Charles Salinsky 355th FG, 337 FS --> mission on 21/24 June 1944

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi,

I am looking for information about Charles Salinsky's claims on missions on June 21 and 24 1944 (4xMe 109). He was a pilot of 355th FG, 337 FS. Does anybody have information about 337th FS' missions on 21/24 June 1944 and about Charles Salinsky? Were his claims confirmed?

Thanks,
Roger Gaemperle

[Frank Olynyk]

1st Lt Charles J Salinsky (O693164) served in the 357th FS of the 355th FG. He is credited with one Me-109 destroyed in the air on June 21, 1944 at 1150, N of Magdeburg. I have no other claims for him in the air, confirmed or otherwise, so the additional three claims must be on the ground (which I do not track).

Frank.

[Roger Gaemperle]

Frank,

Thank you very much for the information. That he claimed the Me 109 near Magdeburg is new to me. I checked again his logbook and on June 24 he claimed 3 Me 109 destroyed and 1 Me 109 and 1 Do 217 as damaged. So, it's probably correct that the ones on June 24 were destroyed/damaged on the ground.

Regards,
Roger

[Six Nifty .50s]

Originally Posted by Roger Gaemperle

Hi,
I am looking for information about Charles Salinsky's claims on missions on June 21 and 24 1944 (4xMe 109). He was a pilot of 355th FG, 337 FS. Does anybody have information about 337th FS' missions on 21/24 June 1944 and about Charles Salinsky? Were his claims confirmed?
Thanks,
Roger Gaemperle

On June 24th, 1944 Lt. Col. Kinnard led the group on patrol from 0638 to 1200 hrs. Salinksy uncovered a well camouflaged fighter strip near Angers which was strafed. He was credited with three aircraft destroyed on the ground, with two others credited to George Forker.

It might be of interest that later the same day, Kinnard took two squadrons back to Angers to finish what Salinsky and Forker started. Lifted off at 1708 hrs, returned by 2015. As a result, the Steeple Morden strafers were credited with another 25 aircraft destroyed on the ground.

See Bill Marshall, Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons: The 355th Fighter Group in World War II.

[Roger Gaemperle]

Thank you very much for the interesting info about the strafing sortie of Charles Salinsky. Would be nice to find out which airfield or which unit it was. Unfortunately, I don't have this book but will certainly try to get it. Is there also additional information about the mission of June 21?

Thank you!
Roger

[Six Nifty .50s]

Originally Posted by Roger Gaemperle

Thank you very much for the interesting info about the strafing sortie of Charles Salinsky. Would be nice to find out which airfield or which unit it was. Unfortunately, I don't have this book but will certainly try to get it. Is there also additional information about the mission of June 21?

Originally Posted by Roger Gaemperle

Thank you!
Roger

From Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons, word for word:

June 21

F.O.407. Kinnard led a ramrod to Ruhland from 0734 to 1420. The 355th covered one Task Force on a round trip while the 4th FG and one squadron of the 352nd FG took their B-17s all the way to Russia for the historic first Shuttle Mission.

Rendevous was made near Wittenberg and Belziz and the target was bombed at 1035. The 357FS bounced some 109s near Brunswick and Bernoske, Salinsky and Chapman each got one. Captain Fred Haviland started his string with another Me-109 in the same scrap. The 354 FS dropped down to strafe near Wittenberg to destroy or heavily damage five trains, four barges and two launches. The 358FS spotted some JU-88s but Kinnard told them to stick with the bombers and no bounce was made. Everyone came out over the Zuider Zee around 1345 hours at 24,000 feet.

Claims: 4 Destroyed
Losses: None

June 24

F.O. 415. Lieutenant Colonel Kinnard led a patrol under Type 16 control from 0638 to 1200 hours. The 355th was vectored from Dreux to Paris to Beauvais and Etampes but no German aircraft were spotted. The group strafed several trains and hit several trucks and armored cars on their way to Caen before Lieutenant Salinsky of the 357FS uncovered a well camouflaged fighter strip near Angers. Salinsky destroyed three, damaged two and Forker got two more. After carefully noting the location, they pulled away to report their find.

Claims: 5 Destroyed
Losses: None

W.F.O.105. Lieutenant Colonel Kinnard took the 354FS and the 357FS back to Angers to finish up what Salinsky and Forker started. Up at 1708, the group arrived at the grass landing field, grid co-ordinate 2V09789, at 1830 hours.

