September 1943
Two planes from the 352nd collided in flight at 29,000
feet near Amiens, France. One pilot parachuted safely, and the other
was seen climbing out of his cockpit, but no chute was ever observed.
On September 5, bad luck hit the 350th Squadron, as B Flight went down
to Biggin Hill for training. Weather closed in during the flight causing
Lt. Irving Venell to crash into a house and Lt. Harold Long to bail out
too low. A 352nd pilot was lost on an escort the next day for unknown
reasons, and another lost for operational reasons on a bomber escort
on September 15. The same day, Capt. Robert C. Durlin of the 352nd bailed
out of his plane near Truro, suffering a broken ankle in landing.
Major Glenn Duncan was the new "Slybird" Leader,
the 353rd's C.O. On Sept 22, 1943 on mission number 23, just after landfall
at Zandvoort, Holland, eight German fighters were seen flying westbound
at 18,000 feet. Duncan assessed them as decoys, and held back. It was
the correct decision as, near Gilze Rijen, six dark gray Me 109s bounced
the 352nd Squadron from their 4 O'clock. Flying as Wakeford Blue One,
Capt. Charles J. Hoey got onto one 109 scored numerous strikes exploding
the enemy aircraft in mid-air. Wakeford White One, Lt Jesse W. Gonman,
got onto the tail of another 109, after breaking and turning from the
initial attack, scored hits all over the wings and fuselage and sent
the plane down out of control in smoke and flames for his first victory.
The very next morning at 0630, Major Duncan led 34 P47s off from Metfield.
Two a/c aborted and the remaining 32 joined up with a formation of B17s
over Normandy, and escorted them to their targets over the port area of
Nantes, France. Near Nantes four FW 190s were spotted approaching under
the bombers at 19000 feet, one thousand feet above the 353rd.
Duncan
took Wakeford White Flight, orbited to the left and came up on the rear
of the enemy aircraft, placing himself behind the two leading FW's and
with characteristic daring leaving the other two behind him to be handled
by the remainder of White Flight.
As Duncan bore in on the leading FW, White Flight 3,
Lt. William Streit, saw two Me 109s coming in from the left. He fired
on one and scored hits when White 2 called that a 190 was coming in on
his and Duncan's tail. Streit immediately turned and pulled in directly
behind this 190's tail firing four bursts sending the FW spinning downward
before it exploded. At the same instant, Duncan lined up his 190, gave
it two bursts and followed in firing, to point blank range. As he passed
under the FW it was rolling over and going down with the pilot dangling
half out of the cockpit.
At about the same time, Lt James Poindexter saw two Me
109s completing a firing pass on on the bombers. He got onto the leader,
opened fire and continued firing to 75 yards range, and the 109 spun
out and exploded. A few moments later Capt. Walter C. Beckham spotted
a lone FW 190 and dove on it with Lt. Edgar J. Albert. Both men fired
and hits were scored all over it. The 190 went down into the ground with
a large flash and was later credited to Beckham. The Group refueled at
Ford Island, landing in England at 0930. Wakeford White 4 had failed
to return, but otherwise it was a banner day for the 353rd. Four enemy
planes had been destroyed and one damaged. Three of the victories had
been the first ones for pilots who were to become aces within the Group
-- Duncan, Beckham and Poindexter.
On September 27, things changed
for the group, which had until this time, with one exception, flown all
its missions over France and the low countries; due to a lack of range
of their P47s. At 0842, 39 P47s with auxiliary tanks took off from Metfield
with Major Duncan leading. At 0941, the Jugs dropped their 75 gallon
belly tanks and rendezvoused with the 1st Task Force Bomber flights 3
minutes later.
The bombers' IP was reached at 0956 and the target at
Emden was bombed at exactly 1000. On the way into the target, south of
Groningen, 12 Me 109s were spotted by Major Ben Rimerman at 30,000 feet,
a thousand feet above him. He took his 350th Squadron up to level with
the 109s and attacked.
In the ensuing battle four 109s were destroyed and two
damaged. Major Rimerman and Lt. Dwight Fry each destroyed one, while
Lt. William Odom destroyed one, and shared a second kill with Capt. Dewey
Newhart. In the target area itself, White Flight of the 351st squadron,
engaged 12 plus Me 109s. Capt. Orville A. Kinkade destroyed one and damaged
another 109 which was attacking a P-47. Red Flight of the 351st spotted
eight 109s, four of which were attacking the bombers. Lt. William j.
Maguire, Red 3, chased one 109 away from the bombers, damaging it, and
then destroyed another for his first victory.
At 1033 the fighters left the bombers and headed for base.
Coming back on the deck, Lt. Charles Durant of the 350th ran across a
convoy of 15 large freighters headed for Emden, fired from 300 yards
and scored strikes on three of them. Over England, one P-47 pilot bailed
out of his plane and landed safely while another pilot crash landed.
For its part in this action, one of the rare times when the Luftwaffe's
fighters showed a willingness to mix with the escort rather than concentrate
on the bombers, the Group received the following wire from Major General
William E. Kepner, Commanding General of VIII Fighter Command.
"Many congratulations for your magnificent
victory. You have brilliantly and courageously performed one of the most
difficult missions of fighter history."
Of the 244 Heavies attacking Emden only 7 were lost, and
the four groups of fighters had claimed 22-1-6 enemy aircraft for the
combat loss of one P47 from Hub Zemke's 56th Fighter Group.
What had started as a dismal month with loss of two pilots
on training missions, had ended with a strong performance against German
fighters on the 27th of September.
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