P-51 units in action over Germany & Western Europe on 22 April 1944

Via Kevin Baesler

 

4th FG--lost 1 (Lt Robert Nelson) due to engine failure.

352nd FG--1 aerial claim (Ju 88 near Luneville), strafed airfields near Lüneville, Stade, Salzwedel, Hannover and Bohmte; according to the unit history "The Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney", Marion V Long was shot down by flak while strafing a train, landing near Lingen where he was captured.

354th FG--I have no data in my possession for them, but the unit history at their web site (www.354th.com) lists no action on April 22, I think indicating they weren't in action on this date or if they were the mission was uneventful.

355th FG-fighter sweep. Strafed barges on Steinhuder Meer and trains nearby; no aerial claims or losses, several P51s damaged by flak. 357th FG-1 aerial claim (Fw190) destroyed near Dummer Lake (no addtl info available); no losses

363rd FG--4 losses; The following info from a unit history privately published by a 363rdFG veteran, Nick Marinelli of 381stFS. Fighter sweep over southwestern Germany. Targets were airfields at Frankfurt, Bad Kreuznach, Karlsruhe; 2Lt. Paul Maxwell, 380thFS-hit by Flak, seen to bail out successfully. POW MACR 4183; location near Speyer, Germany 1Lt. John Sharrock, 380thFS-seen in a dive, later rejoined unit while based in France (Azeville). 1Lt. Ward Miller, 381stFS-hit by Flak, bailed out; apparently landed near Ludwigshafen; the unit history says over France. POW MACR 4222 Capt George Doerr, 381stFS-hit by flak, attempted to return to England-bailed out over France. Whether POW or evader not clear. 363rd FG mission was an afternoon mission, and they returned to UK around the same time as 4FG. Possible one of these Flak losses was due to enemy action, but distance between 363rd mission area and III/JG1 action is significant and I think makes it unlikely.

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