Andrew Boyd

55th Fighter Group 04/16/1945

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PILOT’S PERSONAL ENCOUNTER REPORT

A.  Combat.

B.  16 April 1945.

C.  38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group.

D.  1545 Hours.

E.  Bad Aibling A/D and West and East side of autobahn between Munich/Brunnthal A/D and Munich/Neubiberg A/D.

F.  Visibility 4 to 5 miles.

G.  3 He 111’s, 2 Ju 88’s, 6 Si 204’s and 1 Fi 156.

H.  3 He 111’s destroyed (Ground).

2 Ju 88’s destroyed (Ground).

1 Si 204 destroyed (Ground).

1 Fi 156 damaged (Ground).

5 Si 204’s damaged (Ground).

I.  The following two accounts are submitted to substantiate claims made by Lt. Col. Righetti, Group Leader and White Leader of the 38th Fighter Squadron on this mission, who was declared MIA on the 17 April 1945.

ANDREW C. BOYD, JR.,

Captain, Air Corps,

Intelligence Officer.

 

Statement by Major Clayton L. Peterson, C.O. of 38th Fighter Squadron, flying Hellcat Yellow Leader:

As we were about to leave the area, Lt. Col. Righetti, who was leading Hellcat Squadron, told me to count the fires in the area along the autobahn between Munich/Brunnthal A/D and Munich/Neubiberg A/D.  To the best of my ability I counted fifteen fires in the whole area.  This coincided with his count when we compared figures after landing on home base.  From this observation I believe that claims of Col. Righetti and others of Hellcat Squadron in the above area are not only justified but are conservative.

CLAYTON L. PETERSON, O-425043,

Major, Air Corps.

Commanding.

S T A T E M E N T

I was flying Hellcat White 3 in the Munich area on 16 April 1945.  Lt. Col. Righetti was leading the Group and flying Hellcat White Leader.  We hit the deck and were stooging around between Rosenheim and Munich.  As we were flying up the autobahn in a Northwesterly direction, a field was called in on our right.  Col. Righetti led our flight over this field on two strafing passes – first one from north to south, second one from east to west.  Col. Righetti then called over the radio and said that the Squadron should leave the field as he didn’t think the planes parked there had gas in them.  He also said that he had damaged three T/E A/C (1, 2, 3) (see illustration 1) which were later identified as Si 204’s.

We then proceeded up the autobahn.  Southeast of Munich we saw a number of planes parked along this autobahn between Munich/Brunnthal A/D and Munich/Neubiberg A/D.  They were well camouflaged and hard to see.  We set up a traffic pattern and made 7 or 8 passes from west to east.  On his (Col. Righetti’s) first two passes I saw him fire at and destroy two T/E planes.  I then lost him.  As we continued our passes I heard Col. Righetti claim over the radio that he had destroyed a few more.  When we broke away from this autobahn I heard Col. Righetti claim that he had destroyed 6 planes (4 – 9) (See illustration 2) and damaged 3 planes (10, 11, 12) (See illustration 2) in this encounter.  There were approximately 15 fires in the area at the time we left.

JOHN W. KAVANAUGH, O-677047,

Captain, Air Corps.

J.  Ammunition Expended – 1600 Rounds.

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Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Andrew Boyd of the 55th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Andrew Boyd's combat experience.

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  55th Fighter Group