In Post #5 regarding the 15 January action, Russell G. wrote in part:
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The daily summary report makes it clear that the Bf 109s were from II/JG 53 but refers to them as the escort.
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Teil 2 of the below reference makes no definitive mention of the 15th, but a letter written by Oblt. Franz Schiess, an Adjutant in the Geschwaderstab, and dated 14 January makes a cryptic remark about an engagement that actually may be the one for the 15th:
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“Heute hatten wir Luftkampf mit zwölf Bombern und 14 amerikanischen Jägern. Ich sass wunderbar hinter einem, da verpatzte mir leider ein anderer Amerikaner den ganzen Angriff. Sonst geht hier alles klar, wenn ich die restlichen sieben abgeschossen habe, komme ich auf Urlaub.”
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On this date, II./JG 53 was based at Tunis – El Aouina. JG 53 had no losses and no claims for 15 January, while the Geschwaderstab claimed 1 Hurricane in the afternoon of 16 January and 1 P-38 in the afternoon of 17 January. Nothing for the rest of the Geschwader on 16 and 17 January. Clearly, no two sources seem to agree over what occurred during 15 to 17 January. I was sure Prien’s 3 volumes on JG 53 would straighten out some of the confusion but this does not appear to be the case.
Source:
Prien, Jochen.
Pik-As: Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 53. 3 Teile (volumes). Eutin: Struve-Druck, c. 1989-90. Teil 1(Aufstellung des Geschwaders-Vorkriegszeit-Sitzkrieg-Frankreichfeldzug-Einsatz gegen England-Russlandfeldzug-Holland-Einsatz gegen Malta: März 1937 – Mai 1942).
Teil 2 (
Mai 1942 bis Januar 1944, ISBN: 3-923457-14-6). Teil 3 (1943-1945, ISBN: 3-923457-16-2). Hb (oversize). Dj. 1,721p. Heavily illus. Maps. Dwgs. Tables. Numerous appendices incl. loss and victory lists. Name index. Pages 700, 703 and 1678.