" The Checkerboard " " The Checkerboard "
Highlights - July, 2000 Issue
" The Checkerboard " is the official Newsletter of the " Duxford 78th Fighter Group Association - WW II ". All correspondence relating to the Newsletter and it's contents should be directed to the editor Chuck Behrens. The Association and editor reserve the right not to publish materials considered derogatory or offensive. This Newsletter and it's contents by copyright should not be reproduced in any form without the expressed wriiten permission of the " Duxford 78th Fighter Group Association- WW II ".
Membership in the Association includes a subscription to " The Checkerboard ". For more information on joining see the Membership Page.
Monument Valley, Arizona ( Picture Source: unknown)
Reunion Update . .
Information packets have been mailed to all members. It includes a list of activities, fees, menus and most importantly reservation forms to be mailed directly to the Hampton Inn.
" The question of the day is - Have you sent in your reunion reservations? Please do as soon as you can. The Knowltons need to know how many to prepare for and notify different people of the number of members coming - bus companies, restaurants, etc.. I repeat... Have you sent in your reservation? I have. "
This year's schedule has been finalized and will include:
- A Luke Air Force Base Tour / optional shopping at Arrowhead Mall.
- A visit to the Champlin Fighter Museum with a sightseeing tour of Phoenix.
- A trip to the "Rockin R Ranch" for a chuckwagon supper and stage show.
- A visit to beautiful Sedona, Arizona (Home of the Red Rocks of Oak Creek Canyon) including a stop at Montezuma Castle.
- Annual Meeting Banquet (Hampton Inn)
Chuck Behrens, editor
Day of the "Eagles" . . . April 16, 1945
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78th Fighter Group gun camera frames taken on April 16, 1945. Lt. Richard E. Phaneuf(left) firing on a Ju52 transport; Lt. Francis E. Harrington(right) registering hits on another Ju52 ( Picture Source: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Avaition Society, reprint, 1975 )
Georg Haberl ( Deggendorf, Germany ) sent us the following personal report covering the events of April 16, 1945. Parts of the report are missing or vague, but it still paints a picture of the mission that yielded over 125 ground victories for the 78th Fighter Group and subsequently their second Distinguished Unit Citation.
"16 April 1945 - 78th Fighter Group Area Patrol
F.O. 19974
55 P-51s - 82nd 19 planes, 83rd 18 planes, 84th 18 planes
ROUTE: English Coast-Beveland-Pilsen-Prague-Cakowice-Letanny-Passau-Hague- Home
STORY: Lt. Colonel Landers leading 78th Fighter Group. Made landfall Beveland at 1250 hours, 10,000 feet. Arrived Pilsen-Prague Area at 1430 hours. Patroled area and strafed airdromes with results listed. Airdromes strafed were Praha-Cakowice, Praha-Letanny, Ganacker, Passau and an unidentified airdrome two miles north of (-illegible-). Left area 1615 hours and crossed out the Hague 1740 hours, 10,000 feet. Capt. Holmes was last seen going down for a pass on Ganacker airdrome. Transportation(road and rail) apparently troop movement observed in Prague area moving west. Unindentified airdrome two miles north of Prague adjacent to Molgau river had 90 plus aircraft of various types dispersed along one completed runway and one under construction. 50-75 aircraft on Pilsen airdrome. 75 plus aircraft all types on Praha-Cakowice airdrome 50 plus aircraft on Praha-Letnanny airdrome. 25 plus aircraft on Ganacker airdrome.
MISSING IN ACTION: Capt. Croy, 82nd, bailed out near Plattling. Chute did not open. Capt. Holmes, 82nd reason unknown. Lt. Swauger, 82nd bailed out, POW, recently overrun by Americans. "
(Note: This was followed by a CLAIMS section, but I only had the first page which does not include all three squadrons.)
Georg has requested additional information on the events of that day. Anyone knowledgeable and interested should write or e-mail him directly or forward the information to me and I will email.
