Lt. Richard Black with 44-13535 MC-R “Black’s Bird”

in late 1944. (Peter Randall collection)

44-13535 MC-R “Black’s Bird” in late 1944 showing

the newly applied piano keys identification markings

of the 20th Fighter Group.

(Peter Randall collection)

after the 1941 Glen Miller hit and his hometown.

In October 1944 the song was included on

a V-Disc record released by the War Department

and sent free to overseas military personnel which

meant it would have been a familiar sound around

US airfields in early 1945.

44-13535 MC-R “Chattanooga Choo Choo” at Station 367: King’s Cliffe.

Lt. Pogue’s second mission in “Chattanooga

Choo Choo” on the 20th February resulted

in more combat success for 44-13535. The

20th Fighter Group was directed to attack rail

traffic found in the area of Nuremburg. Arriving

at 11:50 the group split and looked for targets on

the four main rail lines leading from Nuremburg.

The 79th Fighter Squadron report states “After

our squadron had strafed transportation targets

in the area Lt. Jones, leading Blue Flight, sighted

an airfield on which there were approximately

35 He111s, 8 Me110s, 1 Me410, 1 Me109 and

1 Fw190. The airfield was strafed from 12:35

until 12:45. Blue Flight led by Lt. Jones made

two passes, Red Flight led by Capt. Hollins made

three passes, Yellow Flight led by Capt. Kies made

two passes and White Flight led by Major Meyer

made two passes. Light flak was encountered

coming from the woods north west of the airfield.

It was moderate and inaccurate. Capt. Kies was

wounded in the right leg by a single .30 cal projectile.

Planes were dispersed and an attempt had been

made to camouflage them by covering them with

boughs from trees and mesh netting”. Lt Pogue

expended 530 rounds and claimed two He111s

destroyed. The 79th Fighter Squadron claimed

22 aircraft destroyed and a further 15 damaged

in this ten minute attack.

The pace of operations at this time can be seen

by the fact that next claim made in “Chattanooga

Choo Choo” was 52 days after the 20th February

mission. In those 52 days 44-13535 flew 40

missions. The mission of 13th April was to escort

Bombers attacking railroad yards east of Hamburg.

16

eduard

INFO Eduard - August 2019