Grasshopper´s war
 

Hello gentlemen,
reading the meticulously researched "History of the Mediterranean Air War Vol.4" is a pleasure for the interested, but I was a little bit disappointed when it came to the light spotter aircraft of the allies...several of which were claimed by Jagdwaffe pilots (with Spenner the leading "ace") in the period winter/spring 1944 - no hint of the allied units involved. I ordered two books on this theme and came upon a interesting case in "The fighting grasshoppers" by Ken Wakefield p.75 when an L-4 was lost in a collision with a Bf.109:
On 22.11.43 an L-4 spotter (US 5th Army) flown by Staff Sergeant H.G. Wadell with his mechanic T/3 R.D. Cannon was attacked and damaged by a Bf.109 fighter near Alano, the crew was unhurt. Less fortunate was Staff Sergeant James T. Smith of 10th FA Battalion (3rd I.D., VI Corps, US 5th Army), who´s L-4 collided with an attacking Bf.109 whilst maneuvering at low level. The L-4 lost a wing and crashed near Pietramelara with Smith KIA. 1st Lt. Ross S. Fleming of 151st FA Battalion suffered an engine failure on t/o and crashed (KIA).
An unidentified german unit (MAW Vol.4) claimed 2 „Lysanders“ shot down on 22.11.43.
Amongst the german losses were Bf.109G-4 WNr.20268 „Yellow 4“ of 3./JG.77 crashing near Monte Romano, cause unknown, with Uffz. Wolfgang Spading MIA and Bf.109G-6 WNr. 140054 „White 5“ crashing 25km WNW Rome on scramble, cause unknown, Fhr. Paul Gossling MIA.
Monte Romano is far off Pietramelara, but 4 km E of Pietramelara there´s a village and mountain called Roccaromana (rocca = mountain in italian language). Could Spading have collided with Smith´s L-4 and 3./JG.77 be the unit claiming 2 "Lysanders"?

Cheers

Michael

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

British units involved at Anzio were Nos. 654 and 655 (AOP) Squadrons, flying Taylorcraft Austers.

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

There is a brief mention the Smith incident on pdf page 7 here (or search for James T):

http://sill-www.army.mil/firesbullet...LL_EDITION.pdf

The whole article is on F/A Air Ops in Italy and New Guinea.


https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/.../james-t-smith

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

Thank you both,
thanks for the links...I do not even know, that such a journal existed. The date of death on "Find a grave" for Smith (24.11.43) is suspicious. Maybe he DOW after 22.11.43 or maybe too many maybes?

Cheers

Michael

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

Another case of collision reported in Grasshoppers at war, this time during the Battle of the Bulge (p.99):
During a low-level artillery directing mission over Bonnal (Luxembourg) an L-4 of 263rd FA Battalion (Staff Sergeant Juian H. Howard with observer 2/Lt Snowden Haywood both KIA, both DSC p.m.) got involved in a dogfight between a friendly fighter and a Bf.109. The L-4 was seen at one moment to zoom up into the path of the Bf.109. Both aircraft disintegrated in the collision.
Does anybody know the german unit involved if the story is correct. Or was it"just" the claim made by Lt. Vogt of 5./JG.26 at 11.15h near Bastogne (48th victory)?

Cheers

Michael

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

Good guess on death of James T Smith, Jr. He is listed as DOI (died of injuries) on the Virginia WWII list.

https://nara-media-001.s3.amazonaws....0/29-1958a.gif

https://www.abmc.gov/node/427419#.XBZ5o1xKjb0

The next link gives a little different "take" on his death. See page 55. The book is "Grasshopper Pilot: A Memoir" by Cummings.

https://books.google.com/books?id=KJ...smitty&f=false

"James T Smith" is mentioned several times in the book. Also referenced as "Smitty". You can search for either in the search box in the lower left of the page.

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

Thanks again!

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

Haywood's DSC
https://artilleryocsalumni.com/ww2/haywoods.pdf


Julian J Howard's DSC (Search on page for Howard, Julian):

https://archive.is/g0cvI#selection-10351.0-10368.4

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

And again I have to thank you - well appreciated!

Greets

Michael

p.s.: am work Ing odern auf List about German losses on 26.12.44, but there were many and from various units. ...

Re: Grasshopper´s war
 

Michael

A good starting point with regard to the US Army and their "Grasshoppers" is to order their record cards from Maxwell.
I can give you a contact there if you are interested, just PM me.
It will not give you any history of those aircraft used by units outside USA, but it will give you an idea of how many that never got back to the USA, and hopefully also those sold post war from various Army storage facilities in Europe and Far East.

With regard to the British side (they basically only used one indigenous type) Air Britain will publish a detailed book about each Auster built including those used by the British Army. Don't confuse it with the one published this year.

The basic problem facing the MAW team (at least I think so) is the problem how to get hold of unit histories detailed enough to get individual aircraft details. I have a feeling the US Army was not as good as that as USAAF (and even they were now and then not 100% either).

Cheers
Stig