[Six Nifty .50s]

Originally Posted by Roger Gaemperle

Thank you very much for the interesting info about the strafing sortie of Charles Salinsky. Would be nice to find out which airfield or which unit it was. Unfortunately, I don't have this book but will certainly try to get it. Is there also additional information about the mission of June 21?

Originally Posted by Roger Gaemperle

Thank you!
Roger

From Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons, word for word:

June 21

F.O.407. Kinnard led a ramrod to Ruhland from 0734 to 1420. The 355th covered one Task Force on a round trip while the 4th FG and one squadron of the 352nd FG took their B-17s all the way to Russia for the historic first Shuttle Mission.

Rendevous was made near Wittenberg and Belziz and the target was bombed at 1035. The 357FS bounced some 109s near Brunswick and Bernoske, Salinsky and Chapman each got one. Captain Fred Haviland started his string with another Me-109 in the same scrap. The 354 FS dropped down to strafe near Wittenberg to destroy or heavily damage five trains, four barges and two launches. The 358FS spotted some JU-88s but Kinnard told them to stick with the bombers and no bounce was made. Everyone came out over the Zuider Zee around 1345 hours at 24,000 feet.

Claims: 4 Destroyed
Losses: None

June 24

F.O. 415. Lieutenant Colonel Kinnard led a patrol under Type 16 control from 0638 to 1200 hours. The 355th was vectored from Dreux to Paris to Beauvais and Etampes but no German aircraft were spotted. The group strafed several trains and hit several trucks and armored cars on their way to Caen before Lieutenant Salinsky of the 357FS uncovered a well camouflaged fighter strip near Angers. Salinsky destroyed three, damaged two and Forker got two more. After carefully noting the location, they pulled away to report their find.

Claims: 5 Destroyed
Losses: None

W.F.O.105. Lieutenant Colonel Kinnard took the 354FS and the 357FS back to Angers to finish up what Salinsky and Forker started. Up at 1708, the group arrived at the grass landing field, grid co-ordinate 2V09789, at 1830 hours.

After shooting up the flak guns on the first pass, the 355th set up a classic gunnery pattern and shot hell out of the parked 109s. Kinnard, Morris and Haviland each destroyed three while Ellison, Martin, Perry, Crandell and Spencer got two. Trembarth, Hulderman, Cross, Forker, McHugh and McNeff each destroyed one. Several more 109s were shot up by the group but no more fires were seen. The 355th departed the area at 1850 and returned by 2015. Big Party after the mission.

Claims: 25 Destroyed
Losses: None

End quote.

If you want more details you will have to read the original pilot reports. I believe copies are held by the research center at Maxwell Air Force Base, and the US National Archives.