[Six Nifty .50s]

Originally Posted by David Pausey

Hi Brian

Is the 21-12-43 the right date ? I have no 78th FG claims for this date!
Cheers
David

" ... December 21, 1943 was a black day for the 78th because through poor aircraft recognition four RAF Typhoons were shot down by mistake in a bounce during a B-26 area support near Doullens, France. It should also be stated that in the same fight, RAF Spitfires also shot down one of their own Typhoons, making five in all lost to faulty identification. After three days of investigation, the pertinent intelligence officers were disciplined and the four pilots involved were transferred from the Group ... "

" ... Combat was not always necessarily with the enemy. On July 5th, [1944] Jack Miller, 83rd Squadron, had to abort the mission over France when his P-47 developed failing oil pressure. He got separated from his escorting wingman in the clouds over the Seine Bay just before several British Spitfires bounced him and shot his P-47 out from under him, causing an immediate bailout into the Channel. Later he was picked by an Allied beach patrol and flown back to Duxford from a beachhead strip. Other than some mental upset and physical exhaustion, he was unharmed ... "


See p.43-44, and p.70, Fry, Garry. The Eagles of Duxford: The 78th Fighter Group in World War II (St. Paul, MN: Phalanx Publishing, 1991).