[Mark R.]

I must admit to being intrigued by the GC II/5 war diary reference. The 31st Fighter Group, which apparently had "control" of all fighter aircraft at Telepte, recorded the following message dated 091450Z Feb 43 about the French squadron which it forwarded to XII Air Support Command: "Air Operation #5 - Nine P-40s of the Lafayette Escadrille led by Lt Tremolet, Up 1315, escorted four P-39s on recon mission. Eight P-40s down 1435, one a/c and pilot not yet returned. Pilots were Lt Tremolet, Lt Hebrard, Lt Boudier, S/Sgt Denaix (NYR), M/S Verrier, M/S Casenobe, M/S Graf, Bou Dabous [sic? Cannot figure that out - Borg?]. Four enemy aircraft dived on P-40s, followed by three others. P-40s at 5,000 feet, e/a at 8,000 ft. Lt Hebrard followed one FW-190 attacking a P-40, and was in turn followed by a FW-190 which overshot him and executed a climbing right turn. Lt Hebrard opened fire at this e/a at 125 yards, the FW-190 diving out of control, showing much white smoke and was seen to crash. The pilot did not bail out. Lt Hebrard claims 1 FW-190 destroyed. The balance of the e/a broke off and headed in the direction of Kairouan. One P-40 was found to be missing after the engagement, but circumstances are not known, the combat occurred between Djebel Hannekal and Djebel Chacerour. Report light flak near Sbikka. Our casualties one a/c and pilot NYR. Enemy casualties one FW-190. Weather broken scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, ceiling very high."

SECOND MESSAGE dated 091850Z Feb 1943 - "Reference todays report on Air Operation #5. S/Sgt Denaix reported NYR has returned 1745 hours. Slight foot wound. Will have PD claim on FW-190. Further report will follow."

Will have to admit the discrepancies are puzzling, but sometimes wartime documents are not updated. Seems that any link between a French P-40 squadron and a newly arrived USAAF Spitfire Group would be tenuous at best. But the only way the French could report to XIII Air Support Command would be through an American unit.

ONE ALIBI - Bou Dabous is near Cap Bon. I think the person typing up the report added the destination of the reconnaissance flight "to Bou Dabous" before typing in the last name of the French pilots. Then he got flustered and forgot to type in "to".

SECOND ALIBI - US report lists French pilots by abbreviation of US equivalent ranks: M/S = Master Sergeant and S/Sgt = Staff Sergeant.