Info on U.S.9th A.F. P-47 mission 05-01-45 ?

[David Pausey]

On the 5th of Jan 1945 U.S. 9th A.F. P-47’s from the 404th and 405th F.S. claimed FW190’s in the Worms area at 15:15 (these were prob from III/JG11) at the same time 129 Sqn RAF Mustangs claimed two Bf109’s in the Ludwigshaven area at the same time(Prob from 5/JG11). Can anyone give me some info on the U.S. mission ? did they attack Luftwaffe airfields ?

Thanks

David

[markjsheppard]

David

The 511FS if 405FG were grounded by snow between 2nd and 10th January 1945 so it was not them.

The 405FG only flew for 14 days in January for a total of 103 missions. There is no mention of any air combat with 405FG on this day.

Have nothing on the 404FG

regards

Mark

[Frank Olynyk]

Capt Thomas Edward Cox of the 404th FS of the 371st FG claimed an FW-190 at 1500 hours 10 m W of Worms, while 1stLt Lloyd E Penne of the 405th FS of the 371st claimed a damaged, same time and location. At 1515 the 405th FS claimed 3/0/2 FW-190 15 m NW of Worms; 2nd Lt Malcolm McLeod and 2nd Lt Charles B Meyer were credited with the damaged FW-190s, while Capt Charles H Tait, Maj John W Leonard and Leonard + 1stLt Curtis L McGonigle were credited with destroyed FW-190s.

The 19th TAC Victory Credit Board actually credited Penne with an unconfirmed damaged, Cox an unconfirmed probable, McLeod and Meyer with unconfirmed damages, Leonard with a destroyed, Leonard and McGonigle with an unconfirmed destroyed, and Tait apparently no credit. The USAF credits list (Historical Study 85 and the later combined credits book, and the current website) give credit as noted in the first paragraph presumably on the basis of award citations (which have no relationship to the VCB reports). These unconfirmed credits by the 9th AF VCBs (9, 19 and 29 TAC AFs) are a big problem, especially since we do not have many of the 9th AF encounter reports, and some of the VCB reports for 19th TAC are missing.

Frank.

[R Leonard]

From the 371 FG history as quoted in and extracted from the USMA death notice for JW Leonard ('42) as written by his father, COL CF Leonard, Inf (Ret)

"The first week in January, 1945 saw the 405th victor in air battles, but at the greatest cost in pilots in their history. On January 2nd, after bombing and strafing tunnels, locomotives, railroads and cars in the area of Waldfischbach, Major Leonard led his flight of 12 planes on armed reconnaissance a few miles north west of Neustadt. Blue flight called out 'Bandits' at 15,000 feet, and the entire squadron turned and headed for them. They proved to be M.E. 109's and F.W. 190's and our men tore into them. By the time they turned tail, we had destroyed three 109's, one each by Captain Evans, Lt. Williams and Lt. Meyer, and damaged two, but Lts. Holm and Martin were reported M.I.A. at the close of the battle.

"On January 5th, Major Leonard, Commanding Officer of the 405th, fell victim to enemy action in a dog fight near Worms. It was our 12 planes against 27, but we destroyed three and damaged two. Major Leonard's ship was seen to crash, but not before he had accounted for one F.W. 190 and shared yet another with Lt. McGonigle. F./O. Robert Marks, the Major's wing man was also hit, but later was reported as a prisoner of war. In addition to these, 2nd Lts. William Schleppegrell and Robert W. Gamble, both of the 405th, failed to return from missions that week and were listed as M.I.A."

In the same notice, F/O Marks is quoted from a letter he wrote to COL Leonard:

"On our mission that day, January 5th we were on a fighter sweep carrying no bombs. We were led by your son John Leonard and intercepted approximately forty German fighter planes (F.W. 190's and M.E. 109's). They were at about 20,000 feet and off to our right. We were at 16,000. The formation of German planes was called out and your son John told us 'get ready' and turned into the enemy head on, which was the American method in such case. Immediately we were mixing with them. At that time I was hit badly and spun down to 1,000 feet before recovering. Then when I proceeded home alone I could hear over the phone, the voices of the men in my squadron. About one minute later I heard a voice call out 'I've gotten two of them' and then 'I'm hit and going home'. This voice, Colonel, was that of your son as he and I were the only two who were shot down on the mission. I bailed out then before hearing our squadron commander mention that he would have to jump."

Leonard's promotion to LTC was confirmed on 5 Jan 45, he was 24 years old.

Rich

[markjsheppard]

Sorry, read it as 404FG and 405FG. not the 404FS and 405FS.

Was a late night - very interesting to read though.

regards

Mark

[Khorat]

the combat placed near the city of Kirchheimbolanden - about 15 miles west of worms, and it was the JG 11 they fighting with.

khorat

[Seeker]

Good evening,

I apologize for my reply in a five year old thread, but I have a question regarding Maj. John W. Leonard. I've read the text written by his father. It is on the following website: http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/12717/

Leonards father writes that the remains of his son were transfered to St. Avoid (I think he means St. Avold) in France. But Leonard is not listed on the abmc.gov database?!?!?
And I didn't find any source on the internet where this burial place is confirmed.

Any ideas how this could be explained?

Best wishes

[Seeker]

Ok I got the solution. It seems that his remains were transfered again. He rests in Arlington National Cemetary at Section 1, Site 304-C. So it is clear why he is not listed at abmc.gov

http://371stfightergroup.wordpress.c...rial-day-2014/

Best regards