Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Jagdgruppe Ost and Jagdgruppe West flew very successful missions against the VIII Bomber Command on 31 Dec 43, claiming ca. 5 B-17s and 6 B-24s. Does anyone have any details of these missions that they can share (airfields, mission times, losses)?

Grateful for any reply,

Don

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Hi
from google search :- (loads more to much to post)

351st B-17 flown by Col. Hatcher and Major Blaylock was shot down near Cognac on December 31, 1943, killing Blaylock and resulting in Hatcher's capture

Two 401st aircraft were lost in an attack on Cognac Airdrome, Lt. Colonel I. W. Eveland, commander of the 614th Squadron, parachuted safely and subsequently escaped from France by walking over the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain.


photo at:-
http://www.footnote.com/document/38859884/


12/31/43

Eighth AF

Almost 500 HBs attack tgts in France and off French coast. Tgts include a blockade runner, industries at Paris, and A/Fs at Bordeaux, Cognac, Saint-Jean-d' Angely, La Rochelle, and Landes de Bussac. 25 airplanes are lost to AA fire and ftrs. Total bomb tonnage dropped by the Eighth in Dec, 13,142 tons, for the first time exceeds that dropped by RAF BC.


http://www.merkki.com/guestbook2002page1.htm
Name: Glenn Bickley
POW Camp: Stalag Luft 1
Sent: 8.07 PM - 1/14 2002

Mr. Woods:
Very nice site and informative. Hope to share info with you regarding my uncle's final flight over Cognac on 31 December 1943. Two crewmembers who survived were 2nd Lt's Norbert Lorentz (Navigator) and Stanley Wainwright (Pilot) both interred at Stalag Luft 1 one in the North camp and one in the South. Both are still alive. Members of 94th Bomb Group, 331st Squadron.


cheers
Jerry

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Thanks, Jerry. After looking at my request again, I can see that it could have been clearer. I'm after information on Jagdgruppe Ost and Jagdgruppe West on this date. I have the activities of the VIII bomber Command, JG 2, and JG 26 pretty well nailed down, but lack info on the school commands other than their claims and some logbook entries. What I need primarily are casualty data for these two units.

Regards,

Don

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Hi, Don.

Jagdgruppe Ost must have been more or less completely annihilated on this date, bombs damaged 21 aircraft below 50% and 17 aircraft were listed as damaged more then 50%.

In addition they had one aircraft listed as missing in combat, five as damaged more than 50% due to aerial combat, one damaged below 50% in aerial combat.

Thus the unit sustained damage to no less than 45 aircraft on this date.

Jagdgruppe West had one aircraft damaged below 50% in aerial combat, while three aircraft were damaged more than 50% without enemy interaction (probably landing or take-off accidents) and one aircraft damaged below 50% in the same circumstances.

No details as of yet, but there should be a few Namentliche Verlustmeldungen I would assume.

Regards,
Andreas B

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Don: I have the details of what happened this day but it is back in the UK. If you can wait (and assuming nobody else helps in the interim), I can send it to you later in the month

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Andreas --

Thanks -- this is exactly the material loss info I need. Perhaps someone out there has the Namentliche Verlustmeldungen for any personnel losses.

Chris --

The "complete story"? Sounds great. Andreas has given me a good start, and I don't know what else will show up in the next few days. The thread will sink out of sight quickly, so perhaps you could send me a PM when you get back in the UK?

Thanks to all,

Don

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Dear Don,

beside parts of JGs 2 and 26 and the Einsatzteile of JGr. Ost und West another fighter unit was in action against this incursion - four Fw 190s of 1./SAGr. 128 ( aka Jagdkommando Brest ) scrambled at 11.20 hrs from Brest to intercept the Heavies but their mission was ill-fated, since one a/c crashed immediately after take off whereas the other three didn't make contact with the US bombers.

Then according to our sources JGr. Ost and West filed a total of 15 claims between them, JGr. Ost accounting for eight a/c shot down and one shot out of formation ( Herausschuss ), while the rest went to JGr. West.

Perhaps you can give me a PM ?

Kind regards

Jochen Prien

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Thanks, Jochen -- A PM will be on its way.

Don

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Don - do you have the 8th AF combat Chronology which lists 8th AF losses/macrs?

it isn't always correct (what is) but it is a great place to start on reported losses, data from MACR regarding place and believed cause, bomb/fighter group, command pilot, a/c serial no, etc.

I'm sure you probably have it - but if not you should..

Warm Regards,

Bill

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

The losses are at least these ones based on NVM

Jgr,Ost F St thomas A n,expl, luft BF 109F-2 5470 Sw7 100 x Lülwes heinz ofw f Wounded
Jgr,Ost F St jean d'angely FP LFK BF109F 17 Waldmann hans ltn f unwounded pres.
Jgr,Ost F 16/14 w LFK BF109F-2 8961 Sw2 x Kraft otto ltn f dead
Jgr,Ost F Jonzac LFK BF109F-2 6783 Sw5 100 x Gläser martin uf f MIA
Jgr,Ost F Lesparre LFK P47 BF109G-2 13725 We10 x Fellinger hermann uf f dead
Jgr,Ost F Castels b, LFK B17 FW190A-1 110073 Ge28 x Stammberger otto oblt f,FSA wounded
Jgr,West Caresse 43 km O Biarritz Z luft fw190 FW190A-4 140742 TR+ZP 100 x Ebner josef oge f dead
Jgr,West Caresse 43 km O Biarritz Z luft fw190 FW190A-4 147164 100 x Strohal rolf oblt f dead

Remi

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

I didn't found the loss of SAGr.128, if one could share it..

Remi

Re: Jagdgruppe Ost + Jagdgruppe West - 31 Dec 43
 

Sorry I haven't been following my own thread -- the "instant e-mail notification" stopped, for some reason.

Bill -- I have The MIghty Eighth Combat Chronology (and supplement), and make frequent use of both volumes.

Remi -- Thank you very much for the loss list, which matches quite well with what has just turned up from other sources.

Don