During the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union allied to fight against Germany. This made it all the more surprising when, in late 1944, American pilots began targeting Red Army ground forces near the Serbian city of Niš.
The reasons behind this attack remain unclear, as neither side has offered an explanation. Nevertheless, the Niš Incident is remembered as a tragic example of friendly fire.
A big mistake by the American forces
On November 7, 1944, the Soviet 6th Guards Rifle Corps advanced toward Belgrade, Serbia, aiming to strengthen the Hungarian front in the south against potential enemy attacks.
Meanwhile, the US 82nd Operations Group (82 OG) was providing air support to the Red Army. However, a major error occurred that day. The Americans were seemingly unaware that the Soviets had advanced 100 km beyond their expected position. Despite assurances from the US Mediterranean Air Force command that no German forces were near Niš, the 82nd launched an attack.
It seems they mistakenly identified the advancing Soviet troops as 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 tried to signal the Americans, attempting to alert them that they were mistakenly attacking their own allies. However, for reasons unknown, the Americans failed to pick up on these signals. It wasn’t until the Soviets prominently displayed the Red Star on their aircraft that the American pilots realized they were targeting an ally and swiftly ceased their attack.
This confrontation, later referred to as the Niš Incident, lasted roughly 15 minutes. Despite its short duration, it resulted in the loss of aircraft on both sides.
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.