By mid October, the Group was totally
involved with the war. They were increasingly
involved starting with the participation by some
pilots with the RAF on August 9, 1942, initially
as individuals, then as larger elements and as
flights in RAF missions, thus becoming acclimated
to the operations. In this manner pilots of the
Group had, up through September 13, flown 158
sorties. The pilots quickly gained the respect
of the RAF and as one RAF officer remarked, “If
all the Yanks are as good as these, we’ll
have some fun”.
On September 16, 1942, the Group began independent
operations (as a reserve unit) under operational
control of the 211 RAF Group, going on full operations
on October 7. In mid October, the Group was busy
escorting medium bombers, which were hitting the
enemy airdromes behind the lines to eliminate
the German Air Force threat to the British ground
troops. The first air victory by the Group operations
was October 9, however there were many victories
as early as August 12 by pilots of the Group while
flying with RAF squadrons on acclimatization missions.
By October 25, the pilots of the 57th had flown
550 sorties.
EL ALAMEIN BATTLE:
On October 27th, 8 P-40’s of the 65 Sqd.
carrying bombs with 8 P-40’s of the 64 Sqd.
flying top cover had completed their bombing mission
when they sighted over 20 Fiat CR-42’s of
the Regia Aeronautica, and 20 Stukas escorted
by a similar number of ME 109’s. They turned
into the enemy and destroyed 7, probably destroyed
3 and damaged 3, all without a loss. On October
28, four more enemy fighters were downed by the
57th. Through the period from October 19 through
October 31, the 57th flew 743 sorties, claiming
27 enemy aircraft destroyed, 6 probably destroyed,
and 15 damaged.
PRE-DAWN ATTACK:
The technique of the pre-dawn attack, referred
to in Col. Salisbury’s report, as introduced
by the Group on October 27, comprised lining up
all of the motor transport along the path of take-off,
and flipping on their lights at a signal, Instantly,
a flight of 12 or more roared off in a 12 or more
abreast formation, followed quickly by two more
flights. The mission then on the deck out to sea,
back to the target from the north, over the coastal
ridge and into the attack. Only small arms were
encountered, the enemy was so surprised, and the
destruction of aircraft on the airfields was phenomenal.
BUSY DAYS:
In the period prior to and during the El Alamein
break-through the Group flew up to one sixth of
the sorties in the area and scored approximately
40% of the air victories, with very few losses.
Most losses were caused by enemy ground fire,
which most fighter pilots considered more dangerous
than aerial combat. After the German retreat began,
the Group often flew up to half of the daily sorties
in that theatre.
CABLES TO N.Y. TIMES:
WITH THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCES, in Egypt,
Oct. 28 (U.P.) – American airmen have downed
fifteen Axis planes and damaged many others since
the start of the present Allied land offensive
in Egypt. Yesterday the Americans got seven. They
downed four planes Sunday and four Monday. In
addition, American bombers are carrying out raid
after raid on enemy airdromes, supplies and troop
and tank concentrations.
Monday the Fighting Cock Squadron scored its biggest
victory, sighting four Macchi-202’s in one
sweep and shooting down all the Italian fighters.
The engagement took place ten miles southeast
of El Daba.
The fight began at 10,000 feet, said Second Lieutenant
Robert L. Metcalfe of Hooker, OK, and ended only
200 feet above the ground.
Captain Thomas (Walt) Clark of Wetmore, MI, flight
leader, destroyed two of the four Macchi’s
in quick succession.
“The first one blew up in a thousand pieces
when I fired a burst at it,” he said. “Then
I dived at the second with such speed that I was
in danger of crashing with him when he went down
from my final burst. But I pulled away in time
and saw him make a floundering turn to the right
and crash in flames.
Lieutenant Metcalfe shot down a third Macchi and
the fourth was bagged by First Lieutenant Roy
Whitaker of Knoxville, TN.
“It was the grandest feeling in the world
– something like Christmas,” Lieutenant
Whitaker said. “This is the kind of thing
they have given us the best training in the world
to do.”
