26 Nov 44 Misburg mission

Dirk -
Contact Forum member Bill Marshall 355th FG Historian
Forum name - drgondog
Mike

This is a much expanded reconstruction of the mission FO which was simply to escort 2AD TF to Hannover-- Hope this helps . Erich Brown performed the primary research on the JG301  effort.  Please do not reprint this without my permission?
 
November 26
 
F.O.529-B. Major Sluga led the 355th on a Ramrod to Hanover from 1005 to 1445. Forty Mustangs picked up the B-24s at 1120 east of Ijmuiden and escorted them to the target. The three wings of B-24s were not only scattered all along the inbound route but also flying very poor formation. The 389th was leading, 491st in the middle, and the 445th in trail.
 
Between 1235 and 1243 the firstl wave of 75+ single engine German fighters from I., II. And III/JG301 attacked the escorted B-24s near Hannover. Several Staffeln of Me 109’s from JG6 as well a Staffeln each from I./JG301 and II./301 were assigned Mustang ‘prevention duty’.
 
As the three wings were strung across 40 miles, it was nearly impossible for the 339th , 361st and  the 355th  FG’s to provide close cover. The initial attackers swept behind the 339th and knocked down 15 B-24’s of the 491st BG, then headed for the deck. . Two squadrons of the 355th arrived to meet the second wave. This second wave was engaged by  the 354th and 357FS with claims of 17 destroyed for no loss
 
The 339th claimed 29 destroyed in their fight below while the two engaging squadrons of the 355th struggled to regain altitude and continue the escort.
 
While the rat race was in full progress, parts of the second and third waves of 75+  Fw 190s and Me 109s from III./JG301 struck the 445th BG and five B-24s went down in spite of the 358FS and the Second Scout Force efforts to blunt this attack. The 2nd SF undoubtedly saved many more 445Th B-24’s as they attacked 75+ German fighters in the third wave with just eight Mustangs, destroying five 190s plus two probables and two damaged. The 358FS followed the 2nd SF bounce and destroyed four more with no losses to raise the group claims to 22 destroyed, plus the five downed by 2nd SF.
 
II./JG301 StaffelnKaptain Oblt Alfred Vollert was KIA in this fight.   
 
This was the war’s blackest day for JG301 with over 40 pilots KIA or wounded in a small area alone. Combined with the heavy losses to the 352nd on 21 November it was reduced to a point of ineffectiveness for several months..
 
High scorers for the 355th included Frank Masters with three, McLear, Priest, Hauver, Max, Moroney and Haviland scored two apiece while Mellen, Duffy, Molnar, Barab, Lyons and Beckman each nailed singles.

Priest's and Haviland's doubles raised their air victory totals to the ace level of five and six respectively, and made them the group's fourteenth and fifteenth air aces.
 
Lieutenant Whalen of the Second Scout Force got three Fw 190s while Lieutenant Ceglarski and Captain Whitlow each shot down one. Whalen's triple raised his score to four and made him the top scorer for the 2nd SF. Legend has it that Whalen calmly lit up a cigarette while pursuing his last victim over Hamburg and earned the nickname "Gooney".

Escort was broken at 1310 over Dummer Lake and the group headed out over the North Sea. While over the North Sea, Kelley collided with Barab and both aircraft blew up. No chutes were seen and neither turned up after the war.
 
Captain Stauder of the 2nd SF was last seen in an inverted dive over the Channel, at about 3000 feet, on the way home and nobody saw him again. He was not hit during the fight and the loss was believed due to either disorientation or oxygen failure.
 
 
The 356th FG flew its first mission in Mustangs.
 
Final score 26-3-8 with three losses (none air to air)

Dirk,
M.E.W. = Microwave Early Warning.
ground controllers using radar to vector fighters on to enemy aircraft
 
Roy

Arrow:  let me just add a bit since I have some info I haven't clarified yet with Bill but think it is safe to include new material

I have a truck load of info ~ some sent to Bill already for his 355th fg data.

My cousins Geschwader JG 301 shot down at least 21 bombers, possibly up to 30 this date, 16 from the 491st bg alone which was tail end charlie, the 445th bg was in the middle and lost 5 B-24's to the JG 301 unit, the 389th bg lost 0.  As JG 301 attacked from the rear with their 3 Fw 190 gruppen (they had no 109's) they over-ran the two last B-24 groups with some of the Fw 190A's going to the front and knocking down at least another 5 ? B-17's.  In the 355th fg reports the Bf 109's are made reference to  JG 6 as they were flying with JG 1's Fw 190's whom had come down from the north and were getting involved in the mix up with the 355th.  As the defense/attacks ranged from the south and west of Hannover the action flew in such a fashion that it went SW over the Wesergebirge range where many Fw 190A pilots of I./JG 301 embattling P-51's met their fate with the 355th/339th fg's. 
III./JG 301 which had attacked the bombers before Hannover and right after with their Fw 190A-8 and 30mm equipped A-8/R2's, their losses were scattered near Hildesheim and then south and west.

Incidently this was only the second mission flown with the Fw 190A by JG 301 as they had been completely restructured in September and October with new aircraft

this particular date my cousin S.Baer lost his life south of Hannover in the fields north of Holtensen/Wülfinghausen flying white 2 of 5./JG 301.

JG 301 lost over 60 Fw's

E ~

Erich,
 
Thanks a lot for the additional information! I consulted with great interest the messages you posted on different air forums with regard to JG 301, your cousin Siegfried Baer and Nov 26th 1944.
 
Dirk

Bill - Thank you very much for the information!
 
Regards,
Dirk