P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Greetings! This is my first post to the forum. I've recently interviewed a JG3 ME109 pilot who was shot down on December 17, 1944 around Cologne by a P-47. The ME109 pilot was injured but obviously survived.

He'd like me to find the P-47 pilot who shot him down - and if the American is alive, he'd like to meet him - before he dies. But before I go trolling through the archives to find every P-47 unit up in the sky that day, is there anyone who might know have a clue which unit or P-47 pilot this might be?

You never know....

Thanks!

heather

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Good evening Heather !

The events on this day are quite well researched. If you don't want to give the name of the gentleman, please provide us with his Gruppe, Staffel and the time of the incident that day.

Regards !

Horst Weber

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Can you give the location and time more exactly when he was shot down. There was a lot of air activity in Europe that day. For example , the 404th FG (506th, 507th and 508th FS) saw a lot of action just south of Cologne. This link showing AAF credits by date and has several listed for the 404th (look for the 506th, 507th or 508th FS). Some of these were near Lechenich.

http://aces.safarikovi.org/victories...ns-by.date.pdf

The 506th to 514th FS were all P-47 squadrons in the 9th AF and many were in action that day. The P-47 was most likely from the 9th AF, but that is not much help.

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Hi, thanks for your assistance. My man was shot down at 1120 south of Bonn. Someone did share with me the USAAF victories for that day at that time, and I've tried to find any of the Americans from that time period who may still be alive. So far I have found that Elton Long, George Yobb, Howard Foulkes, Rodney Heyl, and William Dilley have all passed away. I found no traces of Earl Jackson or Joseph Freeman, both of 493rd Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group. Anyone know these gentlemen or a contact at the 493rd? Web searches did not pull up any reunion info, or a historian for the squadron. Although I did find the unit history, it did not mention this specific day.

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Thank you for your replies. This is my second time posting a reply - not sure what happened to the first.

My man was shot down at 1120 south of Bonn. A friend has shared the list of USAAF victories, and I've narrowed it down to one of 7 in that time frame. Of those seven, I've found obituaries for the following:

1 - William G. Dilley, Jr.
2 - Howard Foulkes
3 - Rodney Heyl
4 - George Yobb
5 - Elton Long

I have found no information on:

1 - Joseph J. Freeman, Jr.
2 - Earl E. Jackson, Jr.

Both are from the 493 Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group. Does anyone know if these gentlemen are still alive, or if there is a group historian for the 493rd, who apparently have had reunions over the years (mentioned in an obituary)? I've found a history of the 493rd online, but no mention of this day.

Thanks!

heather

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

This is the grave of "a" Earl E Jackson, Jr., who was a P-47 pilot in the 9th AF in WWII. Not sure it was the same man, but I would think "likely".
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=26057306

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Thanks!

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Howard W. "Jerry" Foulkes passed away only recently, 14 June 2014.

He recorded in his diary that : December 17, 1944. "The mission today, with three flights was to bomb a bridge near Roetgen, Germany south of Aachen. While one flight was dive bombing we were jumped by ten or twelve ME-109's. In the resulting dog fight my flight led by 'Pappy' Heyl, Lt. Jackson, Lt. Dilley and myself shared the downing of one ME-109. Lt. Dilley shot another down and Lt. Jackson damaged another. We also lost Lt. Watson and Lt. Sommer, both were shot down by ME-109's. Lt. Sommer was seen to bail out but Lt. Watson's fate is unknown. Combat Mission # 44."

Lt. James M. Watson is burried at Margraten, Holland. Lt. Watson was a very close friend of Jake Cooper.

Per the information of Jake Cooper, the pilot Joe Freeman is still alive, probably one of the last surviving pilots who went overseas with the 493rd FS.

Hendrik

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

It would exteremely help if the name of the JG 3 pilot was mentioned.....a lot of research has already been done on December 1944 missions and I always find it a waste of time if not all info is given.....

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Good morning John !

By puzzling together the facts and consider other forum entrances close to this case and the known circumstances, I believe, the man is Gefreiter Karl-Heinz Bosse, 12./JG 3.

Regards !

Horst Weber

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Hello all!

Thank you so much for your kind consideration and assistance. I understand the frustration in regards to naming pilots, truly I do. If this gentleman had passed away already I would have no problem naming him.

But since I still go to Germany several months a year to interview veterans, and I would like to continue to do so for as long as possible, I do my best to maintain a reputation for discretion. We have had to work very hard to gain their trust, which is not easy. And there is not much time left. I find that if I want to keep setting up 10-30 interviews per trip, discretion is one of my most important assets. My interviews are only by referral now, since most of the veterans' groups have disbanded.

Thank you so kindly for understanding. I will be happy to pm the name of the gentleman if you would agree to keep it confidential.

In gratitude,

heather

Re: P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944
 

Dear all,

I've just spoken to my man and he's ok with my sharing his name. Yes, he is Karl Heinz Bosse. He would really appreciate any help that can be provided.

And one of our friends pointed out that the Americans would be using Greenwich Mean Time, so they probably recorded their victory at 10:20 am, not 11:20. Or thereabouts.

Many thanks,

heather