USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hello
I been doing a lot of research on the Bulgarian air force during WWII and recently I adquired the two of the three volumes of the work BULGARIAN FIGHTERS PART .II by Dimitar Nedialov, Propeller Publishing, Sofia 2006.

Quite an interesting book about the Bulgarian fighters vs the USAAF mostly agaisnt the P-38 and later the P-51 and P-47 that were involved in the escort of USAAF bombers. Its there a listing of USAAF claims against the Bulgarian by group or pilots available.

Cheers
Santiago A. Flores

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hello Santiago,

here are US claims (and losses) in 1943 / 44 over Bulgaria:

14/11/43 82nd FG Claims: 3 Me109 + 2 FW190 for 1 P38 (lost an engine in the target area, disappeared over Yugoslavia)
24/11/43 82nd FG Claims: 2 Me109 for 1 P38 (out of fuel)
10/12/43 82nd FG Claims: 8 Me109 + 1 FW 190 for 1 P38
20/12/43 82nd FG Claims: 2 Me109 + 1 FW 190 for 3 P38
04/01/44 82nd FG Claims: 1 Me109 (damaged)
10/01/44 14th FG Claims: 5 Me109 + 4 FW 190 for 2 P38 (one for crash landing at the airfield)
30/03/44 82nd FG Claims: 4 Me109 + 1 FW 190
30/03/44 14th FG Claims: 1 Me109 for 1 P38
30/03/44 1st FG Claims: 6 D520
17/04/44 31st FG Claims: 3 Me109 for 1 P51 (mechanical failure)
17/04/44 325th FG Claims: 4 Me109
11/06/44 52nd FG Claims: 13 Me109 + 1 FW 190 for 1 P51
24/06/44 82nd FG Claims: 7 Me109

Sources:
"Adorimini - A history of the 82nd FG" by Steve Blake
"The 14th FG in WW2" by J. Lambert
"Spitfire and yellow tail mustangs (52nd FG)" by T. Ivie
"An escort of P-38 (1st FG)" by J. Mullins
"In a now forgotten sky (31st FG)" by D. Kucera
"USAAF MTO Claims" by F. Olynyk

Let me know if you need the name of the american pilots.
Also, I wonder if you can provide the list of Bulgarian fighter losses in the same period.

Thanks

Regards
Marco

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

As this is my first post on the forum, let me say "hello" to everyone!

CENTURION, the VnVV (Bulgarian AF) lost 23 pilots and 27 fighters (machines that were completely destroyed or too badly damaged to be repaired). Here's a full list of the pilots, the day of their deaths in air combat and the type of fighter they perished in, as written on the new memorial in Sofia.

http://edinzavet.wordpress.com/2008/...#1092;и/

The site is in Cyrillic , but if anyone's interested I can translate it.

It includes only the pilots who fell in the defence of Bulgaria against the USAAF, not those who perished fighting against the Germans from September '44 to May '45.

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Burdokva,

thank you for the list you provided.
I wonder if you have the dates related to the four losses not included in the list, and of eventual fighters damaged and forced to crash landing.


Regards
Marco

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hello,

There is an Me-109 and pilot listed as lost on 24-05-1944. Most of the USAAF 15th Air Force went to Austria but USAAF Combat Chronology also lists Zagreb as a target. Is Zagreb where the Me-109 was lost and do you know anything about what happened?

Thanks,
Steve

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Actually, two dates are mistaken on the link (thanks to CENTURION in pointing it out in the thread about the air combat on June 11th) - Ivan Bonev died on 11th June, not August. Tzvyatko Zagorski perished on 24 June 1944 when "bounced" by a force of P-38s , probably from 82nd FG. I have a detailed account of the air combat, if anybody's interested I'll post it here.

EDIT: CENTURION, according to the book "Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Part 4" FARK OOD, Sofia, 2001 of the 27 Bulgarian fighters listed as lost, 14 were downed or damaged beyond repair and 13 were seriously damaged to various degrees. The volume is both in Bulgarian and English and is a good study on the aerial conflict, but it covers only the period from August 1943 to April 1944 (against the USAAF; there's a brief section on the campaign against the Germans), and not the summer battles (which lasted until August 26th 1944).
Several fighters belly landed after damage to the engine, or if the pilot was wounded, but these were quickly repaired. I'll check on the other losses, they are probably from the (incomplete) 1st and (training) 4th orlyaks with D.520s, which were pressed to join the defence of the capital.

