RN aerial claims on D-Day (friendly fire)

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Good morning to all!
I am trying to figure out how many aerial claims were submitted or accounted by Royal Navy gunners/ships (or/and US Navy) on D-Day (6th June 1944).
I am trying to figure out the overall number and identify which ship claimed a Mustang Ia from 168 Squadron, which was shot down over water and blew up, hit by A-A friendly fire, on that day.
ANY link (I have tried for several hours to find a definite record of claims, etc...and so far no joy!) is most welcomed.
Thanks in advance,
Adriano S. BAUMGARTNER

[Brian]

Hi Adriano

In my opinion your quest is almost 'mission impossible'. I have a note that five Spitfires and two RAF Mustangs fell to ships' gunfire on 6 June 1944, and I'm not sure if any US aircraft went the same way on this date.

Unless the RN methodically recorded all ships' claims, with times etc, I wouldn't know where to start.

Best to you for the New Year
Brian

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hello BRIAN,

I thought you should know something...being aware of your incredible search/research for your BLUE on BLUE books/project.

I quite agree with you about the "mission impossible" to pin point those claims; however, I am sure that the Royal Navy, US Navy and other units should need to write reports of their own actions (even Infantry Battalions should record their activities as well...). SO, some kind of record "must" exist...the real problem is to dig them out...

Maybe in a long long futur some B.I. or T.I. genius will link the Bundesarchiv WW2 records with those stored at NARA, etc...this way we (researchers) will have an "easier" access simply digiting a date, for instance/example: 06 June 1944....and all records would appear, all losses, all data available....but in the real world, one have to dig them out, those informations, which is the tricky but exciting processus....

By the way: the Mustang Ia I am looking for was recorded lost nearby Nillian-sur-Mer. I tried to find this small town near Normandy, but found no way...so I may assume it could be around CAEN (maybe Lion-sur-Mer). Do you happen to have the "area" of those two Mustang losses? This could narrow a bit the RN or US Navy ships involved....

By the way, a personal question: did you separate the BLUE on BLUE books by date or by Army / Navy / Air Forces or countries involved? It is indeed a fascinating topic.

Thanks for the best wishes for 2013...wish you the same, with a lot of good reading and time for researches too!

Sincerely yours, my friend,
Adriano S. Baumgartner

[Frank Olynyk]

Adriano,
For the USN you would have to go through the Action Reports for all the ships involved at Normandy. The list can be found in the relevent volume of Morison. The Action Reports are in Record Group 38 at NARA II in College Park. For any ship firing on aircraft there should be an A/A report, either as part of the Action Report, or as a separate report.

You will have to go there of course. Just start with the Battleships, and work your way down. Probably need to check them all, since undoubtedly several ships fired at the same aircraft.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Col Ford]

Adriano,

If it was a Mustang of No.168 Squadron on D-Day, it would be a Mk.1 not a Mk.1A. No.168 Sqdn had exchanged its Mk.IAs for Mk.Is back in Jan-Feb 1944. They exchanged aircraft with No.II(AC) Sqdn. That grouped all the Mk.Is in 39 Recce Wing and the Mk.IAs and Mk.IIs in 35 Recce Wing.

F/O Barnard of No.168 Sqdn was in AM225 which is a Mustang Mk.I.

Regards.