After shooting up the flak guns on the first pass, the 355th set up a classic gunnery pattern and shot hell out of the parked 109s. Kinnard, Morris and Haviland each destroyed three while Ellison, Martin, Perry, Crandell and Spencer got two. Trembarth, Hulderman, Cross, Forker, McHugh and McNeff each destroyed one. Several more 109s were shot up by the group but no more fires were seen. The 355th departed the area at 1850 and returned by 2015. Big Party after the mission.

Claims: 25 Destroyed
Losses: None

End quote.

If you want more details you will have to read the original pilot reports. I believe copies are held by the research center at Maxwell Air Force Base, and the US National Archives.

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hello Six nifty .50

Thank you very much for quoting the text out of Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons. It is very interesting and helpful. I appreciate your help.

I recently purchased the original logbook of Charles Salinsky and if you are interested, I can send you copies of it after I received it.

Regards,
Roger Gaemperle

[BABIN]

Hello Roger,

Additional information about the strafing of an airfield located close to Angers by 355 FG on 24th of June 1944.

- I confirm both strafings : the first one on the morning (at about 10:00) and the second one, late in the afternoon (an "heavy" attack, from 18:30 to 19:00)

- precise location : 15 km North of Angers ; it was a grass landing field ; name of the place : SOUCELLES

- German unit : 6./ JG 53, equiped with Me 109 ; this unit was based there from 14th June 1944, coming from VANNES.

- in fact, three "Staffeln" from II JG 53 were based in the same area : as I said above, the 6th staffel at SOUCELLES but, too, the 5th at TIERCE and 4th at BRIOLLAY-SOULAIRE (these 3 airfields were distant some kilometers each other's) ; the strafing concerned only SOUCELLES.

- from 22nd of June 1944, the 15th Staffel of the IV JG 27 (other Luftwaffe figther unit) was based, too, in the Angers'area ; I couldn't locate, precisely on which airfield : may be ANGERS-AVRILLE, but may be the satellite airfields as SOUCELLES, TIERCE or BRIOLLAY-SOULAIRE.

- reading the Six Nifty's post which quoted the book "Angels, Bulldogs and Graggons", 355 FG claimed 5 Me 109 (on the morning) and 25 the afternoon, destroyed on the ground during both straffings ; problem : a "Jagd Staffel" of the Luftwaffe in 1944 was equiped (theorical dotation) with 12 aircrafts ; so, even if all the 6./JG 53 and all the 15./JG 27 Me 109 (if these last ones were based at SOUCELLES ...) were destroyed by 355 FG, the amount exceeds the dotation of these both units... you said "overclaim" ?

- in his II JG 53's book, Joachen PRIEN wrote that only two Me 109 were destroyed during this raid ; it's very short ...

- in fact, the 355 FG strafings at SOUCELLES on 24 of June, were nevertheless efficient ; "several" Me 109 were destroyed or damaged : certainly more than two, but certainly less than 30 ; besides, fuel tanks and trucks were destroyed ; and the French authorities weren't authorized to enter the area of the airfield after the afternoon raid, excepted a nurse which treated "many" wounded German soldiers.

- last precision : from the day after (25 June) and till 27 of June, most of the "surviving" Me 109 of II JG 53 withdrew to a Luftwaffe base, in East of France. Too many destroyed Me 109 and unable to be operational ?

Of course, with a so poor english language, you will have understood I'm French. I live in Angers and I did investigate about the Luftwaffe airfields in my area.

I noted, in your last post to Six Nifty, you have (or will have) the original log book of Charles SALINSKY. Could I ask you a favour : to send to me the pages which concern his 24 June mission(s).

Many thanks in advance

Pierre BABIN

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hello Pierre,

Thank you very much for this detailed and highly interesting information. As far as I can judge your English is very good (OK, I am from Switzerland and not an native English speaking person myself ;-)

I'll make copies as soon as I have to logbook and will send you copies of it. If a scan is sufficient, I would only need your e-mail address.

Thank you.
Roger

[drgondog]

The details behind the narrative in my book are contained in three sources, the 354FS, 357FS and 355FG histories which you can purchase on microfilm from USAF HRC.

Net, the original claims for the day were around 40. The actual awards of 25 for the afternoon mission were based on the combat film taken by Kinnard and others orbiting over the field and based specifically on a/c burning on the ground. It is certainly possible that some of the fires were fuel trucks, but who knows at this point in time.

Salinski was in fact credited with 3 destroyed and two damaged (ie. not 'burning' as evidenced by film. and his final 'score' was 1 air and 3 ground.

Regards,

Bill Marshall - author Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons - History of 355th FG in WWII