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hallo Burdokva,

Yes, I for one would be very interested in details of any engagement between Bulgarian and 82nd FG pilots.

Thanking you in advance,

Martin Gleeson.

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

I think the date of the first pilot's death is also listed erroneously, as according to my info Por. Luka I. Obreykov of 672 Yato died on 09-aug-43, when crashed near Lyabzhena.

P.S. I think it's very commendable that a German pilot who died in defence of Bugaria is also listed on the monument (Hptm. Gerhard Wengel, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 5, KIA on 10 Jan. 1944).

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Here's the combat report, as promised.

June 24th 1944. Yesterday the Americans had conducted a heavy bombing of Bucharest, so we thought that today there’ll be a brake. But just as the sun had come up over Murgash and Ihtiman, we received first warning of an incoming aerial threat.

We’re gathered around the map in the command point* and we watch as the plotters draw the route of the enemy airraft. We are trying to guess where would the incoming air armada drop its deadly cargo today!

* of 3/6 orlyak at Bozhurishte airfield, armed with Bf 109G’s. Bulgarian orlyaks were similar in strength to German gruppe and a total of 4 were under the command of 6th fighter regiment.

- Surely, they won’t go over Athens. From this rendezvous point they most likely won’t head towards Vienna or Budapest. So either against us or Nish, or even Bucharest and Ploesti!

The sirens of Sofia alerted of an aerial anger at 7:00 in the morning. For thefirst time the citizens of Sofia had run into the shelters so early.

Today we received an order that we’ll be flying under orders from High Command HQ of the fighter forces in the village of Boyana. We all sat in our fighters waiting for the signal to start. The loudspeakers were transmitting data about the incoming enemy. And today he was coming with a record number of aircraft - more than 600. We’ll be going against him with 14. That’s what we have in operational condition for today. The other orlyak*, temporarily relocated at Karlovo, would come to our aid, but they won’t be any more than us. We don’t have a preplanned arrangement for mutual support or a gathering point. We took off at around 8:00 o’clock and, guided by High Command, we started climbing toward Kurilo.

* 2/6 orlyak, armed with Bf 109G’s since January 1944.

At an altitude of around 2000 High Command warned us to be careful as there was also a German squadron taking off into the air. This meant that some help is provided by our allies. Soon we noticed them and we made a left turn to join the, and their commander took command of both our forces. Crossing the chain of the Balkan Mountains, we continued north while gaining altitude.

We flew over an area northwest from the town of Vraca, when we were informed by our radio link that the enemy is already over our territory and takes a direction to the towns of Dupnica and Samokov. The German leader of our formation however remained unconcerned by this message and went on flying to the north. Obviously he did not care for protecting our land, but was ready to protect the Rumanian petrol factories from being bombed. In this moment I decided to do something different. I left the group of German planes flying to the north and I turned my plane back to the south, where our capital city Sofia lays; thus finishing our joint aerial operation with the Germans.

When we reached the mountains around Ihtiman our altitude was already over 7000m. Far away we could see the enemy group over Chamkoria (today Borovets), stretching far into the horizon. We continued climbing, while keeping our planes to the side of the enemy column and letting it fly undisturbed below us with a north-eastern course. One by one, the groups passed under us, as if a military parade is going on, and we to the side are watching as we are receiving it. And we’re counting: nine groups of 20-30 bombers each, escorted by “Lightings” and “Mustangs”. Some of the fighters flew close to the bomber to provide cover, while other lone planes circled above the “fortresses”* so the could carefully watch the skies around and give courage to the bomber crews, several groups of 40-60 fighter planes in large masses, like swarms of bees, were circling at different altitudes and directions around the main group, ready to repel any attack.

* Bulgarian pilots referred to any 4-engined bomber a “fortress”, either the B-24 or B-17

The last groups were passing below us. We watch them fly by, we let them pass, and we wondered from where we could start an attack. We were around 1500m higher than them. A group of their fighter started slowly approaching us, but probably realizing our “peaceful intentions”, the returned over the column of bombers. That’s where they belong. And we were continuing to fly to side and behind the column, within a respectful distance.

