[drgondog]

Franek - the 4th lost a total of 7 air to air (4 confirmed, 3 probable) of the 10 total lost on 6 June 1944.

One of the probable air losses (McFarlin) was 339FG Mustang flying with 4th and with two other 4th Pilots lost to unknown causes - but conceivably air combat - two hours after the 4 Blue Flight Mustangs were destroyed. to raise the total to 7 in two separate battles. The 4th did not shoot down any that day - so it was totally one sided in favor of Luftwaffe.

Oscar Lejeunesse was shot down by flak near the Normandy beach - POW and Harold Fredericks was shot down by flak near Evreux - both around 1445 hours.

Thomas Fraser unknown causes around 0642 hours after recieving vector to Debden in heavy weather. Could have been air, could have spun in

Garbey, McGrattan, Ross, Smith were the Blue Flight wiped out by German fighters at 1840 hours in one single pass.

McFarlin (339FG flying with 4th), Sobanski and Steppe all KIA near Dreux at 2035 hours - all unknown causes but presumably air even though McFarlin was heard to say he had a bad magneto and on the way home around 2000 hours.

So, the facts are a total of 4 air absolutely sure at 1840, 3 probable air losses two hours later, two losses to flak at 1445 and one unknown in very bad weather at 0642 about summed up a very bad day for the 4th.

So - Of the 10 (maximum) Lost, two were absolutely flak and possibly 8/ probably seven/ and 4 absolutely were shot down by German fighters.. such is the difficulty in researching such events on both sides.

It would be interesting to see what claims were made for the 0600-0700 timeframe for the Luftwaffe near the Normandy beachhead to account for Fraser.