Flower Mound resident veteran, John Keil, logged more than 40 missions as a fighter-bomber pilot flying P-47 Thunderbolts for the 397th Fighter Squadron-“Jabo Angels”, 368th Fighter Group. He is always eager to share his war stories, mostly of his experiences as a lucky survivor and also as a ruthless fighter pilot. In sharing a small part of his sacrifices, we can continue to honor his accomplishments by learning about what he went through.
Here is an excerpt from the book, Second To None, The History of the 368th Fighter Group, by Timothy M. Grace which features many accounts from John’s wartime days:
“On March 2, 1945, the group flew mission number 1,000, which followed the same pattern as before. A total of 111 sorties were flown despite rain and snow. The 397th Fighter Squadron sent out 14 planes for another shot at the Langenselbold fuel storage depot in support of the 94th Infantry Division and the 10th Armored Division of the XX Corps. The bombing was excellent, with 18 hits on the targets causing an explosion and considerable damage to the fuel dump. On their next mission, 16 planes were dispatched to attack the Mainz transport repair shops and 16 of their bombs dropped on four oil tanks in the woods nearby started a large fire with three tanks damaged and one destroyed. A flight led by Capt. Krause with Lts. Keil, Kalen and Hunt destroyed two houses, damaged 42 more, and took out a rocket launcher. All told, the 397th Fighter Squadron destroyed 124 rail cars on those missions.”
You can learn more about the 368th Fighter Group at the website: www.368thfightergroup.com
