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50 Ju-52s engaged, many lost, no details
On 13 January, 2015, Colonel Darrell G. Welch, a five (air) victory ace, (27th FS - 1st FG) passed away at 96, in San Antonio. A nice story was written about him in the San Antonio Express-News, which contained this diary entry from Welch: “Today I’m an ace, Squadron got 16 enemy aircraft destroyed. Lost Hilgert and Field. We found over 50 Ju 52s, I got three, Newbury one Ju 52, two Ju 87s, MacKay three, Bancroft two, Shaw two, Rush one, Loder one, Anderson one. I got shot up a little by Me-109.” (Welch was awarded the Silver Star for this engagement.)
The article does not specify, but this event must have occurred sometime in April, 1943 as part of Operation Flax when the Luftwaffe was trying to make the Sicily to Tunisia run to resupply what was left of the Africa Corps who were trapped up on Cap Bon. Might anyone have the actual details? Also: Why didn't the Luftwaffe fly these sorties at night??
The article also makes mention that on March 23, 1943, Col. Welch shot down a Me-109 piloted by Lt. Wolfgang Dreifke. Anyone with details on this as well?
Bronc
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21st January 2015, 06:38
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