70 years ago: the 362nd takes it to an all-but-grounded Luftwaffe

On April 9, 1945, the 362nd Fighter Group chased down the Luftwaffe on the ground. One mission from each squadron shot up airfields in the Erfurt-Weimar area, claiming 20 destroyed and 12 damaged. The targets included a large number of Bf 108s. Later, two tanks were also destroyed, and again reconnaissance Mustangs did a good job leading P-47s to concentrations of enemy vehicles hiding in the woods. The 378^th flew five missions in support of XX Corps, and during the third mission they spotted 16 enemy planes, apparently flying simply as decoys designed to get the P-47s to drop their loads and give chase. The fifth mission hit an airfield near Weimar, destroying three Bf 108s, two Bf 109s, and a biplane on the ground. The 379^th also flew a mission to breach the dam at Salburg, a mission that Lt. Joe Muller said was flown in the face of “beaucoup flak.”