[Andrew Arthy]

Originally Posted by robert

Hi,

I`m looking for details of US units and their losses in following clashes with Luftwaffe in North Africa:
- 02.12.42 JG53 08.30 claimed one P-38 s/d
- 04.12.42 JG51 10.30-35 claimed two P-38 s/d (14FG?)
- 17.12.42 JG51 15.55 one P-38 s/d and JG53 09.53 two P-38 s/d
- 28.12.42 JG51 08.12 one P-38 s/d and JG53 13.38 one P-38 s/d
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Robert

Hi Robert,

Here are some details for you.

2 December 1942, 08:30: At 07:40 twelve P-38s of the 94th FS/1st FG took off to escort nine 15th BS A-20s to attack El Aouina airfield. Bombs dropped at 08:10, and no enemy aircraft were encountered. The P-38s landed at 09:40.

Sources: USAFHRA Microfilm Roll No. A0742, Frame 0355; Shores, Ring & Hess, Fighters Over Tunisia, p.84

4 December 1942, 10:30: 14th FG sweeps to Djedeida and Tunis between 09:50 and 11:40. Brief combat, no losses, no claims.

19 P-38s of the 27th FS/1st FG escorted B-17s to Bizerta, and they were attacked by about eight to ten Bf 109s. Lt. Lawrence Pace and Lt. Hubert Black did not return, and Lt. Pate’s P-38 was badly damaged, and he force-landed at Algiers. At around 10:30 Capt. Joel A. Owens Jr. claimed a Bf 109 destroyed 32 km south-west of Bizerta, 1/Lt. Burton L. Weil claimed a Bf 109 damaged west of Bizerta, and Major John M. Weltman claimed a Bf 109 destroyed in the Bizerta area.

Sources: USAFHRA Microfilm Roll No. A0742, Frame 0357; F. Olynyk, Victory List #6: USAAF (Mediterranean), World War 2; Shores, Ring & Hess, Fighters Over Tunisia, p.90; J.D. Mullins, An Escort of P-38s – The 1st Fighter Group in World War II, Phalanx Publishing, St. Paul, 1995, p.40

17 December 1942, 15:55: No matches.

There was a successful 1st Fighter Group mission to Bizerta at around midday, escorting the 97th BG.

Sources: F. Olynyk, Victory List #6: USAAF (Mediterranean), World War 2; Shores, Ring & Hess, Fighters Over Tunisia, p.106

28 December 1942, 08:12: No matches.

Lt. V. Smith of the 48th FS/14th FG shot down a Bf 109 while on alert over his airfield at around 12:20. He caught it and shot it down.

While on patrol between 11:45 and 12:45 Lt. Eubank intercepted three Bf 109s, shooting one down and damaging another.

Source: USAFHRA Microfilm Roll No. A0741, Frame 1607; F. Olynyk, Victory List #6: USAAF (Mediterranean), World War 2


I’m putting together a unit history about II./J.G. 51, and most of the above material will feature in it.

All the best,
Andrew A.