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Re: 31st Fighter Group on October 16 1944
Hello Michal,
Page 309 of "In a now forgotten Sky" may hold your answer.
Short reply is-
Rendezvous with B-17 Bomber formation at 49Deg 49 mins North by 13 Deg 58 mins East near Plzen, Czechoslovakia. at 1205 hrs 28000 feet. The 307th and 308th went with the bombers but the309th went on to cover the withdrawl of the final Bomber's but these were never seen.
Squadron continued toward Target climbing to 32000 feet, arriving at 50 Deg 20 min North 13 Deg 57 min East (slightly east of Louny, CZ)at 12.15 hrs.
Two large groups of E/A were seen below at 27000 feet and a formation of 12 FW190 were seen higher up.
Two lower formations in loose V formation numbered in excess of 100 E/A.
Then
Of the over 112 E/A Capt Buck destroyed 3 Me190's(?); Lt.Zierenberg destroyed 2 Me109s and damaged an Me109; Lt. Swing destroyed 1 Me109; Capt Dorch destroyed 2 Me 109s; Lt. Hackney destroyed 1 Me109 and probably destroyed 1 Fw190 and damaged 1 Fw190; Lt. Beeman destroyed 1 Me109and Lt. Todd damaged a Fw190.
The 309th destroyed 10 Me109s, probably destroyed 1 Fw290 damaged two Me109s and one Fw190 and Lt. Roraus also damaged one Locomotive.
The 308th in a separate mission two flights of P51s escorted two P-38s of the 32nd Photo Sqdn . On the return Lts Shelton and Hargrove and Walker went down and strafed in the Undine destroying a Locomotive,two boxcars, two oil tank cars and damaging 18 boxcars of a lone train.
In the evening a lecture was canceled and a film show put on showing the Andrews Sisters in "Always a Bridesmaid" .
Hope this helps
Alex
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