When the squadron returned to base and beer cans
had been opened all around it was found that only
one of the American planes had been hit and by
only one bullet, which had done no damage.
CAIRO, Egypt, Oct. 28- A feature of the war in
the air over the Egyptian battle area yesterday
was the skill and good fortune of the United States
fighter group-skill in the way pilots fought,
and good fortune in their getting excellent enemy
targets.
The Americans accounted for seven of the eighteen
enemy planes that were downed over the battle
area during the day. The top scorer was Second
Lieutenant Lyman L. Middleditch Jr. of Highlands,
NJ, who got three planes in one engagement, increasing
his total to four.
Having completed a fighter-bomber raid on enemy
airfields near El Daba, the United States pursuit
pilots sighted a big formation of enemy planes
coming in from the sea. They counted twenty Me-109’s,
twenty Stukas and twenty Fiat fighters. Though
heavily outnumbered, the Americans attacked.
Lieutenant Middleditch soon saw a Messerschmitt
veer from in front of his guns and then crash
in flames. He next went after three German planes
that were attacking him from above. Down went
a second Messerschmitt. He continued to fight
the two other enemy planes, which gradually moved
out over the sea. Finally he got in a good burst
and a third German plane rolled over on its back
and plunged into the water. By that time Lieutenant
Middleditch was out of ammunition, so he headed
for home.
Meanwhile, the other United States fighter pilots,
having dropped their bombs, turned on the Fiats,
shot down four of them and scored a number of
“probables.” All the Americans got
back safely.
THE LONGEST CHASE IN HISTORY:
It took the 8th Army only 12 days to break through
Rommel’s defenses at El Alamein and the
longest chase in history – 1300 miles in
13 weeks – began. The battle line moved
westward across Egypt and so thorough was the
RAF’s planning that airdromes far behind
the enemy lines were allocated to the various
air units long before their actual capture. Pinpoint
locations were still found on British maps used
two years previously by Generals Wavel and Cunningham.
One great problem was the necessity of keeping
up with a fast moving front. The RAF had perfected
a unique plan and taught the Yanks its elements.
The procedure was simple and effective. The squadrons
would be split into halves with an equal number
of mechanics, armourers, radio technicians, cooks,
truck drivers and so forth in each party. The
party which would move forward first would be
called “A” party, the rear echelon
“B” party. As soon as the ground forces
secured a site for a forward airfield, “A”
party was to move forward, carrying half of the
Squadron’s equipment and rations, to establish
servicing facilities on the new airfield. Meanwhile
the efficiency of the Squadron was not heavily
impaired, as “B” party continued flight
operations from the rear. As soon as “A”
party signaled that they were ready to begin flying
from the forward drome, the aircraft would land
and take-off into the combat from there. Then
“B” party would move up to join “A”
party for operations, at times “leap-frogging”
“A” party if the battle line continued
to move ahead.
The long anticipated jump-off for the Squadrons
came on November 5, and the camps looked practically
deserted with half of the men gone, their tents
and trucks no longer around. “B” parties
continued to operate from their bases and every
man had to work twice as hard to keep the aircraft
flying. “A” parties drove through
ninety miles of bloody battle – and for
the first time saw death in all its grotesque
forms. Remnants of enemy divisions lay in confusion
everywhere, shattered hulks of what were once
German armored vehicles, and huge artillery pieces.
Each revolution of the convoy’s wheels brought
new scenes of havoc and destruction into view.
The next day, “A” parties reached
new fields and set up camp. The British Army used
a fleet of American built motor trucks to carry
supplies onto each airdrome, and established dumps
of gasoline and ammunition in the area. Aircraft
took off for a mission and as soon as they left,
“B” party struck its tents, loaded
trucks and moved forward to join “A”
party. The aircraft landed at “A”
party’s airfield and, after servicing, were
ready to fly the short distance into enemy territory
to engage the “Wily Hun.” This method
of keeping up with a fast moving front was perfect
and as no period of inactivity was necessitated
by a move, it proved to be the model upon which
all future operations were based.
