Research Help
 

I'm writing a book on my cousin's B-17 air crew that was shot down over France on 16 Feb 1943. I would like to include Luftwaffee accounts of some of their missions from memoirs, diaries, or other accounts. If I posted a list of the 13 mission's they had, is there anyone here that could help me with information?

Re: Research Help
 

The more information you post the better. What is his name, which Bomb Group/Bomb Squadron was he with?

Regards,
Mike

Re: Research Help
 

Below is a list of mission dates, the target. I'm looking for German first hand accounts from these missions.

306th Bomb Group, 423rd Bomb Squadron, B-17 Bomber.

Date Target Pilot
_____________________________________________

9 October 42 Lille Warner

7 Nov 42 Brest JW Wilson

9 Nov 42 St. Nazaire JW Wilson

17 Nov 42 St. Nazaire RC Williams - Crash Landed Exeter, England

12 Dec 42 Rouen Warner

19 Dec 42 Romilly Warner

30 Dec 42 Lorient Warner

13 Jan 43 Lille Salada

24 Jan 43 Lorient Warner

27 Jan 43 Wilhelmshaven Warner

2 Feb 43 Hamm Warner

4 Feb 43 Emden Warner

16 Feb 43 St. Nazaire Warner - Shot Down

Re: Research Help
 

Bonjour,
Six B-17 were shot down by the JG2 Jagdgeschwader Richthofen during these raid over St Nazaire, the 16 Feb.1943.
Have you got a time or a place which could help us to find your B-17?
Fredo

Re: Research Help
 

This was a/c 42-5717, crashed at La Ville Dan near Guillac (Morbihan). Maybe by Wurmheller, 1./JG 2?

Regards

Heuser

Re: Research Help
 

Joe Baugher's data:

42-5717 (306th BG, 423rd BS) shot down by fighter over
Ploermal Feb 16, 1943. MACR 15472. 6 KIA, 2 POW, 2 evaded

From Tony Wood:

16.02.43 Fw. Franz Dörre: 5 9./JG 26
B-17 2 km. S.W. Ploemeur: 5.500 m. S.W. Lorient 11.20
Reference: JG 26 MSS Lists

16.02.43 Uffz. Erich Schwarz: 2 9./JG 26
B-17 6-10 km. W. Ploërmel: 1.500 m. 11.25
Reference: JG 26 MSS Lists

Re: Research Help
 

There were 7 KIA, 1 POW and 2 Evaded. I have information on the crash, from a surviour, and I have pictures that were taken by the French. What I would like is German accounts of all 13 missions they flew. Thank you.

Re: Research Help
 

A translation of one of the contemporaneous German accounts of intercepting a USAAF attack on the U-boat ports (which saw the introduction of the head-on attack on bomber formations) appears in Adolf Galland, et al, THE LUFTWAFFE FIGHTER FORCE: A VIEW FROM THE COCKPIT, London, 1997, Greenhill.

Suggest you also look at Prien's JG 26 history, but seeking German accounts of each raid is an unrealistic expectation.

Re: Research Help
 

Thank you. I don't expect to find an account of every raid, I was thinking that maybe some of the pilots might have kept a diary that would detail some of their missions - much as some of our air crews did.

I have "JG 26 Top Guns of the Luftwaffe" by Donald Caldwell, New York, 1991, Ivy Books. Caldwell provides some personal accounts from the Luftwaffe. This has helped me match a few German pilot's with the bombers they shot down. I'm thinking this will make by story a little more interesting.

Thank you for the advice and book source.

Re: Research Help
 

I have written statements from two of the surviours that said that after landing each had a German pilot circle them and waved before flying off. No doubt calling in their positions. Is there any way I could find out if Dorre or Schwarz made any statements about this after the flight?

Thanks for any help!!