Need Help! Loss of Uffz. Bruno Krusen, JG26
 

On 28 February 1945, six Fw190 bounced four P-47 in the vicinity of Klezenberg (near Juechen), Germany. The No.4 Thunderbolt, flown by 2LT Kerlin was shot down immideately and in return the three surviving P-47s then attacked the Fw190s. 1LT Paul W. Mazal on that day scored his first and only aerial victory (he would later destroy a Ju88 at Werl airodrome seconds before himself was shot down) when he downed a Fw190 near Kelzenberg. After some research (and I know German records are very inaccurate due to loss or destruction) the only loss I could find of a Fw190 in that area (south of Moenchengladbach) is the plane flown by Uffz. Bruno Krusen, from 5./JG26. According to some sites, Krusen is still MIA. Can anyone confirm
1) is he still MIA
2) Individual data on aircraft flown that day
3) photo and or last known residence of pilot

Back in 2005 our team found the remains of 1LT Paul Mazal and to complete the story I asked some friends living near the site of loss to look for Kerlin's Thunderbolt. They never could find it. Then a week ago I received the information from the lead pilot of the four Thunderbolts, that Mazal shot down a Fw190 in the same engagement. So I called my friends who help look for Kerlin's Thunderbolt, just to find out they were not able to find Kerlin's plane, but they did find remains of a Fw190!!! They never did a recovery, rather just recovered pieces from the surface. If Krusen is still MIA, then this could be his mount. Eye-witnesses but the crash at Feb 45, but mentioned seeing a parachute (most likely Kerlin).
Any help would be appreciated. Danny

Re: Need Help! Loss of Uffz. Bruno Krusen, JG26
 

Anyone?

Re: Need Help! Loss of Uffz. Bruno Krusen, JG26
 

Neither the Josef Priller JG26 history published 1980 or the Donald Caldwell history published in 1998 has any more information on the loss of Krusen or his aircraft details. Both books have him as MIA, although in the loss list the Caldwell book has KIA (MIA in the text) having fallen to P47,s of the 406 FG at 1230hrs. In the Caldwell book Krusen is shown as joining II/JG26 in Sept. 1944 and as getting his only victory on the 21-2-45 when he claimed a B26 of the 394 BG. The Prlller book also shows him as one victory.

Re: Need Help! Loss of Uffz. Bruno Krusen, JG26
 

Krusen was still MIA in the Monchengladbach area in 1997, when I finished research for the JG 26 War Diary. He was in a Fw 190D-9, but I never located any details on his specific aircraft. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Don