"Last Reunion of Heroes" AAR
First Published in The Bluenoser
by DGoose, Rhino and Joemac

It was a stormy October day and the planes sat idle on the tarmac. Inside the hanger, the surviving veterans of the 352nd FG/1st ASG were being honored for their dedication and service given to this country during WWII. Little did they know, there was a mission planned for this day. A mission to be flown by the pilots of the Virtual 352nd. The objective: Fly escort for the 457th Heavy Bomber Group. The target: oil refineries located in the Ruhr Valley. The opponent: JG2 of the German Luftwaffe.

As step-time approached, preparations reached a fevered state. Participants began logging onto the Internet and running down their pre-flight checks. Connection? Green - Check! Voice Comm? Active - Check! Fuel Load? 100% Full - Check! Wing Assignments? Check! A crowd of on-lookers began to gather as the gun went off and the Virtual Bluenosers took to the air.

The flight in over the channel was uneventful and the join-up with the 457th was routine. The bombers were in tight formation at 20,000 feet with the 352nd taking up positions at 25,000. Headquarters flight lead by Col H. K. "YT" Whitehead, was at the high 12 o'clock position. The 328th, lead by Maj Dan "Dgoose" Rutledge, was at the 9 o'clock station. The 486th, lead by Maj Mark "Magnet" Everett, was at the 3 o'clock station and the 487th, lead by Maj. John "Foxone" Brooks, was at the 12 o'clock station.

It was 10 minutes before the target and Flak began filling the sky. Although light at first, it intensified quickly until all of a sudden it stopped. "BANDITS 12 O'CLOCK!" The radio came alive as a wave of FW 190's followed by a second wave of ME 109's attacked from the East. The 487th quickly engaged the 190's from the 12 o'clock position while the 328th and 486th bracketed the attackers. A furious fight ensued with several Bluenosers saddling on the tails of the Luftwaffe. Soon the sky was full of falling Luftwaffe aircraft . Those who did not grab hold of a bandit stayed with the bomber stream keeping a sharp eye for the next attack. One moment the sky was intense and chaotic and the next it was calm and quiet. All quiet except for the muffled sounds of the 457th's payload hitting their target. "LETS GO HOME BOY'S!"

As we made our way back over the Channel, we tallied our score: 8 confirmed kills, with two lost. Luckily, chutes were observed from both of our comrades.

By reenacting missions similar to this one, the Virtual 352nd gets a glimpse of what the men of the 352nd endured and accomplished in Europe during World War II. We know that is it "just a simulation", but for us it helps bring the past to life.

The warmth and acceptance of the virtual pilots who were fortunate enough to attend the reunion, by the men of the 352nd Fighter Group and 1st Service Group and their families and friends, was truly beyond words. Just being in the presence of our heroes was a bit overwhelming for us. The stories, images, and speeches touched us all deeply.

One thing is certain, we will never forget.

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