German fighter pilot and anti-aircraft gunner claims, October 1, 1943, over Wiener Neustadt, Austria

[tegbridges]

Hello:

My father, Richard W. Bridges, piloted the Fascinatin' Witch, which was shot down on Oct 1, '43, just after bombing Wiener Neustadt. He escaped capture in Austria, surrendered in Hungary and eventually escaped from his POW camp in Yugoslavia.

I'm writing a book on his remarkable adventures.

I am missing the German side of the story of the fateful air combat on Oct 1, '43. I have gotten the German fighter claims from that day. See below.

Does anyone know with certainty where I can find the microfilm claims for the fighter pilots?

Does anyone know with certainty where can I find claims by anti-aircraft gunners that day?

I would be grateful for some help. I've only been able to get suggestions so far on where the claims might be.

Thanks very much,

Tyler Bridges

1. October 1943

U.S.A.A.F. XII Bomber Command: WIENER NEUSTADT

01.10.43 Major Kurt Ubben: n.L. Stab III./JG 77 B-17 £ 14 Ost S/04 195: at 3.200 m. 11.55 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr. -
01.10.43 Fw. Alfred Scharl: 6 2./JG 53 P-38 £ 15 km. S.W. Livorno: 4.000 m. 12.46 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.350
01.10.43 Oblt. Josef Jansen: 4 2./JG 27 B-24 £ E.N.E. Wiener Neustadt: 5.500-6.000 m. 12.55 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.19
01.10.43 Ltn. Gerhard Keppler: 7 2./JG 27 B-24 £ b. Wiener Neustadt: 5.500-6000 m. 12.57 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.19
01.10.43 Uffz. Hans Hambeck: 2 1./JG 27 B-24 £ S. Wiener Neustadt: 5.000 m. 12.59 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.162
01.10.43 Fw. Otto Haas: 2 1./JG 27 B-24 HSS £ 20 km. S. Wiener Neustadt: 5.000 m. 13.05 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.170
01.10.43 Fw. Gustav Sturm: 1./JG 27 B-24 e.V. £ S.S.W. Wiener Neustadt: 5.500 m. 13.05 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.170
01.10.43 Hptm. Hans Remmer: 19 1./JG 27 B-24 £ 35 km. S.S.W. Wiener Neustadt: 5.000 m. 13.06 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.166
01.10.43 Ltn. Emil Kaiser: 12 3./JG 27 B-24 £ 30-40 km. S. Wiener Neustadt: 4.500 m. 13.10 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.32
01.10.43 Ofw. Alfred Surau: 44 9./JG 3 B-17 £ 15 km. S.W. Feldkirch: 4.000 m. 13.33 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.838
01.10.43 Ltn. Stahlberg: n.L. 8./JG 3 B-17 £ 98 HT-6: 5.000 m. 13.35 Film C. 2031/II VNE:ASM
01.10.43 Ofw. Alfred Surau: 45 9./JG 3 B-17 £ Landquart: 3.700 m. (Switzerland) 13.40 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.839
01.10.43 Uffz. Meyer-Arend: n.L. 8./JG 3 B-17 £ 97 JU-4: 4.000 m. (N. Chur) 13.44 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.549
01.10.43 Uffz. Erich Kreul: 3 9./JG 3 B-17 HSS £ 25 km. S.S.E. Feldkirch: 4.000 m. 13.45 Film C. 2031/II VNE:ASM
01.10.43 Ltn. Raimund Koch: 8 8./JG 3 B-17 £ JT-8: 4.500 m. (Ilanz 40 km. W. Chur) 13.47 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.559

Supplemental Claims from Other Sources:
01.10.43 Ltn. Horst Grimm: n.b 2./JG 27 B-24 £ S. Weiner Neustadt 13.00 Reference: JG 27 Lists f. 572
01.10.43 Ltn. Horst Grimm: n.b. 2./JG 27 B-24 £ Raum Weiner Neustadt 13.05 Reference: JG 27 Lists f. 572
01.10.43 Uffz. Franz Mörl: n.b. 2./JG 27 B-24 £ - - Reference: JG 27 Lists f. 572
01.10.43 Ltn. Emil Kaiser: n.b. 3./JG 27 B-24 £ Raum Weiner Neustadt 13.00 Reference: JG 27 Lists f. 572
01.10.43 Ofw. Rainer Pöttgen: n.b. 3./JG 27 B-24 £ - - Reference: JG 27 Lists f. 572
01.10.43 Uffz. Wolfgang Rentsch: 2 * 7./JG 3 B-17 HSS £ - - Reference: JG 3 Lists f. 501
01.10.43 Oblt. Emil Bitsch: 105 8./JG 3 B-17 £ - 13.44 Reference: JG 3 Lists f. 501
01.10.43 Ltn. Raimund Koch: 9 8./JG 3 B-17 HSS £ - - Reference: JG 3 Lists f. 501

[Jim P.]

The various unit histories by Dr. Jochen Prien, Peter Rodeike & Gerhard Stemmer on JGs 3, 27, 53 & 77 would likely be your best bet for any extended details from the Lw side. The recently published Volume 11 by the same authors 'Jagdfliegerverbande' series would give a better, updated accounting of claims, though part 2 of this volume is still to be published (Mar-Apr of this year).