1st Lt. Steve Ananian flew the P-51
Mustang "Baby Mine" (44-14734) when he was assigned
to the 505th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group, 8th USAAF
in Europe. He flew 62 combat sorties, and on February 9, 1945,
while escorting bombers to Leipzig, Germany, he shot down one
German Luftwaffe Me 262 jet. He destroyed 3 German Luftwaffe
JU 88 aircraft on the ground, and damaged two more Me 262 jets
in the air. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the
Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Presidential Distinguished
Unit Citations, the American Campaign, European Theater with
three campaign stars, Air Offensive Europe, Northern France,
Rhineland, Central Europe, Victory Medal, and Sweden’s Gold
Medal of Vassa (8th D.)
The 339th Fighter Group was stationed at Folwmere, England, and
consisted of the 503rd, 504th, and 505th Fighter Squadrons. The
339th was famous for strafing many Luftwaffe aircraft. They were
credited with having destroyed the most enemy aircraft (air-ground)
by a group in its first year of combat in the European Theater
of Operations – 658! The most enemy aircraft (ground) by
a group in its first year - - 424 as well as having 100 air victories
in 100 missions. In the 339th Fighter Groups first month, 28
missions were flown and 39 victories were recorded. - Signed
by Steve Ananian. |