?	YJ-A	Lt.   Milligan?
42-74736	BD Cat   ?	YJ-U	Lt.   Albert?

Mission#42 November 7, 1943 – Target: Duren

Date: Nov 7, 43

Dispatched: 39 Aborts:7

Mission: General support to 2nd TF (3rd Div) 80 B-17’s. Field Order: 172

Time Up/Down: 09:30 hrs 12:22 hrs Leader: Lt Col. McCollom

Target: Duren

Claims Air: 00-00-00 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00

Group made landfall west of Zeebrugge at 10:12 hrs, 24,500ft. Due to complete overcast ground references are conjectured but believe planned course was followed to R/V point. No bombers seen until possibly Eupen when bombers sighted to the north. R/V made vicinity of Maeseyek at 11:19 hrs, 30,000ft. Escorting then to south of Gilze Rijen leaving them at 11:30 hrs. Out enemy coast over Schouwen Island 11:42 hrs, 25,000ft. 1^st box of bombers approx 40 in good formation, 2^nd box of 20+ considerably strung out. First TF seen coming from northeast vicinity of Asten in good formation. No stragglers. No e/a. Bursts of flak Ghent going in, Dutch Islands coming out. Accurate height, inaccurate direction. Moderate flak from neighbourhood target area, possibly Aachen. Smoke screen believed around target area. From above account it would appear that bombers did not fly planned course. Radio whine intense. Capt. Rose and Lt. Thistlethwaite from Group HQ participated.

350th: Lt Col. McCollom. T/U 09:30 hrs. T/D 12:20 hrs. Total flight time 2:50 hrs. Course L/F over Bruges to 50 degree 00 n, 05 degree 00 E to Duren to 51 degree 20 N to O5 degree 20 E to home. Lt Col. McCollom led the Squadron with Major Rimerman leading the second element. Squadron carried further in than planned by strong wind and had to orbit a while to make R/V with bombers. No e/a encountered, no ground or sea activities observed. Flak negligible except for several heavy bursts accurate as to course and height but slightly behind Capt Newhart’s ship over Dutch Island on course out. Weather 10/10 overcast except over Dutch islands on course out. Three aborts: one gun trouble, one radio and one belly tank.

Lt Col	Loren	McCollom	(Gp Ldr)
Capt	John B.	Rose
1st Lt	William W.	Odom
2nd Lt	Robert S.	Hart
Capt	Dewey E.	Newhart	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Francis T.	Walsh
1st Lt	Charles W.	Dinse
2nd Lt	John H.	Winder
Major	Ben	Rimerman	(Sqdn Ldr & Dep Gp Ldr)
1st Lt	Tom	Lorance
1st Lt	John L.	Devane
1st Lt	John	Zolner
Capt	Wilford F.	Hurst	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Melvin P.	Dawson
1st Lt	William J.	Price
2nd Lt	William F.	Tanner
1st Lt	Charles O.	Durant	P30	LH-B

351st: Capt. Beckham. T/U 09:30 hrs. T/D 12:20 hrs. Total flight time 2:50 hrs. Route: In NE of Ostend to Dinant, R/V at Duren and out to Schouwen Island.

Capt	Walter C.	Beckham	(Sqdn Ldr)
2nd Lt	William T.	Thistlethwaite
Capt	Frederick H.	Lefebre	R31	YJ-L
1st Lt	William J.	Maguire	R65	YJ-M
1st Lt	Gordon B.	Compton	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Edgar J.	Albert
2nd Lt	Don M.	Hurlburt	R32	YJ-D
1st Lt	George N.	Ahles

352nd: Major Bailey. T/U 09:33 hrs. T/D 12:25 hrs. Total flight time 2:52 hrs. Target Support. Squadron led by Major Bailey made landfall at 10:12 hrs at 24,000ft. Made R/V three minutes late and proceeded to target area. Made landfall out over Dunkirk.

Major	William B.	Bailey	(Sqdn Ldr)
2nd Lt	Clifford F.	Armstrong
1st Lt	Jesse W.	Gonnam
1st Lt	Gordon L.	Willits
1st Lt	Wilbert H.	Juntilla	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	Charles W.	Kipfer	W42	SX-H
1st Lt	Edward M.	Fogarty
2nd Lt	Maurice	Morrison
Capt	Raynor E.	Robertson	(Flt Ldr)
2nd Lt	Edison G.	Stiff	W56	SX-J
1st Lt	Gordon S.	Burlingame
2nd Lt	William S.	Marchant	W32	SX-Y
1st Lt	Thomas J.	Forkin	(Flt Ldr)
1st Lt	William J.	Jordan
1st Lt	Robert A.	Newman
2nd Lt	Glenn C.	Callans

Group Aborts/ERTNs/Damaged:

42-7940	ABT   glass elbow cracked	LH-M
42-74669	ABT belly   tank cut out	LH-O
42-74618	ABT   radio out [s/n crtd]	LH-?
42-8664	ABT   gyro inst and air speed ind out	?
42-8396	ERTN   escort	SX-T
42-22470	ERTN   escort	SX-?
42-8687	ABT oil   temperature	SX-R

*The Control Tower Log also records YJ-A returned to base 10:18 hrs, but I have no further information on this currently.

The Wanderer Returns

This post comes with apologies for my absence from the blogosphere for a few weeks while I completed a business trip. Thankfully I did get time to stop off and survey a few historic aviation sites and thought you might be interested to see some of the pictures.

My first port of call was the National Park at Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama. This is still very much a work in progress and looks as if it will become a fascinating insight into the famous “Tuskegee Airmen” when the restoration and development work is completed. Even so, they have plenty of interesting material already to tell the story and also a nicely restored PT-17 Stearman.

The outside of the main display hanger at Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama

Recreation of one of the offices at Moton field.

Nicely restored PT-17 Stearman at Moton Field. One of the most important aircraft of the war!

Front end of the Stearman at Moton Field.

Next I popped into the Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin AFB, Florida. This is a fascinating museum with a surprisingly diverse collection. If you are in the area the museum is well worth a visit to see the many interesting displays.

The P-51D-5-NA at Eglin which is actually a rebuild of a later F-51 (a/c 68-15796)???

P-47N-25-RE (a/c 44-89320) at Eglin painted up as P-47N-5-RE “Expected Goose” of the 463rd FS, 507th FG.

The museum at Eglin has a balcony around the main display that allows you to get a good sense of the P-47’s lines.

Flying Fortress B-17G (a/c 44-83863) at Eglin. This aircraft has recently been repainted, though I think it’s time for this venerable old lady to be taken inside out of the weather!

If you look closely you can see that it has been necessary to put “anti-bird” spikes on the tail of the B-17 at Eglin. Museums don’t have an endless supply of cash – so maybe see this exhibit while you still can!

That’s it for now – I’ll be back blogging the missions in a few days when I’ve fully recovered from the jet-lag…