Combat reports of 31st FG on 25 JUne 1944 in France

[gilles collaveri]

Hi Leendert,

Matti's information (which is most probably the best ) is :

1944-06-28, 1./JG 200, Bf 109 G-6/U4, 441303, 13 weiße, Fl.Pl. Aix les Milles
Flugzeugführer Obgfr Klauka, Gerhard (* 1920-09-17, EM 68417/526), tot
Beim Start ausgebrochen um 18.00 Uhr. Bruch 95 %".


so, I would bet that Gerhard Klauka crashed at take off and died on the 28 June 1944..

hope this helps.

Gilles

[Stig Jarlevik]

Ahhh

I was just quoting the losses from Fred Trendle's Point Blank Band 6/II.
Matti is basically always correct, so sorry about that.

B Rgds
Stig

[Leendert]

Gilles, thanks for clarification. Volksbund has Ofgr. Klauka on 28 June 1944 indeed with cause of death the accident described. He's buried at Dagneux nr Lyon.

Leendert

[gilles collaveri]

Hi Stig

I have not answered yet your message and I shall try now to bring some elements :

As you said, it was a messy fight, with aircraft buzzing around and it is very difficult to understand who fought who.

yes, I agree, we can think that the JG200 Bf109 met the 31st FG.

A remark : I was not able to locate the exact crash site of Melvin's P-38. It is noted "in the vicinity of Cuers" but where exacty ? incertitude, again..

Now, I would like to share with you a tentative & interesting scenario made by Nick /Nogo99, that I thank for his help, based on a departure from Aix les Milles (whereas the real take off may have been from Avignon ? another unclear parameter for me), that would make sense, see hereunder,

Again, this is pure speculation, but probably close to the truth.

Best regards

Gilles

According to this model, the Bf 109 G-6/U4 departs from the Aix-Les Milles airfield. The sortie is conducted under the control of Jafü Süd, utilizing the overlapping radar network of 9./Ln.Rgt. 51 and adjacent stations.

At 09:34, a verified encounter occurs with Melvin E Wiedbusch's P-38 (43-28774), approximately 100 km from the Avignon sector. During this engagement, it is a verified fact that Melvin's aircraft is either shot down or crashes while diving too steeply (wingman witness Jack D. Jolex) on Werner Bauch. This could explain why 9./Ln.Rgt. 51 made the claim—the aircraft simply disappeared from their radar—and why Werner did not identify the aircraft type, as he may never have actually seen it go down. Following the separation, the Bf 109 remains within the seamless coverage of the German radar grid, as documented by historical Jagdräume maps covering the coast and the Rhône valley. It is highly probable that ground controllers at Jafü Süd, observing a new, larger threat—the USAAF 31st Fighter Group approaching the Avignon marshaling yards—immediately re-vector the aircraft toward this sector.

The timeline and distance correlate precisely with this dual-engagement hypothesis. At 09:56, exactly 22 minutes after the initial combat, it is verified that the 31st FG intercepts Bf 109s near Avignon.

Traversing a 100 km distance within a 22-minute timeframe requires an average speed of approximately 273 km/h (170 mph). In contrast, a Bf 109 G-6 in uninterrupted cruise flight (approx. 450 km/h) would cover this distance in merely 13 to 14 minutes. The 8 to 9-minute differential aligns perfectly with the time required to execute the combat maneuvers during the encounter with Melvin, disengage from the area, receive new radio vectors, and adjust course toward Avignon.

Arriving in the Avignon sector at 09:56, the aircraft would theoretically be operating with depleted fuel reserves after an extended sortie and a preceding combat encounter. Positioned in close proximity to its base at Aix-Les Milles, the aircraft may have been entering a Return To Base (RTB) profile. The Bf 109 is then intercepted by the numerically superior 307th Fighter Squadron.

At this exact verified time (09:56), verified USAAF claims are officially filed by Lt. Robert Riddle (achieving Ace status), Lt. Carl H. Brown, and Col. McCorkle flying P-51's. The Bf 109 sustains catastrophic damage during this attack, forcing Werner Bauch to bail out. It is a verified fact that his parachute caught fire during the egress or subsequent descent (french witnesses), resulting in his verified death and marking the fatal conclusion of the sortie.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Sounds like a reasonable scenario Gilles

So the two Staffeln from JGr 200 were sent to intercept two different bomber groups, based on
the assumption no other German fighters were around.

Such a scenario also would show the lack of aerial defence the Germans had in southern France.

It would also indicate that 2./JGr 200 was later sent to help out the fighters from 1./JGr 200
in their area of defence, which incidentally, did not make Bauch any good.

B Rgds
Stig

[John Manrho]

I have Fw. Karl Bernhardt as being WIA on 29.06.1944.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by gilles collaveri

Leendert: Karl Bernhardt could be the second Bf109 that day but I have no information on that. Gilles

This is rapidly turning into a discussion for the Luftwaffe part of the forum.


The following Bundesarchiv sources have only one Bf 109 casualty on 25 June:


RL 2-III/1044:
25.6. JG 200 1 man dead
28.6. 1./JG 200 1 man dead
29.6. 1./JG 200 1 man dead


RL 2-III/823:
25.6. 1 man dead (on operations) by enemy action
28.6. 1 man dead (non-operational) without enemy action
29.6. 1 man injured (on operations) by enemy action


RL 2-III/854:
25.6. 1 aircraft lost on operations, enemy aircraft gunfire
28.6. 1 aircraft damaged (not on operations) human error
29.6. 1 aircraft lost on operations, enemy aircraft gunfire


All my information points to these three casualties being Bauch, Klauka and Bernhardt respectively.


German reports deciphered by the Allies are contradictory:


CX/MSS/T227/154

Signed Jafü South Ic: Situation report of 25/6
Own ops: 21 FARN ((Me 109))
Successes: 2 a/c shot out of formation, 6 a/c effectively shot up
Losses: 2 Me 109. 1 pilot killed, 1 pilot wounded.


CX/MSS/R.235(C),11
Report No. 954 of 2/7, from Jafü SOUTH, IA:
Ref: Jafü SOUTH IA’s No. 940 of 25/6.
Subject: Supplement to monthly report of Jafü SOUTH FRANCE for June (25–30/6).
Operated on scrambles: 59 a/c, victories 2 4-engined a/c shot out of formation: 3 4-engined a/c and 3 S.E. a/c effectively shot up.
Losses: 1 Me 109 shot down, pilot killed. 1 Me 109 made forced landing, pilot injured (battle losses over our own territory).