In the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union allied to fight against Germany. This made it particularly surprising when, in late 1944, American pilots began targeting Red Army ground forces stationed near the Serbian city of Niš.
The motives behind this attack are still unclear, as neither side has offered an explanation. Nonetheless, the Niš Incident is remembered as an important example of tragic friendly fire.
A big mistake by the American forces
On November 7, 1944, the Soviet 6th Guards Rifle Corps pushed towards Belgrade, Serbia, aiming to bolster the Hungarian front in the south against possible enemy assaults.
At the same time, the US 82nd Operations Group (82 OG) was delivering air support to the Red Army. However, a huge mistake occurred that day. The Americans were evidently unaware that the Soviets had advanced 100 km beyond their anticipated position. Despite assurances from the US Mediterranean Air Force command that no German forces were near Niš, the 82nd proceeded with an attack.
It appears they mistakenly mistook the advancing Soviet troops for German forces.
Friendly fire dogfight
A group of Lockheed P-38 Lightnings open-fired on the Soviet convoy. It’s unclear how many American aircraft were involved in the attack, but the Red Army quickly retaliated, believing them to be Luftwaffe-flown Focke-Wulf Fw-189 Uhus.
Orders were given to Soviet pilots, based out of the nearby Niš Constantine the Great Airport, to aid in the engagement. Multiple Yakovlev Yak-9 and Yak-3s flew to the area, immediately engaging with the P-38s in an action-filled dogfight. It took some time, but the Red Army aviators eventually identified the white stars on the American fighters and laid off their weapons.
Lasted just 15 minutes
From the ground, the Soviets attempted to signal the Americans, alerting them that they were mistakenly targeting their own allies. However, for some reason, the Americans did not catch the signals. It was only when the Soviets displayed the prominent Red Star on their aircraft that the American pilots recognized they were attacking an ally and quickly pulled back.
This encounter, later known as the Niš Incident, lasted only around 15 minutes. Despite its brief duration, it was enough for both sides to lose aircraft.
Reason is still unclear
The precise cause of the Niš Incident remains uncertain. According to the official account, American forces mistook the Red Army troops as Germans, but much of the information remains classified. Some speculate that there may have been a different motive behind the attack. Given the heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union at the time, many believe the incident might have reflected the strained relations between the two nations.
Whether this theory holds true cannot be verified until the information is declassified.
Each side has a different account of the event
Each side maintains their own account of what happened. The number of casualties for each varies, with the Soviets suffering between 31-34 casualties, around 37-39 wounded and 20 cargo trucks burned. The US contends that four Soviet aircraft and two P-38 Lightnings were lost that day, while the USSR claimed the total was actually two Yaks and five P-38s.
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Ultimately, the US military apologized for the mistake.
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