B26 raid 24 December 1944

[keith A]

Christmas Eve saw GC 2/7 escorting B-26 bombers of severla groupes de bombardement. "Around 20" enemy fighters attacked the formation, and GC 2/7 claimed four of them destroyed, but the French lost one of their pilots in the process.

Can anyone identify the Lw unit that attacked the formation, and their losses/claims?

regards

Keith

[SteveR]

Here's what I have thus far:

6./JG 53:
Hptm. Alfred Hammer 1x B-26, 1315 hours, 10km SE of Offenburg
Lt. Karl-Heinz Trettau 1x B-26, time ?, Raum Offenburg
Fw. Willi Becker 1x B-26, time ?, Raum Offenburg
Fw. Erich Ernst 1x B-26, time ?, Raum Offenburg

13./JG 53:
Obfw. Eduard Isken 1x B-26, time ?, location ?

Sources: JFV 13/V, Prien JG 53 history

17th BG lost 3x B-26s, 1300 hours, 15 miles ESE of Breisach

Source: MACRs

I'll look up JG 53's losses if someone doesn't beat me to it.

[keith A]

This must be two different engagements. In this French-German combat only one French B-26 was lost (Ofw Isken?), while the French Spitfires claimed two Bf109s and two Fw190, losing a Spitfire IX and it's pilot. The Bf109s were from almost certainly from 13./JG53.

According to Kracker Uffz Otto Jakob "KIA 24 December, 1944 during aerial combat with a French Spitfire of GC 2/7, piloted by Jean M. Doillon (KIA), at Dunningen. The Spitfire crashed at Dunningen also."

regards

Keith