Alfonso H. Kent                                                                                       Updated: 11 JAN 2019

Airman: o888537.htm Surname: Kent Init: A H Rank: 2ndLt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 55

P_link: p357.htm Plane: P51 43-25049 Operation:  Attack DK Crash_site: Grådyb off Esbjerg

Crash_d: d270844 Buried_d: o888 C_link: o888.htm At_Next: POW

Den 27. august 1944 kl. 1520 styrtede P51 43-25049 i Nordsøen måske omkring her. Det var blevet ramt af flak. 

"Jeg førte Rød Formation da vi angreb mål ved Esbjerg. Vi fløj meget lavt og havde været gennem intens og præcis, let og tung beskydning fra antiluftskyts i byen og
ved kystlinjen. Lt Kents fly blev ramt - han trak opad lige efter at have krydset kysten og fløj omkring 3 km ud i Nordsøen. Han sprang ud i en højde på omkring 600 m
og hans skærm foldede sig ud. Senere så jeg ham i hans redningsflåde." (p357MACR)  Han blev samlet op af den danske fiskekutter E147 "Jette Marie" og taget til Esbjerg, hvor de var nødt til at udlevere ham til tyskerne. 2nd Lt Alfonso H. Kent endte i Stalag Luft I Barth. (Kilde: AOD)
Se Tyske krigsfangelejre.
Se også Reddet af fiskere i Nordsøen.

"Den 27. august 1944 udsendtes 1200 amerikanske bombefly mod Berlin, men på grund af ugunstige vejrforhold over Nordtyskland angreb en del af de udsendte
fly andre mål på Kontinentet. Et af disse mål var Esbjerg flyveplads, hvor ca. 60 B-17 fly nedkastede mere end 200 bomber, hvilket gjorde flyvepladsen ubrugelig i
resten af krigen." (FAF) Den gamle Esbjerg flyveplads lå i området omkring dette punkt. Nu er det en del af byen Esbjerg. (Kilde: Søren Diers) Se også Farlige jagere.

"Ingen fjendtlige fly blev set og vores jagerstøtte var fremragende." (Mission Report Nr. 233 fra 303rd Bomb Group Heavy) Se også P-51 Mustang - Photos.
Mistet under denne mission: B17 43-37629 * B17 42-37841 * P51 43-25049 * P51 44-13733 * P51 44-13951 * P51 44-13991 * P51 42-106480. (Kilde: AOD)
1 flyver.

On 27 August 1944 at 15.20 hours P51 43-25049 crashed into the North Sea maybe about here. It had been hit by flak.  

"I was leading Red Flight at the time we strafed the A/F at Esbjerg. We were on the deck and had been through intense and accurate light and heavy flak in the town
and on the shore line.  Lt Kent's plane was hit - he pulled up just after crossing the shore and flew approximately 2/3 miles out into the North Sea. He bailed out at approximately 2,000 feet altitude and his chute opened. Later I saw him in his dinghy." (MACR) He was picked up by the Danish fishing vessel E147 "Jette Marie" and taken to Esbjerg where they had to hand him over to the Germans. 2nd Lt Alfonso H. Kent ended up in Stalag Luft I Barth. (Source: AOD)
See German POW-Camps.

"On 27 August 1944 1200 American bombers were to target Berlin, but due to unfavourable weather conditions over North Germany some of the dispatched
planes attacked other targets on the Continent. One of these targets was Esbjerg Airfield where about 60 B-17s dropped more than 200 bombs which made the airfield useless for the rest of the war." (FAF) The old Esbjerg Airfield was in the area around this point. Now it is a part of the town of Esbjerg. (Source: Søren Diers)

"No enemy aircraft were seen and friendly fighter support was excellent." (Mission Report No. 233 from 303rd Bomb Group Heavy) See P-51 Mustang - Photos.
See p357MACR and  Google Map Esbjerg 27 AUG 1944. See also Rescued by fishermen in the North Sea.

Lost on this mission: B17 43-37629 * B17 42-37841 * P51 43-25049 * P51 44-13733 * P51 44-13951 * P51 44-13991 * P51 42-106480. (Source: AOD)
This P-51 belonged to the 55th Fighter Squadron, see fact sheet and 55 FS, 20 FG, 67 FW, 1 BD, 8 AF of the USAAF. It took off from Kings Cliffe Airfield.
1 airman.