The 363rd Fighter Group in World War II: in Action over Europe with the P-51 Mustang

193 Pages·2002·64.18 MB·English

by  Kent D. Miller

The 363rd Fighter Group in World War II
AlsobytheAlI1hor
FIGHTER UNITS& PILOTSOFTHE8THAIR FORCE:SEPTEMBER 1942-MAY 1945
Volume I: Day·ro-DayOperations· FighlerGroupHislories
Volume2:Aerial Victories·AceDala
THE 363RD FIGHTER GROUP
in World War II
in Action over Europe with the P-51 Mustang
Kent D. Miller
SchifferMilitary History
Atglen, PA
Dustjacketand aircraftprofileartworkbyS.W.Ferguson,ColoradoSprings,CO.
On thedustjacket
OnApril 13, 1944,the363rdFighterGroupflew awithdrawal supportmission from the Hallearea.
Severalenemyfighterswereseenonthemissionandtwowereshotdown.OnewasanMe 109which
fell northeast ofStuugart to LI. Robelt B. McGeeofthe 382nd FighterSquadron flying his P-5IB
"Virginia". McGeewould later add three more kills tobecome thehighest scoring (aerial victories
only)pilot inthegroup.
Bookdesignby Robert Biondi.
Copyright©2002by KentD.Miller.
LibraryofCongressCatalog Number: 2002102719.
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Contents
Introduction 6
The 363rd Fighter Group in World War II 9
J /
Appendices 0/
Appendix 1: 363rd Fighter Group Totals 47
Appendix 2: Total Bomb Tonnage : 47
Appendix 3: 363rd Fighter Group Organizational Set-up 48
1;
Appendix 4: 363rd Fighter Group Claims 50
Appendix 5: Claims by Enemy Aircraft Type 50
Appendix 6: 363rd Fighter Group Scorers 51
Appendix 7: Pilot List , 52
Appendix 8: Aircraft Markings 79
Appendix 9: Representative Aircraft 80
Appendix 10: Non-Flying Personnel 86
Appendix 11: ShortArticles 100
Photo Section 105
363rd Fighter Group Aircraft in Profile 176
arne Index 189

