May 27th 1944 - Maj. Horst Carganico
 

I'd posed this question over at the 357th board and it was explained that there maybe some info on this event from the experts here in this forum.

I've always enjoyed the description of Col. C 'Bud' Anderson's dogfight on May 27, 1944 (first chapter of his book 'To Fly and Fight'). In this chapter, he states he could have gone back and researched who the pilot of the 109 was, since he was very good and may be one of the better German ace pilots, but he was not interested in doing that, since the pilot was there to carry out his duty. This dogfight always intrigued me for a number of reasons and I have always been looking for any info that could shed light on that event and the identity of the 109 pilot.

I read recently from Claus Sundin's/Christer Bergstrom's second profile book 'More Luftwaffe Fighters in Profile' that a Major Horst Carganico, a 60 kill ace, was shot down by a Mustang near Strasbourg, France. In fact it was near St. Dizier, France which is west of Strasbourg. This is the first information I've read that states he was shot down by a Mustang, other accounts say he was killed running into telephone lines while manuvering his fighter away from enemy a/c.

I know it's a long shot, but is there any additional light to be shed on this event and the identity of the pilot? Thanks!

Carganico
 

Reno

Have a look at this link

http://p219.ezboard.com/fwwiiairwaro...picID=55.topic

Covers Carganico and JG5 when he was based in Northern Norway/Finland.

regards

MS

Carganico loss
 

At least 6 other a/c and pilots from JG 5 were either WIA or KIA that day in the general vicinity of Strasbourg. So Anderson's claim might have been one of these.

The source for Carganico hitting the high-tension electrical lines is Hans Obermaier's book on Knight's Cross winners, p 98. This book written in the 1960s and updated in the late 1980s is usually VERY accurate. We do not always know the source he worked from, but usually official loss records and unit documents. He is not without fault, but these are rare. Obermaier says the accident was during a landing attempt.

Lots of great info here - thanks all! I have read that his loss was due to the high tension wires - either landing or in manuvers against enemy a/c, so I was interested when the info in the book stated something other than what is known.

I find the topic these topics very intersting - there is a lot of great research and literature out there and hopefully more to come in the future!