Moving forward was a dangerous procedure for several
reasons. The trucks kept intervals of one hundred
yards between them so that an enemy strafing aircraft
would not account for the destruction of too many
vehicles. All the personnel riding atop the trucks
kept their rifles at hand for such an occurrence
and every fifth vehicle mounted some kind of machine
gun against attacking aircraft. It was extremely
dangerous to stray from the road or track, as
German Teller Mines were planted everywhere. Although
an occasional truck would pull off the road in
an attempt to pass a slow moving convoy, it would
suddenly blow up in a geyser of smoke after hitting
a mine – and discourage any further short-cuts
around the convoy.
At night the convoys stopped along the road and
the men tried to get a few hours of rest. Aside
from the cold breeze that whipped around one’s
cot out in the open, Jerry aircraft often dropped
flares along the road and strafed any concentration
of vehicles observed. One night in Halfaya Pass,
on the Egypt – Libya border, German aircraft
strafed several tanks near the convoy and everyone
admitted that the multi-colored tracer bullets
and anti-aircraft bursts made an awe-inspiring
though deadly, spectacle.
ON THE MOVE AGAIN:
Many moves – ten in two months – then
a temporary hiatus – then on the move again.
Orders for 2 typical moves follow.
A more motley appearing gang of men than the Group
personnel on the move could not be found. The
men wore a wide assortment of uniforms and no
two of them were alike. British battle jackets
and trousers were worn by many, while others had
swapped items with their Australian friends back
in Egypt and wore huge-brimmed hats in real Aussie
style. German shoes were a popular item of footgear
in lieu of worn-out American shoes.
FIGHTER GROUP:
The 79th, under the command of Col. Peter McGoldrick
(Operations Officer of the 57th one year earlier),
arrived in the Mid East on November 2, 1942 and
was assigned to the 57th for indoctrination (acclimatization)
on November 6. On McGoldrick’s first mission,
a strafing assignment, he was knocked down by
ground fire and killed by a land mine in his forced
landing.
NAMING THE 66TH:
The famous war correspondent and author, Leland
Stowe, was on the field gathering material at
this time. He expressed surprise that although
the Sixty-Fourth Squadron had been named the “Black
Scorpions” and Sixty-Fifth Squadron the
“Fighting Cocks,” the Sixty-Sixth
was nameless. The Sixty-Sixth’s explanation
was that the job of leading the Group in exterminating
Jerries left no time for naming the unknown “Squadron
X.” Aptly enough, Mr. Stowe called the Sixty-Sixth
the “Exterminators” in his articles,
and the name stuck.
As Thanksgiving Day approached, the men wondered
whether Uncle Sam had completely forgotten them,
but a miracle was witnessed when B-25 aircraft
landed with their bomb bays full of frozen American
turkeys and vegetables. The kitchen personnel
worked long hours and prepared a meal reminiscent
of a banquet back in America. After months of
existing on bully beef and tea, this day of feasting
was long remembered.
Montgomery was hitting Rommel hard and more names
on the map became British occupied. Now the “leap-frogging”
game began in earnest and there were several changes
of station made during November some necessitated
by the extensive mining of the fields assigned.
The Group was taking its toll of enemy motor trucks,
installations, and enemy aircraft, but suffered
its own losses as well.
A move to a forward airfield began to assume the
perspective of a hunt. The first ones to arrive
usually found stores of enemy equipment, which
were very useful. Jerry left articles of every
description behind, from delicious food items
to portable generators, and souvenir hunting although
dangerous, was profitable. Practically everyone
strutted about with a shiny Luger automatic pistol
on his hip, and the men’s 180-pound British
tents boasted cheery light from German kerosene
lanterns during the long chilly evenings.
As the offensive on the ground moved westward,
the original task of the 239 Wing was completed
and the Sixty-Sixth was ordered to rejoin the
57th Group at Martuba, Libya. Many handclasps
and greetings were exchanged as the Squadron personnel
jokingly called the “Gypsies,” looked
up old acquaintances in the in the other squadrons
of the “First In The Blue” Group.
