March 18, 1999
by Brooke, GL, I/JG3
We took off an loitered around the Cherboug area. Some bogies showed up, heading S for Cherbourg, and so we flew W from Cherbourg to go attack them along with 1 or 2 other groups. However, before we got there, a strike showed up pressing into the Abbeville area, and we were ordered to go there.
I had I/JG3 land and replane in FW's right away (although I cleared it with Chick first). We waited our 10 minutes and then came up at Cambai. At that time, I wasn't sure if the strike was heading farther inland, heading S or heading E. From the counters, it looked like they might be pressing S or SE, so Cam was close enough and would put us in good position in case they came farther in.
After taking off from Cam, we headed SW first -- as a move to cut off the enemies if they were heading S or SE from the Tramecourt area, as it appeared at first from the counters and from reports.
However, as the coutners sort of stalled out over the Tram area, I turned I/JG3 N to go after that area.
I still had us climbing, though. There were reports of escorts at 30k, and I didn't want our FW's getting bounced from above. I did hear the reports that the B-25's were low, but I wasn't getting much update on escorts and altitudes, so I decided to play it safe.
Because of our climb, we didn't make it to the Tram area soon enough to hit the bombers, which were heading NW away from the area and crossing over into the sea when we showed up over the target.
We followed a bit, and I had I/JG3 fly N and S along the coast waiting for more bombers to show up. I didn't think that they had sent everything just in that first strike -- it seemed too small. I figured that they must have something else coming along.
As it turned out, that was it.
As we flew N, a few of the guys lower in the group spotted some co-alt enemies and engaged. Whip was shot down, but Dui and Soggy and Lee shot down some enemy fighters. That was the only action we saw. Me, up at the front of our group and above 30k (eventually levelling off at 40k) -- I didn't see much of anything.
Final tally for I/JG3 was the loss of 1 out of 8 FW's and shooting down 3 Spits and 1 P-47.
-- Brooke