Georg Haberl
Hilzstr.23, D-94469
Deggensdorf, Germany
e-mail:habfr@t-online.de
Garry L. Fry has written the following with regards the events of April 16, 1945 in his book "Eagles of Duxford":
" On April 16, 1945 the 78th got in a final heavy punch at the Luftwaffe as the war wound down to its final days. This seven hour, forty minute marathon mission won the Group another Distinguished Unit Citation."
" The assigned mission was to give area support to the 760 Flying Fortresses of First and Second Air Divisions hitting bridges and marshaling yards in the Regensburg-Straubing-Platting-Landshut areas. The 78th arrived at 1430 hours led by John Landers with the 84th. The 82nd was given permission to seperate into individual flights and to check on strafing prospects at various area airdromes being patrolled."
" White Flight led by Manford Croy made a pass on Straubling airdrome where Croy destroyed a single Focke Wulf 190 before flak hit him. He pulled up and bailed out, but was too low for his chute to open."
" Robert Holmes was last seen going into his pass at Ganacher and probably crashed to his death from a flak hit."
" Fred Swauger, Yellow Four, took a small arms hit and crashed. He was released from captivity by U.S. troops a short time later." ( note: During Yellow Flight's attack of Marienbad airdrome. )
" When 78th Intelligence had finally amassed all claims and sorted them out back at Duxford, the signal was flashed to Eighth Air Force Headquarters that a command record 135-0-89 enemy aircraft had been destroyed and damaged on the ground during the mission."
( "Eagles of Duxford" was published in 1991 by Phalanx Publishing, Ltd.)
Coincidentally, Paul Radzik's wife Joy recently sent me some material that Paul had collected which contained a copy of the Distinguished Unit Citation presented to the 78th in recognition of the outstanding performance by the Group on April 16, 1945.
We were very saddened to hear that Paul Radzik had passed away on March 23, 2000.
Distinguished Unit Citation
" The 78th Fighter Group is cited for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy on the strafing mission of 16 April 1945 in the Prague and Pilsen areas of Czechoslovakia. After a long, wearisome and hazardous flight deep into strongly defended enemy territory, the pilots of the 78th Fighter Group carried out a highly successful operation against five enemy airdromes located in the assigned area and established a new 8th Air Force record for combat victories on the ground. Completely disregarding personal safety, they braved heavy concentration of antiaircraft fire and attacked at dangerously low levels with consumate skill and daring. In these well-coordinated and masterly executed sweeps, they neutralized the fire from enemy gun emplacements and returned in systematic waves of destruction to wipe out the enemy aircraft dispersed on the ground below. Through their skillful application of aerial tactics and exceptionally proficient marksmanship, these gallant airmen destroyed 125 enemy aircraft and damaged 86 more. Although fatigued by many grueling hours of combat, they continued their attacks with unrelenting ferocity and vigorous boldness until all ammunition had been expended and fuel tanks contained only the minimum amount of fuel necessary for the return journey. The perfect cooperation and unselfish devotion to duty displayed by the combat elements and the staff and maintenance personnel of the 78th Fighter Group made possible this remarkable victory over a well-armed and determined foe. Their conspicuous gallantry, self-negation, and spirit de corps reflect the highest credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces and are worthy of emulation.
(General Order 1138, Headquarters 3rd Air Division, 18 June 1945, as approved by the Commanding General, United States Army Forces, European Theater (Main) ) "
Chuck Behrens, editor
Small World . .
Bob Fitzgerald writes..
" Many of you will recall when the B-24 made an emergency landing at Duxford, pretty well shot up. While milling around the hangar, I noticed one of the officers, either pilot or copilot, looked very familiar. It turned out to be Buddy King my next door neighbor from Duluth, Minnesota.
This shows what a small world it can be. Quite a coincidence that they landed at Duxford, with all the other bases around....5,000 miles from our neighborhood. "
Chuck Behrens, editor
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