During the short time that the fighter cover moved forwards we threw ourselves with surprise against the trailing planes. Then, somewhere in the heights above the towns of Panagiurishte and Koprivshtitsa, together with the howling of the engines echoed the thunder of machinegun and cannon fire. Two of the 4-engined machines received serious damage and most likely wouldn’t be able to return to their home bases. We quickly left the engagement so as to not attract the enemy fighters against us. And, having barely cached our breaths, one of the pilots reported on the radio that he sighted another machine flying several kilometers behind us in the same direction.

I immediately spotted this lonely plane and I couldn’t help but wonder why it was flying alone, so far away from the group?

And without any fighter cover! If it had problems with the engines it should have had returned to its base. Why would it continue o risk over enemy territory? Ah, maybe - it’s a special decoy for us? We had heard and we had read in the press that the enemy sent lonely planes, armed with 32 machineguns and 4 cannons, to attract fighters and destroy them with their superior firepower. Maybe this is such an aircraft , called “Marauder” or something like that! Yet it was attractive target and like it was teasing us: “Come on, attack, what are you waiting for!”

We decided to attack. But as if it had guessed our intention (or that was the preplanned scenario), the plane turned quickly right and headed back We headed with full speed against it. I chose my four planes to lead the first attack and we pulled a little forward and to the side to inspect this mysterious plane. Six planes remained to the right and above, and to the left and 500m above them was the covering four led by podporuchik Mihail Banov. We were slowly gaining on it (-the enemy plane) with a certain feeling, totally confident in our victory - we were fourteen against one. We were passing over Ihtiman and somewhere above Karabair I took position for an attack, behind and a little to the side of the enemy, about 500m higher, I preparing to attack and again use one of the tried methods of attacking a lone 4-engined member. Behind me, spread in a line astern, were the other flyers from the four, ready to follow and repeat my attack.

I announced on the radio:
- Attention, I’m attacking! The next one starts while I’m pulling off from my run!

I dived forward, approaching the “fortress” from the right side. The side gunner started firing from a great distance, but I was diving and side-slipping slightly, carefully watching the tracers, maneuvering when needed to avoid them. A let out a few short burst to frighten the gunner. He’s a human too, and had to take cover over the armor plating these gunners had.

When a got close to the plane I increased the side-slip and I quickly moved behind the tail of the target. Up to this point the tail gunner couldn’t see me and aim well, but having suddenly appeared right against him I fired a long burst, continuing to side slip to the right. Thus I appeared on the left side and opened fire on the left side gunner, whom I saw in the gun port in his entire height. My sudden appearance didn’t gave him the chance to aim well. He only managed to fire a very short burst. After that I saw a human figure fall from the plane, tumble several times and the air and disappear in the aerial chasm.
Maybe somewhere below he managed to open his parachute, if he was alive at all, but I couldn’t see him, and this wasn’t occupying my attention. I had a different task. I targeted the left engines of the bomber. Towards them I directed the glowing tracers of the cannon and the machineguns. A split second later, a dim white tail emerged from one engine. Enough! It was time for me to back off. Behind me podporuchik headed for an attack. He was a good hunter on the ground and a reliable marksman in the air.
Let him continue! And I slipped under the enemy machine and turned right, so I could watch the attack of the other pilots and their shooting. The tracers were passing slightly under the bomber so I called on the radio:
- Uzunov, slightly higher! ... That’s it, keep it steady! … Good!

Soon the smoking engines multiplied. Six or seven men jumped out from the enemy plane and I ordered:

- Uzunov, break off your attack! The next one, go!

Podofficer Kiril Stoyanov charged. His shooting was good and the bomber burst into flames. An explosion followed, parts flew everywhere and the plane fell down. Someone shouted over the radio:

- Uraaaaa ! Victory!

From the command post of our orlyak, where they listened to our radio chatter, came a salute “Well done, boys!” We were all happy, but only for a second, because trouble loomed over us.

