20TH. FG MISSION NUMBER 303 
10 April, 1945
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� The 20th. Group was assigned a choice spot, the escort of the first two combat groups of the 1st.Division to Oranienburg. Led by Col. Montgomery (A Group) and Capt. Riemensnider (B Group), the boys took off at 1150, crossed over the Dutch Islands and rendexvoused with our big friends at Osnabruck at 1341. The target was bombed visually at 1438 with excellent results. escort was continued to Steinhuder Lake where the Group withdrew. � Just after our bombers hit targets about 10 to 15 jets started to come through. Our boys were ready for them and in the mad scramble that followed five twin jets were destroyed and two damaged. Some of the blow jobs were caught at altitude and chased to the deck, another was caught trying to land, another was shot down and crashed in the heart of Berlin. � After the jets had been disposed of, the group divided its force and while some of the boys escorted bombers, the rest hit the deck and strafed six airfields in the Berlin area and an airfield in Fossberg,125 miles wesy of Berlin. When the smoke cleared away the 20th. Group had given itself a new high in planes destroyed in one mission. TOTAL AIR: 5-0-3. Total Ground 52-0-23
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 Messerscmitt Me-262 jet fighter like those encountered on this mission. | |
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AIR: 1-0-2 Me262s Total �� 1-0-0 Me262....................Capt. John K. Brown �� 1-0-0 Me262....................Capt. Douglas Michel �� 0-0-1 Me262....................Lt. Robert W. Meinzen GROUND: 18-0-10 Total �� 0-0-1 Me110....................Lt. Paul F. Seifert �� 0-0-1 He111....................Lt. Paul F. Seifert �� 4-0-4 Ju88.....................Lt. Gene L. Williams �� 5-0-4 Ju88.....................Lt. EdwardL. Kier �� 1-0-0 Ju52.....................Capt. Richard M. Tracy �� 1-0-0 Me109....................Capt. Richard M. Tracy �� 1-0-0 Me110....................Capt. Richard M. Tracy �� 1-0-0 U/I T/E..................Capt. Richard M. Tracy �� 5-0-0 U/I......................Lt. Joseph A. Peterburs | |
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AIR: 3-0-1 Me262s Total �� 1-0-0 Me262....................F/O Jerome Rosenblum & Lt. John W. Cudd �� 1-0-0 Me262....................Lt. Walter T. Drozd �� 1-0-0 Me262....................Lt. Albert B. North �� 0-0-1 Me262....................Lt. Glenn R. Hall GROUND: 7-0-4 Total �� 1-0-0 Me262....................Lt. Glenn R. Hall �� 1-0-1 He111....................Lt. Glenn R. Hall �� 1-0-0 Ju88.....................Lt. Joseph E. Simanonok �� 1-0-0 Me410....................Lt. Leo H. Kerns �� 1-0-0 Me410....................Lt. Richard J. Morris �� 1-0-0 U/I T/E..................Lt. Richard J. Morris �� 1-0-2 Ju52.....................Lt. Walter E. Umla �� 0-0-1 Ju290....................Lt. Glenn R. Hall | |
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AIR: 1-0-0 Total | �� 1-0-0 Me262....................Capt. John K. Hollins GROUND: 27-0-9 Total �� 1-0-0 Ju52.....................Capt. Robert P. Montgomery �� 1-0-0 Ar96.....................Capt. Robert P. Montgomery �� 1-0-0 Si204....................Capt. Robert P. Montgomery �� 0-0-1 Do217....................Capt. Robert P. Montgomery �� 1-0-0 Ju52.....................Lt. John B. Lee �� 0-0-1 Ju52.....................Lt. John B. Lee �� 3-0-0 He111....................F/O Fredric H. Jurgens �� 2-0-0 Caudron Goel'ds..........F/O Fredric H. Jurgens �� 1-0-0 U/I T/E..................F/O Fredric H. Jurgens �� 2-0-0 Si204....................F/O Fredric H. Jurgens �� 0-0-1 Si204....................Lt.John B. Lee �� 1-0-0 Ju88.....................Lt. Joseph L. Gubana �� 1-0-0 Me109....................Lt. Joseph L. Gubana �� 0-0-2 U/I T/E..................Lt. Joseph L. Gubana �� 2-0-1 U/I T/E..................Lt. Louis J. Degenhardt �� 3-0-0 Me110....................Lt. David Stewart �� 2-0-0 Fw190....................Lt. David Stewart �� 1-0-0 Me109....................Lt. David Stewart �� 1-0-0 He111....................Lt. David Stewart �� 1-0-1 Me109....................Lt. Edward F. Pogue �� 3-0-1 He111....................Lt. Edward F. Pogue |
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� 55th. - White - Riemensnider, Meinzen, Seifert, Chase; Yellow - Michel, Nicholson, Ryan, Prow; Red - Brown, Rackley, Lowman, Skroback; Blue - Kier, Williams, Doody, Fuller; Black - Cosgriff, Decker, Tracy, Peterburs. � 77th. - White - Snodgrass**, Papuzynski, Simamonek, Drozd; Yellow - Pitz, Cudd, Umla, Rosenblum; Black - Hall, Rege, King, Phillips; Red - Kerns, Derrenbacker, North, Morris; Blue - Fay, Dorey, Seymour, Podkowa. � 79th. - White - Montgomery, Stewart, Jurgens; Yellow- Lee, Gubana, Pogue, Degenhardt; Black- Dufresne, Hahn, Skinner, Schons; Red - Hollins, Hennessy, Taylor, Gardner; Blue- Scott, Diehl, Shelton, Santee. | |
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