Therman D. Brown mission October 6, 1942

Occasionally, but not often, the enemy would predict our return routes and try to jump us on our way home. One time we were using the middle of the Mediterranean when we were jumped by a single German JU 88. This was a long range, twin engined fighter-bomber that was rugged and sometimes used as a night fighter. It was easy to recognize by its cockpit canopy that looked like a little greenhouse.

The JU 88 stayed with us for perhaps twenty minutes but it seemed like an hour. As was so often the case, he did not close for a kill but strafed the formation from a distance. Just about everyone that wanted one got a souvenir bullet to dig out of the plane but no major damage was done.

On still another occasion, October 6, 1942, returning from a raid on Benghazi, we were jumped by two ME 109's. The main difference this time was that one ME 109 was making head-on attacks. I think the reason that I remember this one after all these years, is that on one frontal attack, the string of tracers looked as if they were going to hit my hand that was on the throttles. I instinctively snatched my hand back. That burst of fire did not come very close to our ship and I was a little chagrined.

Again, we lost no planes. The enemy respected the firepower of a formation of B-24's. It was formidable. We all knew this.  When under attack, we really tightened the formation ­so tight, that I think sometimes we were a danger to each other. I never heard of a mid-air collision because of this, however.

376 ARCHIVES

The website 376bg.org is NOT our site nor is it our endowment fund.

At the 2017 reunion, the board approved the donation of our archives to the Briscoe Center for American History, located on the University of Texas - Austin campus.

Also, the board approved a $5,000 donation to add to Ed Clendenin's $20,000 donation in the memory of his father. Together, these funds begin an endowment for the preservation of the 376 archives.

Donate directly to the 376 Endowment

To read about other endowment donation options, click here.


My Trip to San Pancrazio

October 2019


Reunion

NOTE change in month !!!

DATES: Oct 26-29, 2024

CITY:Tucson, AZ

HOTEL: Double Tree Suites Airport hotel

7051 South Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85756

520-225-0800


Click here to read about the reunion details.

previous reunions


For Sale

The Other Doolittle Raid


The Broken Wings of Zlatibor


The Liberandos


Three Crawford Brothers


Liberando: Reflections of a Reluctant Warrior


376th Bomb Group Mission History


The Last Liberator


Full Circle


Shadows of Wings


Ten Men, A "Flying Boxcar," and A War


I Survived Ploesti


A Measure of Life


Shot Down In Yugoslavia


Stories of My Life


Attack


Born in Battle


Bombardier's Diary


Lost Airmen


Langdon Liberando