355th Fighter Group 11.Sept.1944

[Flugplatz Giessen]

Hello,

I´m searching informations about 1st Lt. Kevin R. Rafferty and 1st Lt. Charles Mc Curry. Both pilots was members of the 355th FG and shot down by railway flak near giessen. I have the macrs but I´m searching more informations about these pilots.



Kind regards
Mirko

[drgondog]

Mirko - Cpt Kevin Rafferty 0-424727. joined 354FS 4 September, 1944. He was flying Zimmerman's wing coming away from Marburg when he was hit by flak and went down. Rafferty flying WR-R 43-6943, normally assigned to Hauver.

2Lt Charles McCurry 0821520. joined 354FS/355th on 27 July, 1944. He was strafing Marburg (or Kirchain?) airfield when he recieved several hits from 20mm flak. He climbed to about 1,000 feet and bailed out - but was jerked from his parachute harness and fell to his death near the airfield.

McCurry flying WR-P 42-106850, normally assigned to Hulderman.

Before this ship became WR-P Iowa Beaut, it was the second Mustang of Lt.Col Claiborne Kinnard and was WR-A Man O War and had 10 victory symbols still on the Mustang when re-assigned to Hulderman when Kinnard got his first P-51D-5

What else do you wish to know?

Regards,
Bill Marshall

[Flugplatz Giessen]

Hello Bill,

thank you very much for you answer. I have some informations for you too. Rafferty was shot down by railway flak near. This flak was stationed near the small village Klein-Linden near Gießen. Then he flown some miles away and crashed in a wooden are near Rechtenbach. Rechtenbach is a village south of Wetzlar. In the 50er a resident of Hochelheim search metal on the crashplace. He dig in the crater and found Raffertys wrist-watch, dog-tag, knife usw. I have a picture of these thinks. I´m searching in the 90er on the crashplace and found many parts of the plane include the Type-shield. Also Raffertys belt buckle.!! These things have now a place in our flight museum.

Mc Curry was shot down near the airfield of Gießen. Gießen airfield had many 20mm Flak. In Kirchhain is not an airfield. Some miles away was a small airfield called Bracht. On 11.Sept.1944 this airfield was also attacted. But I have in Gießen and Klein Linden eye-whitness. These people saw the plane smoking and flying southwest and crashed nearby. Mc Curry crashed in the village of Klein-Rechtenbach. He was very low and jettoniesed his canopy. He bailed out but was to low and his chute did not open. His plance crashed near a farm-house on a hill in the village. Luftwaffen-Soldier found his body in a field. His body smashed in the earth.

I´m searching pictures of rafferty and mc curry and from his planes. Also I´m searching informations about Peglar and Frost. These guys shot down pilots of the JG-53. I located the crash-places of the germans and have pictures of them.

Kind Regards
Mirko

[drgondog]

Mirko - Flt Lt Peglar came to 354FS/355FG as part of exchange program, ditto RAF Flt Lt Lionel Frost who was assigned to 358FS/355FG. Both started wit 355th in late july, both returned to RCAF (peglar-typhoons, Frost-spirfires) in 26 September timeframe.

Peglar got two in the air 3 August near Pforzeim( probably JG53 again) and two on 11 September around 1200 S. Kassel toward Marburg. Frost also scored a 109 destroyed and one damaged in the air plus one Do 217 on ground (Marburg/Giessen)

My father destroyed two 109s plus one badly damaged in the same fight.

Do you want the enconter reports? Who were the Luftwaffe pilots shot down from JG53 and JG300>

Regards,

Bill

[JanZ]

Hi guys,
thanks for this cenversation!!!! I found it very interesting! Am researching about this particular day for a long time...

Mirko,
I have some of the archival material (original German "KU reports" and "J reports") for Rafferty and Mc Curry, also as for oher crashes on that day in area of Giessen, Marburg, etc. (There crashed some B-24 from 2nd BD on that day)

For Ken Rafferty I have also a great photo of his "The Iova Beaut" (this is a famous in-flight photo of this plane, but I have copied it directly from a veteran (Robert Littlefield of the 55th FG who got the original photo from someone long time ago). Is interesting to hear that you have some wreckage of Raffertyś plane... I have detailed describing of the place and was planing to vosot the place once...
What especially might be interesting for you is that I have for Ken Raffery his IDPF (Individual deceased personnel file), becuse he was for some years after the war still listed as MIA, This document contains many pages, including the reports about the research about his MIA status, his body chart, eyewitness accouts, etc.
For McCurry I have also some material, but can not remember right now which, because I am on a "busunes trip" in Holland and returning to my home in Czech Republic on January 15th. Then I can collect the material and copy it ... send it to you both.

