31st FG

The IAR's from Esc. 52 were suppose to meet with a group of Fw190's that day, at least that is what Cpt.Av.Constantinescu Petre said.I know US pilots frequently mistook IAR80/81 for Fw190 but during that day they might have shot down some real Fw190's, will have to check german sources.

All these victory claims data are coming from the groundbreaking work of Frank Olynyk, self-published in several volumes.

When I met Dr. Olynyk last time, he mentioned that he plans to compile data of ALL claims filed by ALL air forces during ALL times. Quite a tall order, I'd say...

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on October 19, 2004 11:38 pm

Data from my Luftwaffe losses list:
Fw190F-8 5./SG 2 22-Jul-44 Damaged in Luftkampf. Rumania Zilistea 90% F
Fw190G-3 II./SG 2 22-Jul-44 Damaged in Luftkampf. Rumania Zilistea 90% F

There are undoubtedly more...

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on October 19, 2004 11:42 pm

Unfortunatelly there was an accident with the documents of several squadrons based around Foggia - the ship that was carring them has sunk, so a lot of info on those squadrons was lost.This is why I have a hard time finding acurate data on some the squadrons I need.

Do you know Frank Olynyk, can you comunicate with him ?

The list of FW-190 ( SG2 ) victories for 23 june ( confirm they took part in the fight over Ploesti for that day)


23.06.44 Uffz. Hans Oestereich 5./SG 2 Mustang  65 394: at 7.200 m. 09.40 Film C. 2032/I Anerk: Nr. 22

23.06.44 Oblt. Ernst Beutelspacher 6./SG 2 Fortress II  65 583: at 6.500-7.000 m. 09.45 Film C. 2032/I Anerk: Nr. 69

23.06.44 Ofw. Hermann Buchner 6./SG 2 Fortress II  65 134: at 6.000 m. 09.50 Film C. 2032/I Anerk: Nr. 70

23.06.44 Fw. Dieter Voigt Stab II./SG 2 Mustang  55 292: at 2.000 m. 09.02 Film C. 2032/I Anerk: Nr. 23

Does that mean the gun footage ??

BTW: thank you very much for the info about OKL kills, I really needed that (where have you found them ?)

This post has been edited by D13-th_Mytzu on October 20, 2004 08:05 am

P-51 Mustang looses for 23 june :

42-103590 North American P-51B-15-NA Mustang (52nd FG) lost Jun 23, 1944. MACR 6075


43-24847 North American P-51B-15-NA Mustang (52nd FG) lost Jun 23, 1944. MACR 6072


43-24863 North American P-51B-15-NA Mustang (52nd FG) lost Jun 23, 1944. MACR 6074

42-103456 Mustang P- 51C-5-NT nr. 48 “ Hell’s Belle’s ” 318 FS, 325 FG pilot David Hanson MIA/6-23-44

42-103554 Mustang P- 51C-5-NT nr. 41 “Eileen “318 FS, 325 FG ( Peter Osterhaus mount) MIA/6-23-44/ pilot Edward L. Mueller.

43-24836 Mustang P- 51 B -15-NA nr .65 , 318 FS, 325 FG Miss/Ops/6-23-44

Mustang P51-B-10- NA Sn.: 42-106891 No. 27 “ Lady Janie VII “ 317FS, 325 FG Pilot John Simmons.

American bombers lost on 23 june :

MACR 6406 B-17 Sn 42-5951 97BG 341 BS
MACR 6951 B-17 Sn 42-30267 97 BG 341 MACR 6407 B-17 Sn42-31351 97 BG 341 BS
MACR 6374 B-17 Sn42-31622 97 BG

MACR 6076 B-17 Sn 42-106995 99BG 348BS


B-17 Sn 42-37813, 32BS, Name not known
MIA 23 Jun 44 on its 64th mission. Shot down by fighters. John Muirhead crew, Thomsen, Rice, Spires, Burger, Murphy, McHugh, Naddeo, Gardner, Kelley. Spires, Burger, Gardner KIA, rest POW. (MACR 16203).


B-17 Sn 42-97189, 32 BS , Name not known
MIA Ploesti 23 Jun 44 on its 32nd mission. Attacked by fighters, Morris Cooke crew, Cole, Perkinson, Pearsall, Walters, Jesperson, Reichardt, Trucksis, Traner, Chinn. Pearsall KIA, rest POW. (MACR 5080).

MACR 10720 B-24 Sn 41-29530 451BG

MACR 12527 B-24 41-29495 485BG
MACR 6176 B-24 42-52706 485BG

Name: George M. Chaplin
Hometown: Newport, RI 02840-1583
POW Camp Bulgaria
Name of POW George M.Chaplin
Sent: 7.57 AM - 6/8 2004

Member of VFW and DAV and widowed after more than 60 years married. Spent just shy of 3 months in Bulgaria in WWII and was there as result of parachuting from B 24 bomber over Russe, Romania (Bomb target).Date of incarceration: 6/23/44. My base was at Venosa, Italy: 485th.BG(H), 831stSqa.(15th.AirForce). There were 4 POW from my plane in Bulgaria and 4 in Romania. 2 were KIA. I believe I am only living member of that crew (this date:6/8/04) It is possible G. Grady is still alive in VA facility somewhere in Baltimore area. He was Radio Op.,T/Sgt and in Bulgaria hospital. I was T/Sgt, Engineer and rt. waist gunner. Bombs were dropped at 9:20 that morning when we were immediately struck by 88mm explosion in forward bombay and we were on the ground (4 in Romania & 4 in Bulgaria) at 9:30 AM, at which time Bulgarian civil. and quasi military captured us. I was burned (no Purple Heart) but Terry was severly wounded, Redington wounded and Grady horrendously burned. Spent 14 days in garrison prison, half in solitary, beaten in order to "talk", and the rest of the time in Prison Camp where we had a commandant who liked to drink and shoot his small pistol thru the building windows. My information is that there were 242 POW's in the POW Camp in Bulgaria.

Cantacuzino great info ! Thank you again (I already owe you guys some beers for all the help provided )

BTW: if I give you a list of pilots/planes can you find the planes names like you did with Lady Janie VII ?

Cpt. Robert Curtiss P-51 B QP-C " Julie" ( 52FG)
Lt. John Voll P-51 B HL-? " American Beauty " ( 31 FG )
Lt. Goehausen P-51 B HL-? " Miss Mimi " ( 31 FG )

Well Mytzu was interested in 23 June 1944 for his simulation, so I presumed he wanted all the American kill claims of the day, not only those of the 31st FG. They are ordered by the exact time they were claimed at.

Yes, he was in the 2nd FS. I thought it was obvious that the data for his shared kill was the same as with the other pilot he shared it with (the guy above him)

Look more carefully. All the other kills you mentioned are in the list.