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Re: "Bills Buzz Boys" 353rd fighter Group strafing group.
Those are some interesting details. I was aware of Kinnard, and his tactics, it would be nice to get hold of some of the 355 FG's encounter reports from that time.
I am trying to piece together when the tactic of strafing became an adopted norm of operations. I know there was a field order in February that highlighted the importance of hitting the Luftwaffe on the ground as much as in the air, and that victories on the ground would count towards a pilots total score. I would imagine this was why Kepner allowed a formation of a unit within the 353rds structure. I am trying to ascertain whether Kepner ordered the formation or Col. Duncan requested it.
Around the same time "Bills Buzz Boys" were operating the 4th FG strafed an airfield after noticing targets undamaged by the bombers they had been escorting. There also seems to have been a FO issued on the 11th April for a mass fighter sweep strafing German airfields and infrastructure.
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