A few weeks later, Christmas found the organization
eating American rations in part, and although
rumors mentioned something about a chicken dinner,
rainy weather prevented the transports from flying
in the promised treat. A few days later, however,
the men ate a delicious, although somewhat belated,
Christmas dinner. New Year’s Day saw “A”
parties on the move and although one truck in
the convoy hit a land mine, injuring two of the
men, the trip through the dangerous Marble Arch
sector was completed safely. Memories of the dive-bombing
and strafing attack a “B” party near
Agedabia were still fresh in everyone’s
mind. Reaching its new base at Hamraiet in a blinding
sandstorm, “A” parties were unable
to set up camp for several days. Engineers were
still carrying rocks off the proposed field and
German aircraft took their toll in several strafing
attacks, which killed overt fifty of the hardy
soldiers. The men in the 57th were battle-wise
and dug in everywhere against aerial attacks.
In addition, several of the men had made machine-gun
nests from captured German weapons and threw up
their own anti-aircraft fire, soon after the Group
drove into selected camp areas. Messerschmitts
strafed the trucks and personnel. One of the crew
chiefs, S-Sgt. Louis Lederman, using a captured
Spandau machine gun on a homemade tripod, shot
down one of the Messerchmitts. A few days later
“B” party, moving toward Hamraiet,
lost a truck in an enemy mine field, but no one
was hurt by the blast. Darragh was the next base
and operations there were curtailed frequently
by the driving sandstorms, which blew for days
on end.
EL ALAMEIN TO TRIPOLI:
Action by the Group in the early weeks, July 1,
1942 – January 23, 1943, was covered briefly
in a review prepared under the direction of Colonel
Arthur Salisbury, excerpts of which follow: “In
the Allied preparation for the battle of Egypt,
it was decided to assemble the group on L.B. 174
in the Western Desert some thirty five miles southwest
of Alexandria. The Group was to act as an Air
Force reserve during the period of preparation
and then actively participate in the battle. Accordingly,
all units of the Group united on L.G. 174 on September
15, 1942, and Group was placed under the tactical
control of the RAF 21 Group (equivalent to an
American Wing).” This tactical control continued
throughout the period covered by this communication:
“On October 6, 1942, the 66th Squadron was
attached to the RAF 239th Wing and continued to
be so attached until November 19, 1942. On October
7th, the Group ceased to form a reserve and began
active operations over enemy lines. The first
aerial victory came on October 9th when the 64th
Squadron destroyed one ME 109 and probably destroyed
another while the 66th Squadron damaged one MC
202.”
“The grand Air Offensive opened on the 20th
of October. This was the first, or purely air
phase of the Battle Of Egypt. The Air Forces marshaled
for this battle were the greatest ever assembled
in close support of a single army up to that time.
This first phase had a two-fold objective, i.e.,
to gain complete mastery of the air and to soften
up the enemy by harassing his supply lines. This
was the first real test of the fighter-bomber.
During this phase the 57th Group flew one tenth
of the total sorties flown by the Desert Air Force.”
“The second phase of the Battle Of Egypt
was ushered in on the night of October 23-24,
with the opening of the assault on the Alamein
Line by the Ground Forces of the 8th Army. During
this second phase the Group was operating in close
support against army targets, bombing and strafing.
Missions were flown continuously; as rapidly as
the planes could be serviced after one mission
they took off on another. During this phase the
group flew one sixth of the total sorties flown
by the Desert Air Force. And during the first
and second phases of the Battle of Egypt the group
was credited with approximately forty percent
of the aerial victories of the entire Desert Air
Force. It was during this second phase of the
Battle that the major portion of the German Air
Force supporting Rommel was put out of action
on the ground. This was the result of a new type
of attack initiated by the 57th Group, appropriately
called the pre-dawn fighter-bomber attack. The
first of these missions was the so-called “Fuka
Show” on the early morning of October 27,
1942. Our planes took off before dawn by the light
of truck headlights and were over the enemy landing
ground near Fuka at dawn. Fuka was the base for
most of the German Air Force supporting Rommel
and for advanced elements of the Italian Air Force.
