Jasta 78b - 30 July 1918

[ONEALM]

30 July 1918, 99 Sq IAF set out to bomb Stuttgart, but ground mist forced them to detour and bomb the railway at LAHR. While recrossing the Rhine, the formation of 8 DH-9's were then attacked by a group of about 20 EA. Among them were Vzfw. Kallmunzer and Ltn. d Res. Robert Dycke, Jastafuhrer of Jasta 78b.

Kallmunzer attacked a DH-9 piloted by Lt. Philip Dietz, from Roselle, New Jersey. His gunner was 18 year old Horace Batty from Chicago. Their DH-9 broke up in the air near Gross Rombach around 08h40. It was credited as Kallmunzer's 1st official victory. (After the war the town of Roselle dedicated two streets to their RAF/IAF dead - Dietz St. and Cristiani St. (84 RAF)).

Dycke was WIA near Thannweiller (or Weilertal) by DH-9's flying an Albatros D.V.

According to the 99 Squadron History by Capt. Pattison, 99 Squadron claimed one EA in flames, one broken up in the air and a third from which the pilot was seen to fall.

Does anyone know if there were other casualties that fit the location/time to justify the Enlgish claims ? I understand that one aircraft - in flames, broken up with the pilot falling out - may account for all three, but the only known (by me) casualty that fits closely enough was Dycke who was wounded.

I've looked through all of Rick D.'s published work - Jasta Pilots, Jasta War Chrono, Casualties of the German AS (Thanks Rick !). Any other sources, or suggestions would be helpful.

Many thanks in advance,
Mike

Hey,

Dan San what do you say ?

[Soderbaum]

Hi Mike

Strangely I dont have any German description of this raid...

However it seems that at 1 British DH 9 was reported shot down and eventually claimed both by Jasta 18 and Jasta 76b...ref NB

I dont knew which one, Kallmünzer or Monnington who finally received the confirmation for the victory..

So it seems that at least one more German unit was involved...

However the German officially reported a total loss of 19 a/c through enemy action during raids on their homeland in July 1918.
17 of these in air combat, 1 by AA and the last was reported missed..
The German claimed themselfes 81 e/a during these raids in July. 48 of these fell within German hold lines. Of the total were 59 e/a claimed in aerial combat.

I also think that some other German units could have been involved...

:
Gunnar

[ONEALM]

Thanks Gunnar -

There were other NJ losses with the IAF DH-9's which I'll have to look into closely.

Lt. William Ludwig Deetjen from Montclair, NJ was KIA 30 June 1918 while with 104 Squadron with no known matching claim - lost on the German side of the lines - and Lt. John J. Redfield also of Montclair, also 104 Sq., WIA and POW, 22 August 1918. The latter was a particularly bad day for 104 Sq with 7 of 9 DH-9's downed. The interesting thing there is that there were 7 definate losses, destroyed or captured, but only two known claims which match - both Js. 78b again. Ah, the mysteries of research....

Thanks again for the help.
Mike