Friendly fire WWII

[drgondog]

Brian - PS I do know which 358FS pilot shot down Robert Peters, but out of respect for his family and the survivors of Peter's family I choose not to reveal the name.

The story was pretty sad as the daughter of Peters in searching for the "why and how' discovered an eyewitness to subsequent events. Apparently Peters was mortally wounded but under full control of his YF-X and landed wheels down in a field. Polish farmers rushed to his smoking Mustang to provide assistance, but intercepted by German soldiers who formed a ring around the P-51 but made no effort to approach. Peters allegedly waved to the Polish farmers and after a couple of minutes slumped down in the cockpit and died... how would you like to get THAT letter.

Regards,

Bill Marshall

[Franek Grabowski]

Bill
Sorry, but I have read a little bit different story. The pilot who downed Peters visited the family just after the war and expressed his heartiest regret. Reputedly they apparently forget his name. A few years ago they were contacted by a man (Jerzy Boć?) who researched both 355 crashes in the area and I presume it was at the time they learned exact circumstances.
As yet I was unable to identify the German unit involved. A few years ago I have heard story of a German pilot visiting the crashsite in 1990s - I supose he downed Vigna. According to a one account a German pilot landed at a nearby airfield (likely Chrcynne near Nasielsk, now still in use for ultralights and skydiving) and rode to the crashsite.
Another US airman was murdered by Germans during the mission, this being one of the cremembers of B-17 We'll be seeing you which crashed at Dziekanów Leśny on Northern suburbs of Warsaw. This Fortress was claimed by JG51.

[chrisalan368]

Hello There.
Regarding friendly fire. I have noted at least five instances of friendly fire over Scoglitti, Sicily in Jun/Jul 1944. All of them C-47s. This info is available on Joe Baughers website. However there is an awful lot of info to trawl through to find what you are interested in.
Regards
Alan

[Brian]

Many thanks Alan, I have this well documented.

Cheers
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

I found today the 440th TCG USAAF webiste.

Two case that may interest you:

5-6 June 1944: don't know if you wiull consider it.
"On the first Normandy parachute mission one aircraft of another Group was destroyed and several were killed and wounded when a trooper's rifle discharged as he was boarding. The round hit a Gammon grenade of a trooper already aboard setting off a tremendous explosion in the aircraft."
Sounds more of an accident than friendly fire to me, but it will be your choice.
http://www.440thtroopcarriergroup.or...fullbeck.shtml

8 April 1945: two C-47 of 97th TCS destroyed on the ground in Germany by two "German" P-51. More details at
http://www.440thtroopcarriergroup.or...yseventh.shtml

[Brian]

Super stuff Laurent, two more for the collection!

Thanks
Brian

[bevwebb]

Sgt Ronald David Baker 518293 buried in Letchworth cemetary, Hertfordshire, was a BoB pilot who was the victim of friendly fire. While on convoy patrol on 11/08/40 he was shot down by a lone Spitfire. He baled out but was dead when found. He was with 56 Sqdn.
Bev Webb

[Brian]

Thanks Bev - I do have note of that incident.

Cheers
Brian

[Brian]

Hi Norman

Do forgive me for not responding to your kind offer earlier! Yes, should you be able to obtain copies of those files, I would be eternally grateful. vI hope that I am not too late for you to do this for me.

Cheers
Brian

[alex crawford]

Hi Brian,

Just surfing the net and came across this incident.

Consolidated B-24D-15-CF Liberator 42-63970 (93rd BG, 330th BS) developed engine trouble right after takeoff Jan 31, 1944 and tried to return. Fearful of jettisoning bombs, crew headed the plane out to sea and bailed out. Plane smoothed out and continued to circle around for some time. RAF had to shoot the plane down.

It comes from here:

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1942_3a.html

Alex