In Memory of 11-26-44

[Erich]

the 491st bomb group suffers at the hands of my cousins JG 301. My cousin was KIA on this mission .......... RIP .......... the US and Luftwaffe

read it for yourself from the 491st bg files

Ringmasters-Part 4

Erich ~

 

[evangilder]

Wow, powerful stuff. My hat is off to everyone in that battle.

 

[Micdrow]

 

[Gnomey]

 

[lesofprimus]

Great stuff Erich....

 

[davparlr]

Great tale. The battle over Germany was a ferocious and desperate with so many young men on both side dying for what they believe were just causes. Young men that never got home alive, never saw their girlfriends again, never tasted a hamburger (or German equivalent) again, never got another letter off to their Mom and Dad. All were heroes. All deserve their nation's eternal honor. We all lost so much.

 

[Matt308]

Powerful reading.

 

[Erich]

this is the event that Bill M. aka drgndog refers to in some of his posts with his dads 355th fg driving off along with the 2nd S,F JG 301 near Misburg. The 339th fg caught up later and was also instrumental in taking on the Fw 190's of the JG west and NW of Misburg on the route homeward, JG 301 attacking the rest of the tail end 491st then hit the second group the 445th and shot down 5 B-24's some of the Fw's went on ahead and hit B-17's of other groups still being hampered by the 8th AF Mustangs. JG 301 looks to have lost 64 Fw's this fateful mission for them.

what a hell hole

 

[Matt308]

Erich, how many aircraft total were committed by each side this fateful day?

 

[Njaco]

 

[Erich]

Matt if go to the site you will see a line map of the pilot/and a/c listed by squadron high low lead for the 491stbg, that is whom were committed. Generally speaking some 35 Bombers per group given as to the other B-24 outfit as well as the B-17's I do not have all that information. I think my estimate of 64 Fw from JG 301 is too high but at least 50 were hit and shot up so bad, destroyed and or damaged, it was a total horror story for them.

The B-17 formations that pulled lead also were hit by 109's and Fw's from other JG gruppen as it was a terrible day of bloodshed ..........

 

[Wildcat]

 

[Sgt. Pappy]

 

[Wayne Little]

Excellent, thanks Erich..

 

[Crumpp]

Hi Eric,

What a bloody day for all.

Wasn't this one of the first, if not the first missions JG301 undertook after downtime for transitioning to the FW190?

IIRC Reschke's JG301 says that 50% of the pilots that flew that day were on their first or second combat mission.

It was the confirmation of the few experienced pilot's worst fears.

All the best,

Crumpp

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Finally got around to reading this - great stuff!

 

[wilbur1]

Great reading erich

 

[Thorlifter]

Fantastic story.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I salute the USAAF and Luftwaffe pilots who lost there lives that day.

 

[Erich]

Crummp yes you are very correct this was my cousins second mission and his last. the first mission was 21 November 44 another nasty day for all the LW gruppen.

thanks for the looks ......... E ~