358th Fighter Group - April 11, 1944

[Henofred]

Hello/Bonjour,

I am looking for details regarding the mission of April 11, 1944 carried out by P-47s of the 358th Fighter Group onto the airfields of Gael and Rennes, France. Pilots, planes involved, claims, take off and down times, etc. And if someone has it, an excerpt of the book - 365th Fighter Squadron in World War II: In Action over Europe With the P-47 by Kent Miller - dedicated to this mission. I have already details and information about the fighter pilots shot down during the mission (2 KIA and 1 POW). I thank you beforehand.

Best regards,
Frederic

[SteveR]

I have the book by Miller. What do you need from it?

[SteveR]

Looking through Frank Olynyk's book on USAAF Credits in the ETO I see only one for the 358th FG on 11 April 44, a "shared" by two pilots of the 365th FS:

1825 hours: 2/Lt. Paul D. Floyd (0.5) Ju-88 Mordelles
1/Lt. James F. Hackler, Jr. (0.5)

[Henofred]

Hello SteveR,

What does the book say about this mission? And thank you for those first details about the claims.

Best regards,
Frederic

[SteveR]

Page 17, right-hand column:

April 11

(#50) LtCol. Wells led an escort/dive-bombing mission from 0925 to 1147. The A-20s bombed Beauvoir at 1035 and the group's P-47s then dropped 33 x 500 lb bombs on the same target at 1045. The 365th's share was seventeen bombs with unreported results.

365th Line-Up
Ross, Green, Gearhart (others unknown)

(#51) LtCol. Wells led a dive-bombing mission from 1650 to 1957. First target was the airfield at Gael, where hangars, buildings, and runways were hit. Next was the field at Rennes, where hangars, gun emplacements, and the control tower were damaged, but the 367th lost a pilot to flak. The 365th then flew to the base at St. Jacques and ran into heavy ground fire. Maj. Frank M. Ross was killed when his P-47 crashed near the field after being damaged by flak, while Captaincies. John W. Dickson's aircraft exploded over the field after a direct flak hit. Lt. Gsell's ship was also badly damaged, but he managed to make a successful crash-landing after returning to England. To finish the mission off, a pair of 365th pilots caught a Ju 88 on the deck near Mordelles and shot it down.
(1-0-0 air)
(2 lost)

That's all there is for 11 April 44.

[KM1957]

There is a bit more on the April 11 mission, at least as far as pilots known to have been on the flight. Ross, Dickson, Gsell, Woodyard, Floyd, Hackler and Gurley for sure flew. Floyd and Hackler shared the Ju 88 and in the appendix I have their combat reports.

Kent

[Henofred]

Thanks SteveR, that's the kind of detail I was looking for, and it's mission #51 that I'm interested in. The pilot from 367th FS shot-down by Flak is Lt. Ballinger, who escaped a couple of days and who was later caught by the Germans - near Angers, France.

Thank you also for your reply Kent. For a complete view of this mission, I am of course interested in the claims of Floyd and Hackler, and the reading of their reports regarding this downed Junkers Ju 88 would be well useful.

Best regards,
Frederic

[SteveR]

Here are the combat reports as they appear on p. 126:

A. Combat
B. 11 April 1944
C. 365th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group
D. 1825
E. Mordelles
F. 1/10 Clouds. Visibility good.
G. Ju 88
H. One Ju 88 destroyed
I. I was flying as Snowpass Yellow Two when the leader rolled over and went down on what I thought to be a Ju 88 on the deck. We were in a 40 degree dive doing about 400 mph. I shot about 300 rounds at the plane. He burst into flames, turned left and crashed into the ground. Lt. Hackler leading the flight fired on the plane too. We claim this plane destroyed.
J.240

Paul D. Floyd
2nd Lt., Air Corps

A. Combat
B. 11 April 1944
C. 365th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group
D. 1825
E. Mordelles
F. 1/10 Clouds. Visibility good.
G. Ju 88
H. One Ju 88 destroyed
I. I was flying as Snowpass Yellow Leader at approximately 10,000 feet when I spotted what I thought to be a Ju 88 flying on the deck. I took my flight down on it, opened fire at dead astern and pulled up to keep from crashing into him. It turned to the left and went into the ground on its left wing, bursting into flames. My wing man, Lt. Floyd, fired on the aircraft at the same time. We claim this airplane destroyed.
J.464

James F. Hackler, Jr.
1st Lt., Air Corps

[Henofred]

Thank you SteveR for these new excerpts and your assistance in my research work. Much appreciated.

Grettings from Rennes, Brittany,
Frederic