a little extra.......yes, F/L JB Lyle was flying as wingman to Mercer. Lyle watching and covering Mercer as he shot down the closest Ju 88G-6, this being one of the 9./NJG 1 birds leading elements of IV.Sturm/JG 3's Fw 190A-8/R-8's near Einhoven. As soon as Mercer flew over the formation they beat it out quick as they were then being pursued by the rest of the Fw 190 gruppe. In so doing JG 3 did rip up the fields it was assigned probably with the only "real" German success for 1-1-45. As friend and ex-Sturm pilot of JG 3 Oskar Bösch said " It was bloody hell" and what a mess with all the flak and chaos of burning a/c everywhere on and over the airfields......

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