Before going into an attack I always looked closely around my plane, especially behind and above. I did it again, but it turned out it wasn’t enough. When the others pressed into the attack I got carried so away inspecting their shooting that I forgot to look around. The covering four, as well as the six planes between us and them, also watched our actions and forgot their primary mission, not assuming that enemy fighters can emerge from the clear sky. And just that happened in these short seconds. More than 40 “Lightnings” jumped on us. We didn’t even got time to “get scared”. I could barely hear the leader of the covering four:

_ “Lightings”, above us! - and the combat was underway.

I looked up and I thought that the entire sky was full of buzzing aircraft.
During his career each pilot has critical moments when his life is in serious danger. Such was the moment for all of us now. An uneven, fast duel began. Against each of us there were at least 3 or 4 of the twin-bodied fighters. Within the first few moments I saw one of our planes diving for the deck. I closed him, to see his tail number and I saw, terrified, that three “Lightings” were chasing him. I opened barraging fire against the leading fire and I managed to get him off the tail of “ours”, but in doing so I involuntarily got in front of them and became an easy target. They, of course, quickly took advantage of my self-offering and closed in against me. Death loomed over my eyes and I had to escape from her clutches. I looked up and I saw a dozen fighters chasing each other. I was a lot lower than them and if I pulled up, I would have reached their altitude with very low speed. And that was a new, certain meeting with death. So - up, no! Forward or to the side - again, no. My only choice was down, even if unfavorable tactically. Around me there were already tracers passing by. I chilled and I curled myself within my seat. I pushed the stick forward and I dived straight down - even slightly inverted. I felt the unbearably strong g-forces and even with my training, the sudden movement of the elevator made my stomach go up and crush my diaphragm. My heart started pounding intensely and blood rushed to my eyes. I almost lost my vision for a second, but mind continued to work and I still pressed the stick forward, as for an inverted loop, spinning the fighter on its axis, so as to emerge from the dive in the opposite direction. It was something like a half barrel roll, only in a steep dive and not horizontally, or even say, a chandelle, but in a dive and not upwards. My speed was well over 700km/h and without slowing down I continued in a low-level flight just over the rocky surface of Plana Mountain. A turned several times left and right, but I didn’t see any pursuer. I took my breath and I climbed to 4000m still keeping my guard up. Here I gave the command for all of our fighters to gather.

In cases like today the outcome of combat is decided within minutes. For such a short time our encounter with the enemy fighters ended. While I was escaping the clutches of death, the stricken bomber had fallen next to the bridge on the river Iskar, in the center of the town of Samokov, and there, in the riverbed its remains smoldered. In the same time a “Lightning” crashed in the nearby hills. The American pilots who jumped with parachutes had safely landed.
Podporuchik Hristo Kostakiev had been badly shoot up when we were bounced by the enemy fighters and had to belly land in the fields around Ihtiman. His plane crashed, and he, although seriously wounded, survived and was taken to a hospital. Nearby with a damaged plane also landed podporuchik Mihail Koychev Banov. Podporuchik Todor Rozev survived trough a tough hardship.

His plane had received several hits in the motor and it started to burn. He tried to escape and jump with a parachute. But his canopy was deformed from an enemy shell and it didn’t open. The flames were already reaching his legs, and his plane became unresponsive, heading with great speed towards the earth. A few more seconds and the last moments of his life would have ended. He gathered his strength and pushed the canopy with all his effort, but it again refused to open. And Rozev accepted his faith. But, he was destined to live. By some lucky, happy chance his extra fuel tank exploded and ripped his aircraft around the canopy, which flew off, and he himself was pushed away by the strong air stream and managed to open his saving parachute just before the ground, in the fields between the villages of Raduil and Dolna Banya, Samokov area.
Pilots Evgeni Tonchev and Tzetan Gruev also received several hits, but they returned safely to the airfield. Podporuchik Tonchev had, again, to holes in the blades of his propeller and one in his wingtip, which was ripped apart.

The only on who didn’t make it back today was the quiet and always smiling Tzvyatko Zagorski. In the aerual struggle he managed to shoot down a “Lightning”, but the others pushed him towards the ground. Continuing to fight, he slowly lured them over the position of our small-caliber AAA in the region of Novoseltzi (now Elin Pelin). His plane was struck several times, but Zagorski refused to back off. He maneuvered sharply to the left or right, firing in the enemy fighters as he got the chance. But, again, numerical superiority decided the outcome of the combat. His plane was hit again in the fuel tank, which erupted in fire in his cockpit and the plane plummeted towards the ground. Another hero fell, but his example remained with his comrades in arms. And they promised to avenge his death.

