357th FG on 7 Aug 44 (Frantic V shuttle mission, day 2).

[piters]

Hello!

At 6-12 August 1944 Mustangs from 357th FG escorted a team of B-17s during “Frantic V” shuttle mission. The second day (7 Aug) they flew over Cracow and Trzebinia oil refinery. In target area there were several dogfights with German planes.

Three pilots claimed victories:
- 1Lt. Hollis R. Nowlin (364th FS): 1,5 Bf-109 (one of them was Günter Schack’s, but some sources say Schack was downed the day before at Aug 6).
- Capt. John F. Pugh (362th FS): 1 FW-190 W of Cracow
- Mjr. John A. Storch (364th FS): 0,5 Bf-109 together with Nowlin over Oswiecim (Auschwitz).

I’m looking for any details (for example a reports) about this mission and these three victories.
I’d like to draw the exact path of 357th FG from Poltava to Cracow area and back (95th & 390th BG mission reports would be also very helpful).

I have older Merle C. Olmsted’s book (“The Yoxford Boys. The 357th Fighter Group on Escort over Europe and Russia”, Aero Publ. 1971), but there’s no much detail about this mission.

I will be grateful for ANY help in the subject.

Best regards,
Piotr

[Alex Smart]

Hello Piotr,

have you looked at "The Poltava Affair" by Glen B. Infield ? it may be of help in your research.

Frantic V

6th August 44
78 B17's ( 95th & 390th BG's) despatched along with 64 Fighters (target: Rahmel)
7th August 44
57 B17's and 29 Fighters (10 Aborted) (target: Traebinia)
8th August 44
73 B17's and 67 Fighters (12 aborted) (targets:Buzau & Zilistea A/D's) to Italy .

One P51 lost on the 8th due to wrong fuel.
A t/o crash Lt. Howard Eneland in 43-6721.

Two B17's (42-31999 & 42-31376) were lost,crews bailed over Russian territory.
On the 6th 1 down in Soviet Territory, 1 crew WIA.
On the 7th Sgt. Donald Simpson KIA, 1st US airman buried in Russia.

Targets:
Rahmel, result Excellent 446 x 500 lb GP's.
Trzebinia, result Excellent 828 x 250 lb GP's.
Buzau, result Good 526 x 250 lb GP's
Zilistea, result Good 560 x 250 lb GP's.

Claims:
6th.
2 probables, 2 damaged.
7th.
3 Destroyed.
8th.
1 destroyed.

The book "The 357th Over Europe" by Olmsted will show details of claims.
Page 149
7th Aug
Cpt. John F. Pugh - 1
Page 150
8th Aug
Cpt. Robert N. Moore - 1
Page 151
6th Aug.
1Lt.Kirby M. Brown - 0.5
1Lt. Nickolas J. Frederick - 0.5
1Lt. Robert M. Shaw - 1
7th Aug.
1Lt. Hollis R. Nowlin - 1.5
Maj. John A. Storch - 0.5

All for now
Alex

[piters]

Thank you, Alex, for information about "Poltava affair". Unfortunately I don't have it, and probaby it's unavailable in any library in Cracow...

That's true, Trzebinia oil refinery bombing was so accurate, that the target need no "replay". Here http://www.geo.uw.edu.pl/WIEK_NAFTY/36katastr.htm is a photo of destoyed refinery (bottom left).

I found a story about raid to Trzebinia in Home Army partisan's memoirs, this incredible scene really raised their morale!
August 7.

In the noon we watched an interesting occurrence, which had strengthen our spirit very much. A flight of English planes flew exactly over our heads. There were maybe 200 of them. All of them white, wonderfully sparkling in the sunlight! They headed northeast, unhurriedly and firmly, as in their own country! No German planes pursued them, but after a short while we heard shots from machine guns.

Note that every four-engined plane were called “English” – they knew about Polish bombing squadrons in UK and mostly named B-17s or B-24s as “Lancaster” (or even “four-engined Wellington”!). “White” color surely was the aluminium.

Best regards,
Piotr

[Alex Smart]

hello Piotr,

Thank you and for the link too.

To continue the Frantic V Operation.
On return to Italy a B17 was scrapped.
Thirty-five 357 FG Ground crew were awarded the Air Medal.
At some time between the 9th and 12th the 357th FG took part in an Op from Italy to escort some 12 C47's to collect Escapees and Evaders from a Mountain top field in Yugoslavia.
And then on the homeward run to the UK on the 12th the mission was in support of the Invasion of Southern France.
One P51 crashed on take off - pilot Cpt. Maurice Baker who returned later to the UK via Casablanca and Algeria.
A Mosquito ( NS533) of the 25th BG (Lt. R.M. Nichols, KIA & 2Lt. Elbert. F. Harris, Evd ) was mistaken for a Ju188 and shot down by a 357th FG P51, the navigator bailed over France, OK.
By the early pm on the 12th the Group were back in the UK.

To add to my earlier post two P51's from the 55th FG joined up with the 357th on the way out to the USSR and stayed with the Group throughout the Operation.

All the best
Alex

[piters]

Hello!


Many thanks for so much of information about “Frantic V”. It will be very helpful for me!

Now I’m trying to connect the 357th FG victories from 7 August with German losses in this area.
In another topic in this forum http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=17649 I mentioned about three German planes, shot down probably connected with “Frantic V”. It’s much far east than where the planes from 15th Air Force should be.
According to prof. Konieczny’s book
-B-24s from 15th AF bombed Blechhammer at 11.10-11.58 this day, arriving from south-southwest.
-B-17s from 8th AF attacked Trzebinia, 90 kms east of Blechhammer, at 12.58-13.10.

There were three German planes shot down in area west – southwest of Cracow, 20 – 40 kms from Trzebinia and 80 – 110 kms from Blechhammer. That’s why I’m more likely to connect them with 357th FG victories. They were:
1) Bf109 G-6 W/Nr 165031 "Yellow 8" III/JG52, crashed near Kalwaria (30 kms SW of Cracow), pilot Lt Fritz Eberhard.
2) Bf109 G-6 W/Nr 166065 "Yellow 4" III/JG52, crashed in Myslowice (50 kms W of Cracow), pilot Lt. Herbert Bachnick (KIA).
3) a third plane mentioned to be shot down near Zator, 30 kms west of Cracow (Bf109 or FW190).

Eberhard could have been shot down by Storch/Nowlin, because I have an information about 2 planes chasing a German one and one of two just behind them, over Lanckorona (close to Kalwaria), heading north.

I’ve prepared a map showing al these locations http://img2.vpx.pl/up/20090731/trz44.jpg

That’s why I’m looking for any details about this mission. If I knew a position of “Frantic V” and the combat reports (probably there’s a time of aerial victory), probably I would be able to link Mustang pilots with an exact planes they claimed.
At present, I’m even not sure if the planes seen in the area I live were before, whether after making their bombing run…


Best regards,
Piotr