JG 301 mission on 17 Dec 44

[Harold Lake]

W. Reschke must be mistaken because on 17 December 1944, the weather was so foul that bomber ops with the 9th and 12 AAFs were canceled. As FalkeEins correctly says, only the 15th AAF was able to fly missions. These were directed toward oil refineries at Blechhammer North and South, and Moravska-Ostrava. Marshaling yards at Gross Strehiltz, Villach, Saak, Salzburg and Wels were also hit. Escorts were P-38s and P-51s. Luftwaffe opposition was the hevaiest since the previous August. But American claims list 55 victories shared between bombers and fighters.

Hal