This promise they fulfilled a few hours after this combat, when they downed another “fortress” from the group of returning bombers.

Vengel's grave site (which is near the modern center of Sofia) is also marked with a commemorative stone plate. IIRC after the severe losses by I./JG5 suffered on 10 January they were relieved by a unit from JG 301. The few German pilots who fought over Bulgaria are almost unknown.
Sadly, even Bulgarian pilots (including those from bomber, recce and assault units who fought against Germany) were forbidden to talk about the war by the communist government. After the war most were discharged without honors, stripped of their pensions and sentenced to prisons and labor camps for several years. After that those who couldn't flee to the west were harassed by the police and worked as construction workers, gardeners, miners, tourist guides and janitors. Most haven't received back their medals and military ranks even to this day. Absolute shame, really...

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Let me ask a general question, did Bulgarian fighters intercept USAAF bombers headed to or from Ploesti that may have passed over or very close to Bulgaria or were they primarily just assigned to the defense of Sofia and the rest of Bulgaria?

In particular, A/C 42-31825, a B-17G of the 775th BS/ 463rd BG crashed probably in Bulgaria on 18 May 1944 (MACR 5791). The return flight from Ploesti to Foggia crossed over Orekhova. '825 had dropped out of formation and was not seen again, all ten crew were KIA. Is there any record on the Bulgarian side?

Thanks,
Steve

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Yes, they did engage - when the bombers or fighters passed through, they did violate Bulgarian airspace after all. On the trip to Ploesti combat was limited, because Bulgarian fighter units didn't have the numerical strength to charge head on against the large and well protected bomber formations. Smaller groups and stragglers were often targeted, as well as larger formations when "gaps" appeared in the fighter cover or the latter was weak.
Planes returning from Ploesti, even large bombers groups were vigorously attacked because when they couldn't find their targets they bombed cities in Bulgaria on the return trip.

Sadly, the aerial warfare during the summer, after the last bombing of Sofia in late April to late August is very briefly covered in Bulgarian researches; that official records state that there were 384 engagements between US and Bulgarian planes which clearly shows that active fighting continued well until the end of the bomber offensive against Ploesti.

On 18th May 1944 two Bf 109's of 3/6 orlyak, piloted by podporuchik Ivan Bonev and feldfebel-shkolnik Dako Kakov shot down a "Liberator" bomber, which fell near Prishtina (today in Serbia).
Podporuchik Evgeni Tonchev of 3/6 orlyak with Bf 109 shot down a 4-engined bomber near Prokupene.

Most likely Tonchev shot down the B-17.

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Isn't Pristina now part of Kosovo? :D

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Santiago,
based on the list with dates posted earlier by Centurion you can check also the AFHRA Historical Studies with listings of several (if not all) USAAF victories and claims by date and/or pilot. Free for download here:
http://www.au.af.mil/au/afhra/number...s/studies2.asp
See under Nr.85 - Historical Study #01039707 (or rightclick on the link and "save target as").
A list with the Bulgarian victories and claims was published here:
http://aces.safarikovi.org/victories/bulgaria-ww2.html

Best Regards
Yves

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Oh, yes! Sorry, must have typed it on "autopilot" by memory! :o

Yves, the list by J.Safarik is very nice, but sadly there are some inaccuracies, originated from the Bulgarian archives. There are some inexplicable errors in those archives: for example , poruchik Georgi Kjumjurdzhiev is credited with a "damaged bomber" for two points on December 20th 1943, when in fact he shot down a P-38 and damaged another one (according to P-38 pilot 2nd Lt. Edward Tinker the damaged ""Lightning", probably that of 2nd Lt. John McClendon, also crashed); poruchik Kjumjurdzhiev died that same day, fighting another P-38. It's unclear if he also damaged a bomber. Captain Spisarevski is credited with a destoyed bomber, but he set one on fire (for which he's credited) and after that rammed a second.

