Schroer's 70th victim

[Nick Hector]

Werner Schroer claimed a B-17 on 11.5.43 at 1214hrs, 25km S of Marsala @ 3000m, marking his 70th victory.

Does anyone know the identity of this one or was it an overclaim?

During the same engagement:

Either he or Emil Clade shot down P-38G-15-LO Lightning 43-2334 of 49th FS, 14th FG. Wayne M Chavis KIA. Last seen upside down with left engine on fire. Not seen to crash. Approx. 1200 hrs., 15-20 mi. SW of Marsala

[Alex Smart]

Hello Nick,
I expect you have the B-17 info by now ?
But this is what I came accross -

2nd BG/20th BS
9th May 43
42-29614
" Woikin Goil"
3rd mission. Ditched. All KIA.
MACR 2817 and MACR 2824.

97th BG/414th BS
9th May 43
41-24415
"Yankee Doodle II"
In collision with 42-5147
Prop sheared part of tail off. 1 crewman bailed out (Lewis) over the Med.
Plane returns to base makes a crash landing - MACR16254.

301st BG/352ndBS
10th May 43
42-5217
"O'Reilly's Daughter"
MIA on 11th mission.
Bo Rizzo A/D.
Direct flak hit, plane exploded.
1 pow(Zahn) rest KIA.
MACR 15304.
others give it as 14304

"Fighters over Tunisia" has -
'Tuesday 11th May 1943
82nd FG P-38's escorted B-17's over Sicily a little later, becoming engaged in combat with Bf109's of II/JG27; Hpt Schroer of this Gruppe claimed 1 P38 at 1146 NE of Cap Bon, and at 1214 claimed a B17 S of Marsala. At the same time as Schroer shot down the B17 Lt. Clade claimed a P38 W of Marsala.
Capt Osher of the 82nd FG claimed to have shot down 1 Bf109'.

I can only think that the B17 in question escaped and returned to base.

Alex

[Nick Hector]

Hi Alex,

As you can probably tell, my info on the 9th AAF in the mediterranean and the later 15th AAF is fairly patchy and sporadic. So I take the absence of knowledge in a case like this to mean that either there was no loss, OR there was a loss and I just haven't yet turned it up in the course of my travels.

Very grateful for your help in this instance too...

[Alex Smart]

Hello Nick,
Same story I think for the P-38's, perhaps they also got away ?

George Berger of the 1st FG a/c serial not known to me, was killed on the 10th May 43 straffing a Sicilian Airfield, which supposes by flak rather than fighter ?

I do have four names ( Moore, Lehocky, Bryson and Burke ) for the 6th May 43 over Sicily and Tunisia and three names ( Rainear, Smoot and Truesdale) for the 14th May 43 over Tunisia but no serial numbers so far ? zero in between those dates though except Berger.

Alex

[Nick Hector]

Alex,

For the P-38 claims:

43-2334 of 49th FS, 14th FG. Wayne M Chavis KIA. Last seen upside down with left engine on fire. Not seen to crash. Approx. 1200 hrs., 15-20 mi. SW of Marsala

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

I only have the US losses from the 8th & 9th bomber groups details, so can't verify anything. However Schroer was an extremely honest claimer, as were most of the JG 27 pilots. In my opinion of then guy he either really thought he nailed it, but didn't actually see the crash, or actually did nail it, and we have yet to identify it, or perhaps it was a similar type of aircraft like a Halifax as unlikely as it is.

Kind Regards

Johannes