The enemy was taken completely by surprise; his
planes were on the ground; and he sustained great
damage from bombing and strafing. This type of
attack was repeated by the Group on October 28th
and November 2nd. Following these attacks the
German Air Force was never again a serious contender
for control of the air in the Battle of Egypt
and the ensuing Libyan Campaign.”
“The third phase of the Battle of Egypt
became discernable on the morning of the 3rd of
November when allied tactical reconnaissance aircraft
reported that the signs indicated an enemy withdrawal
and that the coast road from Daba to Fuka was
black with traffic moving West. To destroy this
movement the Desert Air Force threw everything
it had into the Battle. From midday until dark
this 57th Group participated in this “shuttle
service” carrying out fighter-bomber attacks.
By dusk, transport vehicles were seen burning
along the whole length of the road from Chazal
to Fuka.”
The German Air Force, in its defeat of France
a couple of years earlier, had strafed the streams
of civilian refugees fleeing south at that time
and the Salisbury report takes note of that.
“The Luftwaffe’s murder of fleeing
civilians on the roads of France was being avenged;
the Axis soldiery was having a taste of what their
Air Force had so often joyously inflicted. Because
of the havoc, confusion and destruction inflicted
upon him from the air, the enemy was unable to
hold his new line southward from Ghazal. As he
retreated the air attack was maintained in all
its fury and on the 5th of November this attack
had so disorganized the Hun that he was unable
to regroup his forces for a stand at Fuka. The
full retreat was on and Allied air power was maintaining
its tempo, winning for Rommel the dubious subriquet
of “Master of the Retreat.” Ever westward
moved the bombed and strafed German forces through
Sidi Barrani, Sollum and Halfaya pass. Air power
denied Rommel the power to concentrate for a stand
and the “flap” was on to Jedabya.”
WINTER 1942-43 ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
More excerpts from Colonel Salisbury’s report,
“The Germans made a stand at Aghelia but
again withdrew before full pressure was exerted
by the Ground Forces of the 8th Army. The withdrawal
continued until Tripoli fell to the army on the
23rd of January 1943. Thereafter, Rommel withdrew
westward to the Mareth Line.
“In the campaign from Alamein through Tripoli,
the fighter-bomber played a conspicuous part and
definitely influenced Ground Force tactics. Rommel
was never permitted to regroup and concentrate
his forces for a determined stand or for a counter
attack. The part played by the 57th Group on forcing
the wily Rommel to conduct a continuous retreat
was significantly great. During the retreat through
Libya the Group flew one fourth, and on some days
one half of the total sorties flown by the Desert
Air Force.”
“In the development of Desert tactics the
Group was most conspicuous. The close cooperation
with the Army is shown by the timetable maintained
in the advance. The Group moved forward in repeated
jumps to occupy new landing grounds as soon as
the enemy had been ejected. Ten such moves were
made between November 5, 1942 and January 11,
1943. At L.G. 75, some forty miles southeast of
Sidi Barrani the advance ground echelon had to
wait some time a short distance off the L.G.,
while enemy armored forces were cleared from the
field. Maintenance of aircraft under the most
adverse desert conditions made possible the remarkable
record of the Group throughout the campaign. In
spite of the most severe sand storms, and in the
face of most critical shortages of parts, material
and supplies, the maintenance record for the entire
campaign was slightly better than 72% serviceability
of assigned aircraft.”