Another example from April 17th 1944:
"... 4. Podpourchik-pilot Nayden Petrov STOYANOV - fires against a "Thunderbolt", the fighter is hit and descends in a western direction. At 4000 the plane is attacked by podofitser-pilot Nayden Hristov GOGOV between Dragoman and Tzaribrod. There most likely the plane fell down..."
This fighter isn't "Thunderbolt", but MACR 4230 , a P-51B-10NA from 309th FS, 31st FG.

(I still can't find any evidence if P-47's actually flew over Bulgaria, so most likely Bulgarian pilots reffered to the P-51 both as "Mustang" and "Thunderbolt").

In his book pilot Todor Rozev from 4/6 orlyak, armed with D.520s, claims that he shot a "Mustang" on June 23rd 1944 , most likely P-51C-5NT "Hell's Belle's" of Lt. David Hanson, 318th FS, 325FG. Rozev also remembers that he saw 6 "Thunderbolts" over Vratza on August 26th 1944 (probably P-51s of 332nd FG). There was fighting on that day, Bulgarian pilots claiming a bomber and twin-engined fighter shot down. USAAF archives also list the P-51 of Lt. Henry Wise as lost over Vratza. Neither of the P-51s I mentioned were credited to Bulgarian pilots, as far as I know there are also claims of bombers returning from Ploesti that aren't officialy credited.
Worse still, the log books of 1/6 orlyak were lost. The orlyak was heavily engaged in the fighting until its airfield was bombed twice on June 12th and 28th, with great lost of personnel and aircraft.

I could only guess that Bulgarian Fighter command was either negligent, or reluctant of credting pilots for downing plaines returning from Ploesti.

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Burdokva,
Thanks for your reply! If I only had so much time to write answers like you...
I posted the above link with the usual note "victories and claims", not victories only! I'm also sure that many of the claims of both Bulgarian and American pilots were and remain only claims, sometimes even multiple claims against one and the same a/c.
The information from the Chech site, provided in fact by Mr. Theodor Muchovski is really strictly based on Bulgarian documents but as you've pointed out not accurate (for what one can not blame the provider but solemnly the main source).
I have no success yet in finding out the real numbers ("The Truth is out there!", remember) after years of comparing Bulgarian and USAAF archival sources.
In any case for a research like this it's always good to check even wrong data. To be honest it is my understanding that the losses given by both sides are much more accurate than the claims.

Allow me a small remark here: the Tuskegee pilot 2 Lt. Henry Wise crashed in Bulgaria, became a POW and was sent to the POW camp in Shumen. But he wasn't shot down - at least accord. to Osprey's book "332-nd Fighter Group Tuskegee Airmen" - s. below:
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...enryWise-1.jpg

By the way there is no MACR for Henry Wise! So I have no additional proof for the above statement.
There is no MACR for David Hanson either. I remember adding his case to my list with casualties over Bulgaria a year ago or so. Same story with a B-24 from the 484-th BG., shot down/crashed on the same day (June 23.1944) but with no MACR.

I'm so to say a "believer":)! Besides the official Bulgarian reports about "Jugs" over Sofia, check also this mission log:

http://www.450thbg.com/real/biographies/kostro/kostro.shtml

48th Mission « April 17, 1944
The target was Sofia, Bulgaria. The target was the city. There was plenty of flak. We had a P-51 and P-47 escort. One fighter attacked our squadron firing 20mm. It didn't do no damage. The left waist gunner fired at it, it got away. 51/2 hr. flight.

Best Regards!

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

I am resurrecting this over ten years old thread in the hope that the serial number of P-51B, flown by Tuskegee pilot Henry Wise of 332nd FG, 99th FS, on 26 Aug. 1944, POW to the Bulgarians, has been discovered in the meantime. Many thanks, in advance!

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hello,
While the date for Wise is always accepted as being the 26th August, 1944 I have never seen an explanation for the later capture date as given in the NARA Pow list. 6th September,44 ?

