Me 109 / Fw 190 claims by Jack Bernhard of 78th FG, 82nd FS

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hello,

I am looking for information about Jack Bernhard who apparently claimed two German aircraft as destroyed:

1) Jack destroyed the ME109 on Nov. 3rd, 1943 on a Bomber Escort over Wilhemshafen, Germany.

2) He got the FW190 on Feb. 10th, 1944 on a Bomber Escort mission over Brunswick, Germany.

Squadrons he flew with:

1) Spartan School of Aero - Tulsa, OK - Mar 24, 1942 to July 8,1942

2) #5 A.F.V. - Tern Hill - Oct 8,1942 to Oct 28, 1942

3) #5 A.F.V. - Calveley - Oct 29,1942 to Nov 24, 1942

4) #41 O.T.V. - Hawarden - Nov 24th to Feb 1, 1943

5) 6th Fighter Wing - Atcham - Feb 9,1943 to Feb 20,1943

6) 78th Fighter Group and 82nd Fighter Squadron - Goxhill - Feb 21,1943 to March 23,1943

7)30th Gen. Hosp. - Mar 23,1943 to May 12,1943

8) 6th Fighter Wing - May 15,1943 to (no end date listed)

9) Warton Air School - July 31 to Aug 19,1943

10) #26 Squadron R.A.F. - Dec 1942 to Jan 1943

11) 78th Fighter Group - 82nd Fighter Squadron - Aug 26,1943 to June 18,1944

12) Hdqrs VIII F. Co. - June 18,1944 to Aug 7,1944

Does anybody know more about his claims and aircraft he flew with? Does there even exist photos of him and/or his planes?

Also, which German fighter units were active on the days when he claimed the kills?

Regards,

Roger Gaemperle

[Andy Fletcher]

Hi Roger,

Nobody by the name of Jack Bernhard is listed in Frank Olynyk's "USAAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft in Air to Air Combat".

Jack J. Bernhard did however definately fly with 82FS/78FG.

Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hello Andy,

That's strange as in his flight log it says:"shot at F.W. 190 he blew up - saw parachute", "fired on ME 109 + FW 190 - Damaged FW 190, Destroyed ME109"

Is there any photo of him and or his P-47 known?

Thank you,
Regards,
Roger

[Andy Fletcher]

Hi Roger,

Just double checked in "Fighter Units & Pilots of the 8th Air Force" by Kent D. Miller and no mention is made of any claims by Jack Bernhard on 03Nov43 or 10Feb44 although the 82FS/78FG was active on both dates and made the following claims:

Name; Unit; Claim; Location

03Nov43

Lt C.B. Hahn; 82FS/78FG; 1xBf109 dest (air); Barzal
Lt N.D. Munson; 82FS/78FG; 1xBf109 dam (air); Barzal
Lt W.S. Swanson; 82FS/78FG; 1xBf109 dam (air); Barzal

10Feb44

Lt G.M. Turley; 82FS/78FG; 2xBf109 dest (air); Osnabruck
Lt V.Y. Jones; 82FS/78FG; 1xBf109 dest (air); Rheine
Lt W.M. Wesson; 82FS/78FG; 1xFW190 dest (air); Osnabruck

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi Andy,

Thank you for checking again. I assume that then he might have been involved in these dogfights, but was probably not credited with these two victories that he claimed in his logbook.

I have another logbook of a P-51 pilot who claimed a Me 109. There is a signed confirmation attached to one of the pages. But not in Jack Bernhard's logbook.

Interestingly, his logbook is a RCAF logbook, but I assume he was from the United States? According to the logbook, he flew also the Spitfire V before he joined the 78thFG.

Regards,
Roger

[Graham Boak]

Minor correction: not OTV but OTU - Operational Training Unit. I strongly suspect AFV should be AFS - Advanced Flying School.

I would appreciate any further comments on the Warton Air School - I'm currently sitting on the site if 2 BAD at Warton, and don't recall hearing about this particular sub-unit. Presumably it was some kind of staff or specialist course?