Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

Dear all,
referring to The Mighty Eight War Diary by R. Freeman strafing was officially banned on April 10 (and likely on April 13), 1945. Could youz please let me know whether there is any evidence strafing was approved on April 16, 1945?
Thank you. Regards, Filip

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

Filip - by the number of strafing missions executed by 8th FC it is clear the ban was not in place on April 13 or 16. Roger incorrectly attributed 339th FG for 'breaking' the ban on the 11th (The Mighty Eighth) but they had their big day on the 10th along with the rest of 8th FC

The only reference to 8th FC imposing a ban on strafing was following the April 10 results which was continued on the 11th and 12th - for which 8th FC did not even fly missions.

Following the April 12 mission, the 8th FC apparently relented but cautioned the 8th Fighters to strafe only when sure of being well clear of Allied lines.

Regards,

Bill

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

Bill -
On 4/16/45 Hundreds of LW Aircraft were
Destroyed on the Ground by 8th AF Fighters.
4/17/45 - 4/20/45 Many LW Aircraft Destroyed
on Ground by 8th AF Fighters.
Mike

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

Mike - yes. I am well aware of the results of the 13th and 16th as the 355th bagged about 120 combined on those two days. Dad got his only ground scores on the 13th.. IIRC the 18th WAS the last day sanctioned for strafing as no more ground scores are recorded fro 19th--->EOW

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

Not being up on the activities of the 8th AF could someone explain why straffing was banned - either temporarily or permanently? Cheers.

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

Presumably to avoid high losses, which were not necessary to win the war.

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

The Allied ground forces were advancing too rapidly at this point in the war to risk friendly fire causalties is the primary reason.

Franek's point should have been considered but wasn't (risking pilots and a/c to flak while strafing airfields)

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

I think Bill is right - one can take a look at where positions of Allied troops were located in in mid-April 1945:-)
Filip

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

The reasons for the post April 10 (brief) ban are documented in all the squadron and group histories of the 355th and 4th FG.

The April 13 Mission for the 355th was 'pot luck' in that my father who was group exec, spotted many German aircraft on Husum inbound to the target. They broke escort when relieved west of Hannover and cruised north. The group strafed Husum, Flensburg, Schleswig and Leck as Denmark was a safe place relative to the Allied advance.

Other groups were strafing Eggesbeck, Salzwedel, Luneburg and Schwerin areas.

April 16 was largely in Czechoslovakia and SE Germany all around Munich and points south, southeast (Austria) east, north and NE. Huge scores but the 8th AF FC lost its highest total of the war with 34 downed - all by flak. 4th lost 8, 355th lost 6. In all 10 of the 15 Fighter Groups lost fighters to German flak. Worst of the war (or best depending on POV)

Re: Strafing banned or approved on April 16, 1945?
 

One Mustang was shot down by a Hungarian Messer on that day (confirmed by ground witnesses) But that's a very messy day with several open questions related to A/Ds and units, which strafed them. So I was not able to identify that particular Mustang yet.