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...48,25249,25250

Alex

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hello,

Here is what Wise had to say, post-war:

On August 25, (1944), the 332nd escorted bombers of the 5th over Germany, The mission however, was carried out without resistance by enemy fighters. The next day, the 332nd escorted B-17s and B-24s to the heavily fortified Ploesti oil fields. Although the mission was successfully carried out, LT Henry A. Wise of Cheriton, Virginia, was forced to bail out of his ship which developed engine trouble on his return to base.
The fact that LT Wise volunteered to fight the Nazi is sufficient evidence of his fighting blood. In July, 1942, when the Allied's chance of winning the war looked very dim, Wise volunteered for the Army. In spite of numerous stories of Allied losses in the air, he applied for cadet training, He was sent to Tuskegee Army Air Field where he earned his wings. In July 1944, he joined the 99th and flew 13 missions over France, Romania, Germany, and Italy before he was forced to parachute from his plane.
When the men returned to Tuskegee after the war, most evenings were spent "shooting the breeze" about combat experiences. Wise had his story to tell, and this is how he related what happened to him after bailing out of his ship. "Returning from the mission to Ploesti on August 26 (1944), I was forced to bail out of my plane at 9,000 feet. Immediately after hitting the ground, I was captured by a group of Bulgarian soldiers and taken to prison. I was placed in a local guard house at the nearest enemy camp. I stayed there only two days, but in those two days, I almost starved because I couldn't eat the type of food they gave me.
"On the third day, I was placed under a guard and carried across country to a prisoner of war camp. The camp was a lone stone building constructed to hold about 100 men. But already there were about 300 men at the camp, all Allied fliers, British, North Africans (?), Yugoslavians, Australians, Poles, and Americans. Officers and enlisted men were all encamped together, dirty, hungry, and definitely in need of clothing because all of it had been taken when we were captured.
"I was the only Negro in the camp. However, I got along well as the others and no difference was shown by the Bulgarians or my fellow prisoners. We shared the same beds, same foods, and same difficulties. We suffered no physical punishment such as torture and beatings. Three weeks after I arrived at the prison camp, the Russians moved into the country and forced the Bulgarians to sign peace terms. We were freed and immediately sent across the border."

See:
The Men Who Changed A Nation - The Tuskegee Airmen.
Francis,Charles E.
Brookline Village:Branden Publishing,1988,
p.130.

Col

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hi Alex, here is what a Bulgarian researcher wrote about Lt. Wise's capture: "Hi Denes, Lt.Hery Wise (1920-2003) was captured on 26 August 1944 near Vratsa,Northern Bulgaria,sent to Sofia, held for a week in Sofia Garrison prison and transferred to Shumen POW camp, arrived there on September 2, liberated September 8, 1944. I am sure...."

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

I have another case of a USAAF bomber lost over Bulgaria, where a few information are missing:
24.06.1944 B-24G S/N 42-78190 514th BS 376th BG Shot down by AA, pilot 2nd Lt. James B. Hampton, 11 x N/A, MACR 6765, “Problem Child”. Mission to Rumania. Hit by flak. Last seen over Tutrakan (Bulgaria). No fate mentioned. Eight crewmembers marked in MACR as RTD (returned).
Can someone fill in the gaps, please? Many thanks!

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hi ,
Have sent you a pm
Alex

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hello Dense,
42-78190, MACR 6765,
The MACR gives eleven(11) crew. The 376 BG website I have looked at has only a crew of nine(9) listed.
HAMPTON - POW - RMC
HATHAWAY - POW - RMC
McDOWELL - POW - RMC
DESPAIN - POW - RTD
KEMERLEY - POW - RMC
DEPUTY - POW - RTD
HENDERSON - POW - RMC
HUCKE - POW - RTD
TABOR - POW - RMC
2Lt. KISTLER, David L. - O-818286. - MIA.
S/Sgt. MATTHEWS, Benjamin A,Jr - 12054423 - KIA

Nine were POW, and hence RTD or RMC at a later date, while two were killed.

Also found this on the net.
http://www.454thbombgroup.it/B24%2042-78190.JPG
Was this a/c with the 454thBG before the 376BG ?

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Hello Alex, 2nd Lt. Kistler was certainly part of the crew. He died when his chute didn't open. See details here: https://wwiiflighttraining.org/?page_id=688
I found the crash location as Oltenita, Rumania: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_4.html
For some reason, I cannot find your PM.

Re: USAAF claims against Bulgarian AF
 

Don't know what happened to my post to you but here is the link I sent as perhaps you have not seen it .

https://www.taracopp.com/OtherWWIIBo...roups/376th-BG

Alex