https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/12/306/Dibble_Text0239.pdf ad2d00a047a251927e0f03f2bc9064e1 PDF Text Text 7 P-38 AIR COMBAT WITH Bf 109s OF JG 53 ON 30 AUGUST 1943 aee♦a An extract from Dr. Jochen Prien, Jagdgeschwader 53, Vol. II (Atglen, Penn.: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997), pp. 675-76: 30 August 1943: Toward midday a fierce battle developed over the Gulf of Gaeta with a formation of about 20 Marauders and 60 Lightnings. All available German fighters (the “Pik-As Geschwader” together with Stab and I/JG 77 and IV/JG 3) were scrambled to intercept. The aircraft of II Gruppe climbed out of Cancello between 11:37 and 11:46 AM and soon afterwards engaged the enemy—the following account appears in Robert Gugelberger’s diary: “11:39 AM, scramble. Climbed to 4,000 m. An enemy formation with strong fighter escort approaching the coast. We positioned ourselves above the formation intending to fire our rockets into it from in front. The fighter escort circled behind the formation. We dove steeply, reversed course, and approached from dead ahead. I fired and saw both rockets fly through the middle of the formation, however they exploded behind it. Dove beneath the bomber formation and pulled up. Above I met Fw. Steinmuller—we flew together and attacked Lightnings. 50 to 60 were circling madly. Another rocket-armed machine fired into the Lightnings and two went down. More launches and more crashes in the water. I attacked twice from above in a dive. Got in a brief burst. Then I spotted two Lightnings, positioned myself behind the second machine and fired. Burst was on target but now I was surrounded by Lightnings. Climbed vertically and was happy to have got away. The Lightning I fired at was shot down by another of out pilots. Fuel was running low and I had to return and land at 12:51 PM. On the way I saw American life rafts in the water. Uffz. Niesen failed to return.” Leo Niesen had been shot down in combat with P-3 8s and crashed with his machine about a kilometer west of Giugliano station; the crash site was not found until two days later—Robert Gugelberger: “Today they found the spot where Uffz. Niesen crashed. A hole three meters deep. A few shreds of our yellow neckerchief and a piece of scalp with blonde hair, bent pieces of metal everywhere. That was all they found of him.” Uffz. Leo Niesen was JG 53’s only casualty in this action; on the other hand a total of 26 Lightnings were claimed shot down, including eleven by the “Pik-As Geschwader. ” American records admit the loss of just 13 Lightnings, however. At 1:15 PM elements of I Gruppe scrambled from Cassano; the subsequent flight failed to result in contact with the enemy.. . . � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James P. Dibble: The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943 Description An account of the resource From Jim Dibble's account titled "The Day of Armegeddon" included in this collection: "Following the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, the missions flown out of North Africa by the 1st Fighter Group pilots in their P-38 Lightnings had a common objective of preparing for the invasion at Salerno, Italy by the United States Fifth Army." A mission on August 25th was highly successful, with a loss of only 8 P-38's. The 1st Fighter Group earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their efforts, but the August 30 mission, for which they would earn a second citation, was not so easy. See mission reports, photos, first hand accounts and more information about this infamous air battle known as The Day of Armageddon. Jump to other sections of the collection: <ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/5">James P. Dibble: World War II P-38 Fighter Pilot</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/6">His Early Life</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/7">High School into the Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/8">Flight Training</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/17">We Got Married!</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/9">Combat!</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/10">Mission Reports</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/11">Letters Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/16">Flying with Eisenhower</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/12">The Day of Armageddon - August 30, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/13">Killed in Action</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/14">The Search for Answers</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/collections/show/15">The Monument in Padula, Italy</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul><li> <ul><li><a href="http://omeka/collections/show/15"></a></li> </ul></li> </ul> Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Translated extract from a German book with observations from their perspective of the August 30, 1943 air battle. Subject The topic of the resource World War II. August 30, 1943. Description An account of the resource Translated extract from a German book with observations from their perspective of the August 30, 1943 air battle. Unknown translator. Citation: Dr. Jochen Prien, Jagdgeschwader 53, Vol II (Atglen, Penn.: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997), pp. 675-76 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Published historical account Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Jochen Prien Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1993 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Dr. Jochen Prien Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jim Dibble Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). 1/18/2022