Bill,
as I understand, you have a family relation to the 355th FG and ... are you doing any research abut this group.

I would very appreciate your information (from you both, gentlemen) about this day 11th September 1944 and the men who had a kill or especially who were shot down this day (USAAF also as Luftwaffe) and am ready to share with you all my information in relation of these crashes.

I am facinated about this day - 11th September 1944 - for over 20 years. Started as a boy a search about some crashes arund our village and now trying to cover the whole Europe.... to cooperate with and join men like you is great for similar research.

Mirko, Bill, please do you can introduce yourself for me?
Thanks...
please see our website
www.museum119.cz

Bye, Jan

[drgondog]

Jan - You are correct. My father, Bert Marshall,Jr, was leading the 354FS that day flying in the 7 O'clock position to the bomb ers that were attacked. According to the Encounter Report approximately 20 Me 109s attcked the B-24's and he designated Red Flight (himself) and Yellow Flight led by Capt Henry Brown to attack the diving Me109s while Blue and Green flights took on the top cover.

Marshall shot down two and damaged another from Red Flight - Brown destroyed three, Priest one from Yellow Flight.

Flt Lt Warren Peglar of Blue Flight shot down 2 Me 109s, along with Lt Schultz who got one.

The 354th lost two pilots, McCurry and Rafferty to light flak

The 358 FS - Lt Maich destroyed two Me 109s and Flt Lt Frost shot down one Me 109 plus damaged one in the air.

The 358th lost one pilot, Morgan, to light flak

The 357FS stayed with the bombers to protect them from further attack

I have done quite a bit of research and this thread has helped me make some corrections to the MACR reports - as nobody could actually pinpoint where Rafferty was shot down by flak. Thank you both very much

Attached are pics of Marshall, Brown, Peglar, Morgan and Frost. McCurry photo too large and I do not have a pic of Rafferty.

I also have several more of WR-P and WR-R plus possibly YF-S Big Stoop that Morgan was flying (this was normally assigned to McElroy -358 ace, who was not flying that day)

I would very much like pictures and data re: JG53 pilots and Staffel and permission to publish in my new book about the 355th. You may also use these photos as you wish. Is it certain that only JG 53 was engaged - or did JG300 also get involved between Kassel and GieBen?

Mirko - did you ever get my email?

Regards,

Bill Marshall

[drgondog]

I posted about 100 355th FG photos below.

Included on page 8 are two fighters that specifically shot down five Me 109s on Sept 11.

The WR-B Jane III 44-14409 is Marshall's plane and also led Frantic VII - lost 3 October w/Chuck Lenfest when he tried to rescue Brown.

WR-Z The Hun Hunter 44-13305~ Texas is Brown's ship. This same Mustang shot down 3 109's(JG53?) on 9/11, 1 Me 109 (JG51?)Sept 18 near Warsaw and 2 Fw 190's near Eschwege S Kassel on 27 Sept (JG4?).

It was lost to flak on 3 October.

http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/a...umid=96&page=8

You may use any of the photos as you wish (except for auctioning off/re-sale)

Regards,

Bill

[drgondog]

Mirko - I am having trouble visualizing the path for Rafferty. He would have been S. Kassel in the air battle, dropped to Marburg area to strafe an airfield (which one?) then turned toward home with Zimmerman, his flight leader. So I would visualize him turning for England near Wetzlar possibly on the north.

On the other hand if they were aware of GieBen maybe they turned further south toward Limburg before heading west?

Where is Gieben A/D relative to Frankfurt (km and direction) or from Wetzlar?

All of the strafing reports mentioned "near Kirchain" and "near Marburg"...how close were the downings to either of those locations?

[JanZ]

Gentlemen, please send me your e-mail and regular address. I have some of the 355th FG activity locations marked in a map which I would like share with you. But this is necessary to send it per e-mail. Some other material needs to be sent by a regular post... While I will be back from Holland, I can run into my archive and be more effective in this discuss...

Bill, thanks very much for posting the great photos. I am unable to locate the photo of P-51 The Hun Hunter as you mentioned.

Best regards, Jan

[drgondog]

Jan - on the link I gave you, WR-Z is 1st picture 3rd row.

If you use that link WR-Z shown on Shuttle Mission, page 5, third picture 1st row. Priest's WR-E 1st picture 3rd row, page 3.

On the link below are two clips from Sept 11 combat film, one from Marshall and one from Brown.

Via PM I sent my email address

Regards,

Bill
http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/a...umid=96&page=2