THE STATISTICAL RECORD,
JULY 1, 1942 – JANUARY 23, 1943, OF THE
GROUP WAS:
(A) Hours flown 5545.54
(B) Missions 383
(C) Sorties 3702
(D) Weight of bombs dropped (pounds) 415, 660
(E) Victories
(1) Enemy aircraft destroyed 62
(2) Enemy aircraft probably destroyed 12
(3) Enemy aircraft damaged 42
(F) Losses by enemy action (mostly by strafing)
(1) Aircraft 26
(2) Pilots 15 (8 confirmed POW’s)
(G) Of the 383 missions noted above, 75 were bomber-escorts,
75 patrols over harbors and shipping convoys,
145 fighter-bomber or strafing and the balance
were fighter-sweeps or intercepts. A very large
number of enemy aircraft were destroyed on the
ground and many more damaged; more than 100 gun
emplacements put out of action, while at least
two tanks were destroyed and others damaged. Many
tents and innumerable personnel were also destroyed.
The foregoing account of the combat
activities of the 57th Fighter Group should be
evaluated with the following consideration borne
in mind: Claims of victories were based strictly
on the RAF method of establishing proof, and are
believed to be extremely conservative. During
the early phase of campaigning the 57th Group
maintained a ratio of critical shortages of aircraft
and pilots. During the month of October 1942,
victories were 27 enemy aircraft destroyed, 7
probably destroyed and 15 damaged for the loss
of one 57th Group pilot. Throughout the entire
period the most critical shortage of parts, material
and supplies did not deter ground crews from establishing
a record throughout of better than 72% serviceability
of assigned aircraft. During this period of more
than four months, all personnel of this Group
lived under the most rigorous conditions. Only
on rare occasions did they receive issues of American
rations, clothing, tentage and other sanitary
measures. No facilities were available for entertainment
or recreation. This Group was the only American
organization to move forward immediately behind
the British Eighth Army and at Hamraiet L.G.,
35 miles SW of Sirte was subjected to three days
of concentrated bombing and strafing by the enemy
aircraft. Nevertheless, with utter disregard for
there own personal safety and welfare, each and
every member of the 57th Fighter Group performed
his duties in an exemplary manner, is keeping
with the highest traditions of the United States
Army Air Force.
With the capture of Tripoli by the British 8th
Army on January 23, 1943, there was time and occasion
for celebration. General Strickland said that
the Fifty-Seventh would be employed in the Tunisian
Campaign, and the men gritted their teeth and
moved westward. From Zuara, Libya, an advance
party crossed into Tunisia on March 2, and although
they set up camp deep inside the border, a German
counter-attack from the Mareth Line forced them
to retreat over 40 miles to Ben Gerdane.
A few weeks later the Group was flying from El
Djem L.G. and on April 18 made the famous “Palm
Sunday Massacre.” The 57th Group in ten
minutes shot down the astounding total of seventy-five
German aircraft for the loss of six Warhawks.
This example of Yankee plane trading broke the
arch of the aerial bridge over which the Germans
were supplying the Afrika Korps-which was like
pumping blood into a corpse. That night the Intelligence
Section worked until midnight to sort out the
claims, and a party was laid on that will never
be forgotten. Twenty-five days after the Palm
Sunday Massacre the Axis in Africa surrendered.
SHUFFLING ASSIGNMENTS:
Like a chess player moving his men, the high command
moved Squadron to meet the needs. Squadron 66
of the 57th Group was attached to the 239 RAF
Wing from October 6 to November 19. Then the 112th
RAF (Shark Nose) Squadron was attached to the
57th Group from November 19, 1943 to January 28,
1943. From March 8, 1943 to May 23, 1943, the
314th Squadron of the 324th Group, which had somewhat
earlier arrived in the Middle East, was attached
to the 57th.
AT WAR – AFRICA, SUMMARY:
In a report of May 30, 1943, prepared
under the direction of Col.Salisbury, the statistics
for the Group from the time it entered action
until the end of the African Campaign, May 22,
1943 are reported as follows:
Sorties 6103
Missions 530
KIA 10
POW 10
MIA as of report date 12
Late Arrivals 14
E/A Victories 224
E/A Probables 37
E/A Damaged 140
500 lb. Bombs dropped 1706
Weight of 500 pounders 853,000
40 lb. Bombs dropped 304
Weight of 40 pounders 212,160
