Air combat Italy April '44

[chief wahoo]

Sir

Thank you for your response. My father-in-law was certainly wounded in action and was awarded the Purple Heart. Still only has partial use of his left arm due to the injuries received that day. It mentions flak and enemy aircraft. Ed assures me as late as yesterday that he shot at and was hit by a fighter [He says Me-109!!]

Here is the report on "Chief Wahoo": \

a/c 42-5418 Chief Wahoo 97th BG no Sqdn #. Assigned 20 Jan 43.Transfer
to 99 BG 14 Nov 43; flew 27 missions with 99 BG ; Transfer to 483rd BG 31
Mar 44. MIA Milan 30 Apr 44.... 815 Sq..damaged by flak.and attacked by
fighters; two engines out,crashed near Vanette; Hilmer Landholt crew;
Daniels; Kleiner; Bowles; Landwehr; Altgelt; Gatch; Conn; Davis ; Goddard.
Altgelt, Goddard evade to Switzerland ; Rest POW. (MACR 4612).


This is from "The Flying Fortress Story" by Roger Freeman and David Osborne.

a/c 42-5418 Del Tulsa 3/2/42; West Palm Beach 9/1/43; ass 97th BG Biskra
20/1/43 ; Chateau-du-Rhumel 8/2/43 ; Pont-du-Fahs 1/8/43 ;Depienne 15/6/43 ;
tran 99 BG 346BS/99BG Oudna 14/11/43 ; (27m/99) ; 815BS/483BG Tortorella
31/3/44 ; MIA Milan 30/4/44 ; w/Landholt ; flak & e/a ; cr Vanette ; 8POW.2
EVD to Switz. MACR 4612 ; CHIEF WAHOO.