[drgondog]

John - good article and a lightning rod.

I consider myself a fact driven person and have learned a lot over the last 20+ years of serious archive study - and learned to reach out to other sources than microfilm histories. Having said that, the mission summaries kept by serious squadron/group historians are always a good reference and this source appears to be the root of the controversy.

At the risk of being bombarded I have never believed it possible that any single Fighter Group could ever achieve the distinction against the Luftwaffe over an 18 month plus span in the ETO... escorting Heavies to attack oil and airframe targets - which both the 12th and 15th AF did.

The route and escort assignments have too many variables with respect to execution to conceive that a.) the 332nd was always where they were assigned, b.) their assigned herd was on time and in good formation, c.) that a sharp Luftwaffe Controller didn't pick up a scenario where local Luftwaffe superiority could be exploited... and d.) that the definition of 'no loss' could be narrowed to only the bombers they were actually covering instead of the ones they were assigned to cover.

What I have always been prepared to believe is that the discipline of 'sticking to the bombers' was so compelling because of the political focus of race, that the squadrons just didn't break formation and go after large gaggles in the fear that another German force would attack the vacated position. In my opinion, this is why the 332nd did not have a single fighter pilot that a.) claimed 5 destroyed in the air or b.) was awarded credt for 5.

I could find reference after reference for 4thFG, 56th FG, 352nd FG, 355th FG, 357FG, etc that clearly showed aggressive mistakes were made in chasing german fighters or that all particular groups were overwhelmed because they were locally inferior in strength and covering too many bombers to prevent them from being shot down.

Inconceivable that the 332nd never experienced this type of misfortune.

Regards,

Bill Marshall