Confused about the 325th FG?

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Keith,

The missing element is information from Italian records. Hopefully someone can help with this.

I did some more digging today, and it is clear that the 325th FG didn't down too many Luftwaffe aircraft over Sardinia. Below is information about the unit's combats over Sardinia from the surrender in Tunisia to the invasion of Sicily:

19 May 1943
- 325th FG claims 6-0-0 over Sardinia. Other USAAF units claim 6-3-2 over Sardinia
- Luftwaffe lost one Ju 88 to fighters, one Ju 88 damaged by fighters, possibly one Me 410 to unknown causes on a mission, one Ju 87 by fighters, two Ju 52s by fighters.
- Total: 5 Luftwaffe combat losses, possibly 6

20 May 1943
- 325th FG clams 13-1-0 over Sardinia. Other USAAF units claim 9-1-2 over Sardinia
- Luftwaffe lost one Ju 88 to fighters, one Ju 52 to fighters, one Bf 109 to fighters, three Me 323s to fighters
- Total: 6 Luftwaffe combat losses

21 May 1943
- 325th FG claims 4-0-2 over Sardinia. Other USAAF units claim 7-4-1 over Sardinia
- Luftwaffe lost one Bf 109 to fighters

27 May 1943
- 325th FG claims 6-0-0 over Sardinia. No other USAAF claims over Sardinia
- Luftwaffe lost no aircraft in combat over Sardinia

18 June 1943
- 325th FG claims 2-0-1 over Sardinia. Other USAAF units claim 17-3-5 over Sardinia
- Luftwaffe lost one Fi 156 to fighters

24 June 1943
- 325th FG claims 5-0-3 over Sardinia. Other USAAF units claim 16-4-7 over Sardinia
- Luftwaffe lost two Bf 109s in combat

28 June 1943
- 325th FG claims 4-1-4 over Sardinia. Other USAAF units claim 7-3-5 over Sardinia
- Luftwaffe lost no aircraft in combat over Sardinia


Until we know about the Italian side it is difficult to make conclusions. However, what seems clear is that the two understrength Jagdgruppen defending Sardinia, II./J.G. 51 and III./J.G. 77, handled the Americans quite well.

Another thing that should be noted is that although the Luftwaffe wasn't losing too many aircraft in the air, there were lots of reports of aircraft destroyed or damaged by bombing on Sardinia in this period. Aerial combat was not the only way to win air superiority!


Cheers,
Andrew A.

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