From: andreas@c

you mentioned once that your mediums weren't targeted very often by
fighters, that they went for the heavies. So I'm guessing that the men shot
down that day were from flak.
Just curious whether you saw much in the way of enemy fighter cover in the run
up to D-Day

FWIW, fighters were active against mediums in Italy thoughout the war, but on a
sporadic basis.
Here's a DFC citation, filled with the usual "boiler plate," as it was called,
but which does tell a story:

"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as gunner
for a B-25-type aircraft. Engaging in more than 75 combat missions during the
Italian campaign, Staff Sergeant XXX has distinguished himself through his cool
efficiency and determination. Voluntarily continuing to fly after completing
his regular tour of duty, his courage and constant enthusiasm have been a high
inspiration to those serving with him. On 10 December, 1944, while flying in
an attack upon the Calliano Railroad Bridges, Staff Sergeant XXX's formation
was intercepted by aggressive enemy fighters, four of which attacked his
aircraft. Displaying superior professional skill, he destroyed one ME-109 and
damaged three others, driving them off and thereby enabling his pilot to
maintain formation for a successful attack upon the objective. His steadfast
devotion to duty and outstanding proficiency in combat reflects great credit
upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States."

This particular mission consisted of 14 B-25s in two boxes of six stacked
between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, each carrying four 1,000-lb bombs, plus two
B-25s flying lower, loaded with WP and chaff to discourage flak. One of the
chaff ships was lost to flak, as was one of the other B-25s. Two B-25s were
shot down by fighters, one of these disappearing in a huge explosion. Many
crewmen identified the attackers as radial engine fighters, ie, Fw 190s. But
they were 109s of the 2nd Italian (Fascist) Fighter Group, which had about 50
fighters available at this time. The fighters attacked in an arc from three to
six o'clock high in a steady pursuit curve, making them dead easy to track and
fire on as they came in.
The SSgt. had been an aerial gunnery instructor at Greenville before
volunteering for a second tour of duty overseas.
As for "driving them off," that honor rightly belongs to the P-47 escort that
was hot on the 109s' tails giving them no chance for more than one pass before
they had to dive away, running for their lives.
The "radial engine fighters" some B-25 crewmen thought were attacking them were
almost certainly their own P-47 escort. So the jug drivers had to endure
gunfire from their B-25 charges as they dove through the formation after the
109s.


Chris Mark