Introduction
This is the story ofa 9th Air Force fighter group which attack.Webecamethewatchdog,thereserveintherearto
was active in Europeduring World WarII. The 363rd flew in fend against wolves who might slip through the forward
combat for seven months until the rapid advance of Allied screen. For the most part, our role consisted of monoto
ground troops necessitated the groupbecoming aTactical Re nouspatrolsoverthecrowdedsearoutescrossingtheChan
can unit. nelandoverthebeachheads. Later,whenXIXTACmoved
The 363rd Fighter Group was the third Army Air Force toNormandy,the363rdwasestablishedatanairfieldclos
unit in England to be equipped with the P-51 "Mustang",and esttotheChannel from whencewecontinuedairdefense,
earlymissionssawthepilotsusedasescortfortheheavybomb surveillanceofourforces on the Continent, and the ship
ersofthe8thAirForce. With the invasionofFranceinJuneof ping which supplied them with men and munitions. The
1944,the363rd'sactivities turnedtoamoretactical nature, in relative experience and records of the two P-5l groups
keepingwith theoverall 9thAirForcemission in Europe.This made any other arrangement illogical.'·
change also meant the group was used in a more defensive
role-covering the ground forces' advance, protecting supply Itis hoped that thestory presented in thefollowing pages
lines, shipping ports, ctc. As such, their chances of meeting will shedsomelighton thetrueactivitiesandachievememsof
enemy aircraft, especially in July and August of 1944, were the363rd.Thehistorycouldnotbetold withoutthehelpofthe
slim. men whoservedwiththegroup,andatthistimeIwould liketo
Due totheir low victory to loss ratio (approximately I:I) thank those who supplied information and photographs: Fred
the363rdhasearneda negativereputation. But, when looking Munder, James Brink, David Wolf, Lee Webster, Edward
at the mission given to the group, especially from June on Vesely, Gordon McEachron, James Hill. Richard Lucas, Paul
wards.thiscriticism iswithoutmerit.Onehastokeepinmind, Maxwell, Joe Thoresz, Charles Smith, Joe Santarlasci, Will
as well, thm losses included in this ratio are from all causes, iamBullard,LloydBruce,JohnRobertson,JohnBrown,George
nOljusl plane-versus-planecombat. Peterson,CurryWilson, ElmerOdell. Felix Kozaczka. Walter
To help explain the situation, consider these words from McKinney, Charles Reddig, Charles Stuart, Norman Ott,
JamesTipton, formercommanderofthe363rd: Morton Kammerlohr, Don Boatright, Gerald Clough, George
1.Brooks,JamesClark,RichardAsbury,MOITisEasterly,Robert
"The invasion vehicles and beachhead must be pre MacDonald, William Turner, Stan Gardner, Mike Scirocco,
served from crippling air attacks at all costs. This called Hugo Pressnali, Evan McCali, Wailace King, Edward
forairdefense, pureand simple, thecountrycousin ofair Kemmerer,CharlesMoyle,JamesChristensen, HerbertValen
offensebutanessentialelementoftheairsuperioritybattle tine, Howard Mosier, George Henning, Bruce Turner, Neill
none the less. The 354th Group became the hunter, rang Ullo, Wallace Goodhue, Charies Shiff, Cyrus Christensen,
ingfar in advanceand seekingtheenemybeforehecould Bernard Quinn, Robel1 Proctor, and Peter Bedrosian.
7
The 363rdFighterGroupin World WarIf
Also, thanks go toTed Damick,Tom lvie, William Hess, groupwhichprovidedthebasis forcontacts, photos,andother
TalmadgeAmbrose, Richard Ray, Gene Lamar, Richard Ray, information used in thepreparationofthis history. Hewas al
JoyceWatson, BarbieRench,JamesCrow,andthestaffsofthe ways more than willing to assist in any way possible, and for
Air Force Museum andAirForce Historical Research Center his interestand help Iam deeply appreciative.
atMaxwell,Alabama.
Finally, a special acknowledgment to Steve Blake, who Kent D. Miller
originallyconceived the ideaofafull 363rdhistory. Stevedid Hicksville, Ohio
a wonderful series of articles a number of years ago on the September2001
The 363rd Fighter Group in World War II
Following is the history of the 363rd Fighter Group. All 411 Sweep
missions are covered, with details including (where known), Thiswaseitheragrouporsquadron-strength missiondesigned
theleader,timeslipanddown,detailsohheflight,claimsmade, to cover or "sweep" an assigned area. Usually targets ofop
and losses. Scoring is recorded in this manner: 0-0-0 is de portunitywerestrafedifnoenemyaircraftorairfieldspresented
stroyed-probable-damaged (in the air) and 0-0 is destroyed themselves. Bombs were somelimes carried but few sweeps
damaged(ongroundclaims).lntcrspersedamongthemissions were thus nown.
areotheractivitiesofthe363rdandquotes from thegroupand
squadron diaries. Following the text are extensiveappendices Area Patrol
adding moredetail to the unit's history. These were similar to a sweep though they were usually car
The 363rd Fighter Group flew an assortment ofmissions riedoutinconjunctionwithescortingbombersorfighter-bomb
during its short combat tenure. The reader Illay find it helpful ers. Whilethebombersorotheraircraftattackedtargets,theP
tounderstandwhateachInissioninvolvedsobriefdescriptions 51swouldpatrol,keepinganeyeoutforenemyplanesorother
follow: activity which mightthreatenAllied pilots in thearea.
BomberEscort DiveBombing
As with most ofthe early 9th Air Force units arriving in En This wassimplyallackinggroundtargetswithbombs. Normal
gland.the363rdfound itselfinvolvedprimarilywithescorting procedurewas for the majority ofplanesona mission tocarry
8thAirForcebombersovertheContinent. Earlymissionswere outthebombingwithoneormoreflightsassignedastopcover.
withdrawal supports. escortingthe bombers back outoveren ThesemissionsbeganinMarchandgrewrapidlythroughJune.
emy territory after they had hit their targets. Other types of During July and August few dive-bombing missions as such
escortincludedpenetrationandtargetsupport,takingthebomb wereflown. Bombs werecarriedon some missionsduringthis
ers in and watchingover them duringtheirruns into and over time butthe missions were not actual dive-bombingefforts.
thetarget area. Except for threemissions in lateJune of 1944,
the 363rd was done with 8th Air Force escorts by the end of ArmedReCOil
May. June and July saw a fcw C-47 (troopcarriers) escorts as These werelonger-rangemissionsofspottingand breakingup
wellas9thAirForcemediumbomberescOl1s.Thesewerenor enemyforces.TheyweredesignedtohelpdisrupttheGerman's
mally nown, though not always, by less than group-strength reinforcement efforts or their retreating movemcnts. These
formations. July and August also saw a number of tighter missions wereusually flown with bombs which would thenbe
bomberescorts for 9th Air Force planes attacking ground tar used iftargets were found.
gets.