Jagdwaffe vs. 332d Fighter Group

[Broncazonk]

Did Luftwaffe intelligence ever discover that the men they were flying against in the 332d Fighter Group (P-39s, P-40s, P-47s and later in P-51s that had red tails) were African Americans?

I assume that American news and press reports of the Tuskegee Airmen made their way to Germany, but I'm wondering if the Jagdwaffen knew or recognized who they were flying against on any given day.

Thanks!

Bronc

[kaki3152]

Yes, of course. German intelligence was adept at picking up news reports from the USA through neutral countries (Portugal, Switzerland). Whether a Luftwaffe pilot could recognize a Black US pilot in combat, is hard to determine

[Frank Olynyk]

And Black POWs would not escape notice. First POW from the 99th FS was on Jan 15, 1944; there were over 30 POWs from the 332nd FG by the end of the war.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

...and some of the Brazilian Air Force POW's - 1st BFS, 350th FG (shot down and captured in Italy as well) were not white as a sheet of paper as well!...since we are a mixture of races, colours, creeds, etc....

[VtwinVince]

I somehow doubt that the average Jagdwaffe pilot obsessed about his opponents' skin colour the way that WOKEsters do these days.....

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by VtwinVince

I somehow doubt that the average Jagdwaffe pilot obsessed about his opponents' skin colour

I seem to remember that many Germans c. 1933–45 paid a lot of attention to perceived racial distinctions.

[kaki3152]

Well, look at what the Wehrmacht did to the French colonial POWs they captured. There was wholesale slaughter of them. Not discussed much these days.

[Broncazonk]

Was that kind of information outlined in a Jagdwaffe staffel mission briefing? As in, "men, intelligence suggests that today the so-called, Tuskegee Airmen, will be in the air against us. Be on the lookout for red tails."

The breath and depth of a typical Luftwaffe mission briefing has always been a question of mine.

Thanks!

Bronc

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Broncazonk

Was that kind of information outlined in a Jagdwaffe staffel mission briefing? As in, "men, intelligence suggests that today the so-called, Tuskegee Airmen, will be in the air against us. Be on the lookout for red tails."

The breath and depth of a typical Luftwaffe mission briefing has always been a question of mine.

Thanks!

Bronc

I would imagine that who they were up against would emerge after action rather than before, either through pilots reporting distinctive markings on opponents' planes or reports in the foreign press. Also, of course, each side listened in on the other's R/T traffic. The Allies had so many units to deploy that I doubt the German fighters would have any idea exactly who they'd face on a given sortie, just that opposition was all but inevitable.

[VtwinVince]

No, don't let modern perceptions cloud your thinking. And keep in mind that a certain ace of JG 27 had a black man as a batman. And not all Germans of the period, even serving officers, were obsessed with race, this is simplistic, black-and-white thinking which does nothing to expand our knowledge.