As told to Don Kocher when the Snedekers and Kochers got together in 1948.
On April 11, 1945, the 357th FG was on an escort mission to Donauworth. After they were released from escort duty, the fighters went looking for trouble, and a few found it. They looked in on the Prague/Ruzyne Aerodrome, home of over 100 ME 262 jets. In spite of very intense light flak, they destroyed two ME262s, two JU88s and a big FW200. Three 364th pilots were shot down by flak during the strafing. Lieutenants
Monahan, Muller and Snedeker. "I believe Lt. Irving Snedeker was the only survivor." says Don Kocher. (Note: Merle Olmsted lists Muller and Monahan as POWs, so it appears no one lost their lives on this mission.)On his first pass across the airfield, there was a loud bang, and big jolt shook Irv Snedeker's Mustang. Recovering, he saw his propellor "going off across the field". A 20MM shell had hit the prop hub, taking the whole prop with it. With no power, Lieutenant Snedeker simply had no choice, and he managed to land the crippled plane inside the aerodrome perimeter fence. His beautiful "Rovin' Rhoda" broke in two behind the cockpit in the process.
Quickly getting out of the wreck, Irving sat on the ground a safe distance from it and lit a cigarette, thinking it might be his last one for a while. He told Don Kocher "it was a pretty lonesome feeling looking up in the sky and watching the group leave for home".
Soon, the German Air Police came for him and placed him in a cell on the base. He remained there for several days, being "entertained" (his words) by the pilots of the jets. The Germans kidded him about flying obsolete propeller planes. The pilots played cards with him, and were generally quite friendly with him -- even sharing their schnapps.
After a while, he was transferred to the city jail in Prague, where he met an American sergeant, a gunner who had bailed out of a bomber. During subsequent American air raids, Lieutenant Snedeker and the sergeant were taken to a place that he described as "a cave" -- along with the civilian population. He and the sergeant were made to stand facing the wall in this refuge, and in the semi-darkness, the people there would slip goodies secretly to them.
On an unknown date about three weeks later, the two Americans were taken back to the aerodrome where the Germans were destroying all their jets and other non-transportable goods. Irv Snedeker and the sergeant were informed that the Russians were a few days away, and the Germans were abandoning the field.
Lieutenant Snedeker was then told that since he was the ranking American officer, all the Germans were placing themselves in his custody, asking if he would lead the convoy to meet the American Army coming toward them. The convoy consisted of eight or ten large trucks, fuel trailers and mobile kitchens -- all well draped with white sheets.
The next day, they met units of the American 7th Army. The convoy stopped and waved pillow cases. No shots were fired, and Lt. Snedeker and the sergeant convinced the American Army that they were Americans and all ended well.
357th FG Newsletter July 97
Irving Snedeker's P-51 Rovin Rhoda (L) 4 Bolts (R) 44-13783, C5-M
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Left and right side views of Irv Snedeker's P-51 Mustang. Note that one side has "4 Bolts", and the other side exhibits "Rovin' Rhoda". This Mustang was built in 1944.The checkered cowling and yellow-and-red spinner were the characteristic identifiers of the 357th Fighter Group.
357th Fighter Group Mustangs In Action Near Prague
