P-47 that shot down a JG3 ME109 on December 17, 1944

[HMS1983]

Howard W. "Jerry" Foulkes passed away only recently, 14 June 2014.

He recorded in his diary that : December 17, 1944. "The mission today, with three flights was to bomb a bridge near Roetgen, Germany south of Aachen. While one flight was dive bombing we were jumped by ten or twelve ME-109's. In the resulting dog fight my flight led by 'Pappy' Heyl, Lt. Jackson, Lt. Dilley and myself shared the downing of one ME-109. Lt. Dilley shot another down and Lt. Jackson damaged another. We also lost Lt. Watson and Lt. Sommer, both were shot down by ME-109's. Lt. Sommer was seen to bail out but Lt. Watson's fate is unknown. Combat Mission # 44."

Lt. James M. Watson is burried at Margraten, Holland. Lt. Watson was a very close friend of Jake Cooper.

Per the information of Jake Cooper, the pilot Joe Freeman is still alive, probably one of the last surviving pilots who went overseas with the 493rd FS.

Hendrik