Fighter Ace Clemente Muresan

[Der Maresal]

I have the autobiography of a lesser known ace, Clemente Muresan.

I this book he describes the air battles with Russian planes, with American bombers, Lightnings and Mustangs, Four Engine Bombers , his victories and his failures during the 1941-1944 and post 23 August periods.

I was wondering if anyone knows more about this pilot, he does not appear on the Ace list. It is certain that he shot down some planes, he discribes the events himself.

At one point in 1943, he was flying his IAR-80 over the black sea when he spotted a dense cloud of white Smoke, he down into it to investigate and found a large Russian Battleship and a Cruiser escorting it.
He immediately radioed in the position, and a German Squadron of Stukas was send in, the Experienced Pilots quickly sunk the war ship.

He was one of the many who grately suffered after the war for "being on the wrong side"- Since he had done his flight training in Germany at a very prestigious flight academy, he had to endure alot of insults and persecutions after the war..
"Ahh, so you went there because you liked the Nazis, you Fascist!!"
That's what they told me after the war, nobody cared that a young enthusiastic kid like me wanted to fly so dearly"...

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If you could provide more information other then what is stated in his book, please do so. I would like to know more about this lesser known hero.
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[Dénes]

I also have his autobiography.
I don't want to disappoint you, but it appears that many of his exploits, vividly descibed in the book, are false. I could not find a single mention of him in the archival documents I studied (nor did Antoniu & Cicos in their thorough book). Nevertheless, I did mention him in the list of aces, with 5 victories, with the cautionary note that all the data come from his autobiography.

Do you have any similar lesser known books on Rumanian pilots?

Dénes

[Victor]

Recently I stumbled upon another fighter pilot (the grandfather of one of my collegues) that claimshe had 14 victories, yet his name does not appear anywhere in the list of Romanian claims.

[Der Maresal]

Perhaps you can tell us more about this man... you talked with him?

What were his stories...I do think there were aces who's history after 23 august was "errased" because most or all of their killes were against the soviets..

Look,...get as much information out of him as long he's alive....they are fewer and fewer..those vets.. :cry:

[Victor]

QUOTE

What were his stories...I do think there were aces who's history after 23 august was \"errased\" because most or all of their killes were against the soviets..

Most of the victories were against the VVS or the USAAF. But these were not "erased" as you say, although the pilots themselves were later "erased".

[Der Maresal]

Reading more about Muresan, I found he miraculously destroyed an Escort ship that was hit by one of his bombs quite by chance. This was in February 1943, on the Black sea, when he spotted a Cloud of Smoke and diving to investigate... found a giant cruiser, or armored ship...the crown of the Soviet Black Sea fleet .. "Admiral Lazarov".

He radioed in his discovery, set the throttle to half, and dove in to drop his bomb. He had terrible accuracy, and missed the big ship..but it crashed into the front little escort and blew it to pieces.
Later an experienced German Stuka Squadron arrived which sunk the giant ship.

I will post his personal accounts of this battle later on, both in English and Romanian for everyone to read.

He flew only IAR's. They are IAR80A #117 , IAR-80B#217 and IAR-81C #322.

He peronally discribes how he shot down a Four engines Soviet bomber together with Milu.
He destroyed at least 2 B-24's and 1 Lightning.
He gives the Serial Number of the B-24 he destroyed...and the names of the crews that were later taken hostages. I think alot of what he describes in his book can be verified.
:keep:

[Victor]

QUOTE

Reading more about Muresan, I found he miraculously destroyed an Escort ship that was hit by one of his bombs quite by chance. This was in February 1943, on the Black sea, when he spotted a Cloud of Smoke and diving to investigate... found a giant cruiser, or armored ship...the crown of the Soviet Black Sea fleet .. \"Admiral Lazarov\". He radioed in his discovery, set the throttle to half, and dove in to drop his bomb. He had terrible accuracy, and missed the big ship..but it crashed into the front little escort and blew it to pieces. Later an experienced German Stuka Squadron arrived which sunk the giant ship.

There no battleship or cruiser named Lazarov in the ChF. I also doubt, that the 43rd Squadron had IAR-81Cs at that date, but even if they had, I doubt they went on patrol with bombs attached.

[Dénes]

QUOTE

Recently I stumbled upon another fighter pilot (the grandfather of one of my collegues) that claimshe had 14 victories, yet his name does not appear anywhere in the list of Romanian claims.

Can you divulge his name, so we can look it up in documents?

Col. Dénes

[Victor]

I forgot it.
I also asked C-2 to ask Dicezare about him, but he couldn't remember anything. Also mr. Cicos did not find any of his claims, IIRC.
I will meet my friend tonight at a party and ask him again.

Btw, C-2, if you are reading this, ask cmdr. Georgescu about Clemente Muresan, as it appears they flew in the same squadron for a while.

[C-2]

I just talked with Mr Georgescu.
He never heard the name clement Muresan.
He had a camarade Liviu mUresan.

[Victor]

Slt. av. Liviu Muresan was KIA on 10 October 1943.

Denes, the name of the friend's grandfather is Vasile Portase. IIRC from what my friend told me he was a fighter pilot and had a plane crash.

[C-2]

I asked G-ral Dobran about that name-never heard of it.
Also today I've been at "Liga Aeriana"and nobody heard aither of that name(exept of Liviu Muresan...).

[Der Maresal]

Muresan claims over and over again in his book that he is the victim fn "ignorance" - peoples either fail to remember him, or simply don't pay any attention to him.
He flew with Milu, that's for sure - He talked to him and had an Aerial battle together on the eastern front.
Some of the other pilots met him, like Baciu, Mucenica, and probably "Mitrica" Encoiu.

During the sea battle of 1943 he discribes in his book, he says that the Spotting of the Large Russian war vessel was not attributed to him, (in records and in the radio broadcast, but to the Unit, and to the ARR).

The little Escort (vedetta)? he sunk was not attributed to him, but to the Fighter group as a whole.

Finally, the German Radio Station "Donau" broadcast the sinking of the warship* mentioning that it had been spotted by "Fighters of the Romanian ARR", and that one escort ship was sunk by the ARR. --again, not mentioning his name at all.
:roll:

[C-2]

I cannot tell if he existed or not but Dicezare,Dobran,Marinciu,Georgescu,Stoian,Belcin,Axente,Capbatut,Maxim,Hladiuk never heard of him.
And that's VERY strange!

[Der Maresal]

QUOTE

I cannot tell if he existed or not but Dicezare,Dobran,Marinciu,Georgescu,Stoian,Belcin,Axente,Capbatut,Maxim,Hladiuk never heard of him. And that's VERY strange!

You talked to each and every one of them about him?? :shock: :shock: