Allied air attack near Tours (France) on 25 August 1944

[canonne]

Hi,
We try to identify the Allied unit (very probably American one / 9AAF ?) which occured an attack 45 kilom. South of Tours (France) in the morning of 25 August 1944. The unit strafed one or two trains convoys there. On that day German army killed 124 French civilian in Maillé, destroying this village. Thanks to this attack, German lost a 88 mm which could not be used against the village.
Any help would be greatly appreciated !
Thank you
Phil.

[shooshoobaby]

Phil:
367th FG P - 38s
Attacked Convoy and Train
8/25/44
Mike

[Stephane Muret]

Hello Mike,

According to my files, it seems that 367th FG's targets for august 25 on the morning was german airfields (Laon area) :
394th FS met german fighters near St Quentin and need help from the others squadrons. ( big dogfight with german planes, perhaps JG6, 11, 26). Maybe they straffed a train as an opportunity target but i have no evidence.

Stephane

[shooshoobaby]

Stephane - From History of 9th AF by Rust
Some 367th P - 38s attacked these on the way home from
Combat you describe.
In reading further - I found 36th FG and 405th FG destroyed Trains in Soissons - Laon - Reims Areas.
Mike

[canonne]

Bonjour Gentlemen,

Thank you very much indeed for you so precious informations ! They give me very interesting ways to study, reducing the fields of researches.
I just can add 2 things:

1- 474 th FG known its “Black Friday” on that day (Beauvais area)

2- A problem of localization :

When you spoke about Laon area : it is North - North East of Paris and the event occured 420 kilometers Souther (Maillé is settled South West of Paris) .

I spoke with 2 eye witness last afternoon. They confirmed me the date (25 August 1944), the hour (between 9h to 11h AM), the targets (trains).

One more time thank you very much
Merci
Philippe

[Stephane Muret]

Gentlemen,

just few words,
Mike, that's what i believe, 367 FG made its attack on way home on opportunity targets.
Philippe, be careful, 367th FG made long run on august 44. On 25, 27 august, the mission started at Criqueville (Normandie) with targets on Tours, Dijon A/D, then coming back by Cognac ... I'm sure on 27, Lightning were near Belfort area ! So 400 kilometers is perhaps nothing in such mission !

Good luck in your interesting search !
Stef

[Eric Larger]

Stephane

Yes the dog fight on 25 08 1944 over Clastres and St Quentin involved 394th FS 393td FS and FW 190A-8 of II./JG6 . 15 german a/c were shot down , 5 P-38 (if my memory is correct) . I have documents from uSAAF and a log book of a german pliot .

All the best

Eric