Friendly fire WWII

[Andy Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Brian

Where can I find the discussion on the 333 Sqn loss

Hi Brian,

Here is the link.

http://www.rafcommands.com/dcforum/DCForumID6/7514.html

Ross McNeill's site has some great data, many very knowledgable individuals post there.

Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Brian]

Once again my sincere thanks, guys.

Laurent - I have now found the RAF Forum and have extracted details of the 333 Squadron Mosquito - thanks, and also to you John and Andy. I'm new to websites and am only just finding my way around - as is pretty obvious!! Thanks also Stephane for the 303/He115 connection - I will dig further during my next visit to Kew.

What a great site and with so many generous and knowledgeable contributors. Keep 'em coming!

Cheers
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

A new one: on 13 May 1944 a P-40 bombed a Spitfire on the ground in Italy. Some more details at http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=368

Also on this forum, a post on friendly fire in the Pacific by "Six Nifty .50s":
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=252

[Brian]

Hi guys

Just a reminder to Six Nifty .50s - were implied that you would let me have details of the USAAF Mosquitos (25thBG) that fell to friendly fire. Cheers.

Chris - I thought that you might be able to help with the NF friendly fire incidents mentioned above. I do hope so. Sorry I couldn't meet up with you this week.

Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

A new one on 28 October 1944: a good story of a 626 Sqn RAF hit by RAF bombs over Cologne and surviving

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/A5090311

[Brian]

Hi guys,

Not much success with my previous list of friendly fire incidents, but I will persevere and here is my penultimate list of queries:

9/7/44 Lt Jack B. Miller 78thFG shot down by Spitfire
9/7/44 Spitfire PL137 shot down by P-47 353rdFG
14/7/44 Mitchell 226 Sqn shot down Mosquito
15/8/44 Two Spits 602 Sqn (MJ398 and MK244) shot down by P-51s
26/8/44 Spit 602 Sqn (PL264) shot down by P-47
18/9/44 Lt Robert O. Peters 335thFG shot down by P-51
19/9/44 P-51 357thFG shot down by Spitfire
26/9/44 Mustang 168 Sqn (AM101) shot down by P-47
7/10/44 Lt Raoul Rebiere 328 Sqn shot down P-51

I hope someone out there might have some of the answers. Many thanks.

Brian

[Franek Grabowski]

18/9/44 Lt Robert O. Peters 335thFG shot down by P-51

This event was quite well researched and I may get you in touch with MIA Project guys. Unfortunatelly, name of the pilot is not known but he visited family of Peters and told the story, expressing his most deep and sincere sorrow and sympathies.
Cheers

[Six Nifty .50s]

Originally Posted by Brian

Hi guys

Just a reminder to Six Nifty .50s - were implied that you would let me have details of the USAAF Mosquitos (25thBG) that fell to friendly fire. Cheers.

August 12th, 1944
USAAF Mosquito NS533. Misidentified and shot down by a USAAF P-51 of the 357th Fighter Group at about 1145 hours. The Mustang pilot and his wingman climbed to engage from 23,000 feet and the Mosquito spun in from 29,000 feet. In the after action reports, both P-51 pilots implied that the twin-engined aircraft was silhouetted against the sun -- the attacking pilot wrote that he did not see any roundels or invasion stripes on the aircraft and after the bogie turned onto his six o'clock and tried to dive away, he considered it to be hostile. The Mosquito pilot, Lt. Ronald M. Nichols, was killed. The navigator, Lt. Elbert F. Harris, bailed out and evaded capture. Crash site west of Toulouse, France.

March 24th, 1945
USAAF Mosquito NS711. Misidentified and shot down by a USAAF P-47 of the 36th Fighter Group (9th Air Force) at about 1700 hours. The Thunderbolt pilot and his wingman climbed to engage from 17,000 feet. The Mosquito was at 18,500 feet when the pilot, Lt. Carroll B. Stubblefield, banked to present the national markings which were not recognized, probably again due to the lighting conditions. Stubblefield's plane also had a red tail to discourage attack by friendlies, but it's not clear if the ground attack pilots were briefed. The Mosquito had a top cover of eight P-51s of the 479th Fighter Group (8th Air Force) but they were unable to make radio contact with the P-47s until after the Mosquito was destroyed. The pilot was killed but the navigator, Lt. James B. Richmond, bailed out safely and was captured. Crash site near Brilon, Germany.

April 4th, 1945
USAAF Mosquito NS635. Misidentified and shot down by a USAAF B-24 of the 446th Bomb Group at about 1030 hours. The group commander, Lt. Col. Troy W. Crawford, was aboard the Mosquito and took full responsibility for the mistake. The Liberators had been under attack by German jets and the bomber crews were previously ordered to open fire on any aircraft that came within a specified range of their guns. The escort fighter units were informed of this but the Mosquito pilot, Lt. Theodore B. Smith, was not properly briefed. He flew too close while Crawford was taking pictures of the B-24s and one of the gunners blasted the Mosquito out of the sky. The pilot and passenger bailed out safely and became POWs for the duration. Crash site between Parchim and Wesendorf, Germany.

April 9th, 1945
USAAF Mosquito NS792. Misidentified and shot down by a FFAF P-51 at about 1745 hours. The Mosquito was at 20,000 feet when attacked; following an explosion the pilot, Lt. John A. Pruis, slumped forward in his seat. The navigator, Lt. Claude C. Moore, was badly burned and unable to extricate the pilot, but he managed to bail out. As the Mustangs circled during his parachute descent, Lt. Moore noticed they carried the roundels of the Free French air forces. After landing Moore was evacuated by the U.S Army. Crash site near Eberbach, Germany. (Note there is a discrepancy with the serial number. One source says the downed Mosquito was NS783, but another source says a different crew was flying that plane on the same mission).

[Franek Grabowski]

Troy
I am awared of no Soviet pilot being executed. It seems it was a propaganda piece aimed at Americans.

Brian
I have some stuff for US-Soviet combats but not sure if they should be called a friendly fire.
I have got German and Soviet incidents ready (without Polish Campaign), I will try to send you an email today.
I have found a note that on 26 September 1940 Kellet (303) was bounced by Spitfires - further digging necessary.

[Brian]

Many thanks Six Nifty .50s - great stuff. Another name for the Acknowledgements List!! I am sincerely grateful

Best
Brian

Hi Six Nifty .50s - and other experts

A couple of queries re USAAF Mosquitos that you mention. In Merle Olmsted's excellent 'The Yoxford Boys' (357thFG) history, he confirms (on page 359) that the 357thFG shot down two Mosquitos, one on 12 August 1944 as indicated, but the other is not dated, and neither is mentioned in the narrative. Any ideas? Perhaps the second one was a RAF machine?

Secondly, regarding the shooting down of NS792 on 9 April 1945. I could be wrong, but I don't think any Free French unit was flying the P-51 at that date, and I haven't a FF Spitfire claim for a twin on that date. Maybe the culprit was a RAF Mustang or a US P-51. Again, any ideas?

While on the subject of FF pilots, Lt Raoul Rebiere of 328 Squadron (formerly GCI/7) flying a Spitfire shot down a US P-51 on 7 October 1944. Any ideas?