The 78th & 325th Fighter Groups executed a joint mission codenamed "SUNSET" in the CT Thursday night. The mission task was to destroy the capital ship of the Japanese Fleet. The 325th (Checkertail Clan) was assigned the task of attacking the fleet using P-47D-30's in a dive-bombing role. The 78th (Duxford Eagles) was tasked to provide ingress and egress scouting and fighter escort for the 325th. The Eagles flew the P-51D.
Planning for the mission began last Sunday. Recon flights were flown all this week. The Op Order was briefed on Wednesday and included a detailed Task Organization, Intelligence Analysis, Operations Plan with recon photos and a Communications Plan.
The fighter groups took off from A19 at 2212EST and flew directly to the fleet, arriving over the target at 2230EST. With the Eagles overhead, the Checkertails executed the dive-bombing hitting and sinking the Japanese capital ship at 2233EST in Sector 1010.
On egress, the 325th lost one P-47 to an ME262 and one P-47 to AAA from the fleet. One other P-47 suffered damage from the fleet's AAA.
The 78th shot down one ME262 and sustained no losses or damage.
Other than the two P-47s, both groups returned to A19.
TOTAL BDA ROLLUP:
American; 2 X P-47D-30's lost. 1 X P-47D-30 damaged.
Japanese; 1 X Battleship sunk. 1 X ME262 lost.
Report submitted by
2Lt Lowtec
325th FG
Asst G-1 for Public Relations
