Friendly fire WWII

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Still adding entries I found (usually while searching something else...)

On 31 May 1942 two OS2U-3 landplanes of VS-1D-11, based at NAS San Pedro, California, were on a routine morning ASW patrol over the ocean, when at 0550 hrs, eleven miles at sea, bearing 260 degrees from Point Vincente, California, they were attacked by six P-39 USAAF fighters. The OS2U-3 Buno 5364 flown by Lt H H Hirschy (pilot) and RM1c Milton E Cox (radioman), was shot up so badly that they were forced to make a crash landing at sea. Lt Hirschy first jettisoned his depth charges in an attempt to remain airborne and as a safety measure and then upon complete engine failure made a water landing. Successfully escaping from the sinking plane, they succeeded in partially inflating the bullet-pierced two-man life raft and with that and their life jackets they managed to stay afloat. After four hours in the water they were picked up by a merchant vessel, the SS Mercury.
The pther plane of the section, piloted by Ens C S Willard (pilot) and AOM3c Melvin Bird (radioman), succeeded in evading most of the enemy fire (six, it is written like that in the VS-36 official war history). On the second run of the P-39's, in which Lt Hirschy was shot down, Ens Willard received four bursts amidshups which caused minor damage, but was able to evade further fire by hugging the deck and returning to base. As he landed, two P-39s zzomed alongside but withheld their fire.

Source:
VS-46 War History (available online at https://www.fold3.com/image/302008068 and https://www.fold3.com/image/302008076)
Eleventh Naval District and Naval Operating Base, San Diego, California, War Diary, May 1942 (available online at https://www.fold3.com/image/268360344)

No idea who the P-39s were, I guess the OS2U were mistaken for Japanese floatplanes (some launched by submarines flew over the US West Coast in 1942).

[Brian]

Hi Laurent

Fascinating!

As ever, sincere thanks for your on-going contributions - I'll have to write a book!!

Cheers
Brian

[Juha]

Hello Brian
I don't know if this is already mentioned but at http://www.luftwaffe-zur-see.de/Seel...n/Jahr1941.htm there are at least a couple own goals.

Cheers
Juha

[Laurent Rizzotti]

5 September 1944: an US sailor killed by a firing aircraft off Florida, could only be friendly fire. See https://www.fold3.com/image/287154490

Close Call. On 04/05/45 our target was an ordnance depot at Bayreuth, Germany. We were 10 seconds from bombs away when I took one last look through the bombsite and saw a squadron of B-24s at a lower altitude sliding into our drop zone. We aborted the drop, made a 360 for another run that was successful. Had we dropped on the first run we most likely would have taken an aircraft or two out of the sky.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

On 25 April 1941 the German Kampfgruppe Herff was supposed to take Halfaya Pass, on the Lybian-Egyption border, with air support.

The German aircraft (probably Bf 110s of ZG 26) attacked the concentration area of the German forces rather than Allied positions, and the Kampfgruppe lost 7 dead and 10 wounded only in this "friendly" air attack.

See https://rommelsriposte.com/2016/08/2...25-april-1941/

[Brian]

Thanks guys

Sorry I haven't acknowledged recent postings sooner, but all much appreciated.

Cheers
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

From the unofficial history of 445th Bomb Group (downloable at http://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/cgi/vie...ext=ww_reg_his), a case of "friendly bombing" in England on 22 February 1944:
"February 22 found our planes headed for Gotha, Germany, but the mission was recalled. No crewmen or planes were lost, but tragedy struck our base in another form. Early in the afternoon while planes of a neighboring group were passing overhead on their way to their base, there was a terrific explosion. A bomb had accidentally been released from one of the planes, and it fell just outside the living site occupied by the enlised men of our Base Sub-Depot. Two enlisted men were killed, several were wounded, and damage was done to the buildings in the site. In addition, the wife of a near-by farmer was killed as she sat opposite her husband in the kitchen of their home. She fell over dead practically into the arms of her husband."

A quick search of the CWGC database show no woman killed on 22 February 1944 (all listed female civilian killed died from injuries). I checked the area (DEPWADE, RURAL DISTRICT) and there was a woman listed as killed on 22 February 1943, at Hill Farm, Great Moulton, east of Tibenham airfield, the base of 445th BG:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/c...elen-beatrice/
Could be interesting to check if CWGC has the date right.

The two American airmen killed were probably Sgt William Daly and S/Sgt Lester D McCormick, both of 462nd Sub Depot, that was attached to 445th BG at the time. Both died on 22 February 1944 and are buried in Cambridge American Cemetery.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

A loss to friendly fire for 360th BS, 303rd BG, on 6 February 1944

2Lt Creighton G. Doering (CP)(KIA) - 11 dispatched (10 credited) missions flown - All with 1Lt Underwood (93, 94, 95, 98, 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 (Non Credited), 106) Was KIA on 6 February 1944 (Mission 106). Was hit with a 50 caliber bullet through the back of his head. Three bullets, believed to have been shot from a 379th BG(H) aircraft flying nearby, hit the B-17. One of the bullets was recovered. Body was returned to Molesworth.
Source: http://www.303rdbg.com/360underwood.html

[AndreasB]

Originally Posted by Laurent Rizzotti

On 25 April 1941 the German Kampfgruppe Herff was supposed to take Halfaya Pass, on the Lybian-Egyption border, with air support.

The German aircraft (probably Bf 110s of ZG 26) attacked the concentration area of the German forces rather than Allied positions, and the Kampfgruppe lost 7 dead and 10 wounded only in this "friendly" air attack.

See https://rommelsriposte.com/2016/08/2...25-april-1941/

Seems to have happened with disturbing regularity, on both sides.

All the best

Andreas