328th FS 352nd FG 5 Jan 44

[Chris Goss]

Can anyone help me with a transcript for the combat when 3 pilots shot down a He 177 of 2./KG 40 on a training flight

[Adriano Baumgartner]

I do quote:
Punchy Powell was flying as the element lead—the third aircraft—as
part of Maj. Everett Stewart’s Yellow Flight on January 5, 1944. Everett was
leading the 328th Fighter Squadron as the group retrograded back to England
following a bomber-escort mission. “We were in the vicinity of Averdon,
France, at about 20,000 feet,” Powell recounted, “when we spotted a really
big aircraft below us. There was concern that it might be a decoy or a setup;
the Germans would occasionally put one or two aircraft down low and then
have an entire squadron of fighters sitting high above, ready to ambush
anyone who took the bait.”
Just why a single He-177 was motoring over France unprotected was
anyone’s guess. Ted Fahrenwald recalled: “Well, this knucklehead barges
right into the middle of our fifty-ship fighter formation and we are so amazed
at his crust that for a moment nothing at all happens … We all pounce like a
band of starving wolves, and it is a case of first come first served and this
other outfit gets there first.”10
The 328th Fighter Squadron was Fahrenwald’s “other outfit.”
“Major Stewart,” Powell recalled, “called out over the radio that he was
taking our four-ship flight down to attack this big German aircraft—at the
time we had no idea that it was an He-177.” Stewart ordered the rest of the
squadron to remain overhead as top cover as the four big P-47s dropped
down. They caught it at about 15,000 feet as it continued its dive. “It was
painted with a mottled black and green camouflage,” Powell remembered,
“with big black crosses on top of the wings and a gray underside. Just as we
got within firing range, the pilot pulled the power on his right engine and
started a violent right turn.” The unorthodox maneuver caught Stewart by
surprise. He and his wingman, John Coleman, were moving too fast and
could only spray a few rounds at the bomber before they skidded past.
Powell, farther back, had enough maneuvering room and racked his P-47
onto its right wing. Pulling hard he drew lead on the German aircraft. “The
tail gunner was firing at me,” he recalled. The enemy gunner was ineffective;
Powell squeezed the trigger on his control stick and both felt and heard the
muffled, juttering rumble of his fighter’s eight guns. “I scored quite a few
hits. He smoked and caught fire as he rolled off to the right and went down.”
Above him, Powell’s squadron mates watched the bomber hit the ground in
the vicinity of Charvigney. Fahrenwald described the crash: “a couple of
thousand feet off the deck the bomber explodes and falls in two parts in the
woods. He explodes again with a tremendous blossom of red flame, starting
forest fires.”
After landing, Powell had the good sense to share the aerial victory with
Stewart (his commanding officer) and Coleman. As it turned out, it was the
first downing of an He-177 by Eighth Air Force crews."

[Adriano Baumgartner]

From pgs.126-127
FIGHTER GROUP
The 352nd “Blue-Nosed Bastards”
in World War II
LtCol (Ret) Jay A. Stout

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Adriano

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Semper Fi, Chris.
Wish I had found the original "Combat Reports", but maybe it is somewhere in the US and maybe not digitalized yet...or it may have burned in mid 70's, when precious documents were lost. Any way....a good account...and the rear gunner fought till the end.

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Adriano Baumgartner

Semper Fi, Chris.
Wish I had found the original "Combat Reports", but maybe it is somewhere in the US and maybe not digitalized yet...or it may have burned in mid 70's, when precious documents were lost. Any way....a good account...and the rear gunner fought till the end.

Adriano -

The fire you mention was at the Federal Records Center in St. Louis/Missouri. The records destroyed in the 1972 fire were all personnel records, I believe (including some or most of mine). This has proved to be a real problem for veterans trying to obtain corroborating evidence to support claims of service-incurred injuries needed by the Veterans Administration.

Larry deZ.

[KM1957]

Chris,

The reports do exist and I have copies of all three pilots' reports plus a fourth by Lt. Zellner who was involved in the fight but made no claim. I printed them out and can send to you through your e-mail if that is ok. The copies are a bit tough to read in spots, but if necessary, I can re-type them and send. Kent

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Kent

[Adriano Baumgartner]

LARRY you are right! Thanks for remembering me.

KENT: Nice finding and help to Chris. He surely will be happy to receive the originals.

All the best!

A.