Could someone please suggest how I might find out the identities of the plane and unfortunate pilot described in the attached incident sheet, a translation (made at the time) of the report sent by the Italian carabinieri to the local representative of the Allied MIlitary Government on 28 /12 /44? Thank you very much, Vitellino T
Hopefully Ross (RAF Commands)will see this and might have more info Assume not this chap but the lake is mentioned Spitfire VB ER730 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database]
The cartridges are American in origin. D.M. 43 Des Moines Ordnance Plant, Des Moines, Iowa, USA. Manufactured 1943. L.C. 42 Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Independence, Missouri, USA. Manufactured 1942. So take a look in the Missing Air Crew Reports in the period between 13th June - 15th June 1944. Best regards Finn Buch
Thanks to all of you who have replied. Servicemen who were killed around the lake were buried in Assisi, Orvieto (no airmen) or Bolsena War Cemeteries. I had seen the entry in Assisi for F/Sgt Brigham when I posted the original item and in the absence of any other information regarding the plane I will now contact CWGC and ask where he was concentrated from. Captain Taylor was brought in from MR 465551 so I think he will have to be discounted. Given the origin of the cartridges, nothing is forthcoming I will try Fold3 for a Macr report. Vitellino Edited to say that MR 465551 is just north of Orvieto
Vitellino, 12th June 1944 243 Squadron Spitfire LF.IX MK771 Fl/Sgt. Brigham (aircrewremembered.com) Regards, Dave
Hello Vitellino, Here you will find the correct story related to your inquiry. The answer came after research in the published 321st BG War Diaries on date 13 June 1944. "448th BS War Diary: (No non-mission information) 448th BS Mission Summary (Ops Order 394/mission 394) Group Mission # 394: Mission 272 (394): At 10:18 19 planes off to bomb Sassaferrato RR/viaduct and dropped 72 x 1000 bombs at 11:33 from 10,000 feet. All returned at 12:30. Crews report good concentration, especially heavy on N end and approach. N span believed knocked out. Heavy, moderate and accurate flak from SE of Lake Trasimeno holed 5 planes and 1 plane, pilot Lt. Greene received a direct hit in the nose, killing Bombardier Lt. Petit and the Navigator Lt. Olszewski and causing the rest of the crew to bail out over the home base to safety. Heavy traffic along the coast roads. Weather: CAVU. A/C No. 43-27640 (crashed over friendly territory) (Home base was Solenzara Airfield, Corsica) Crew list: Pilot Greene, William A., 1Lt Co-pilot Tilton, Harvey S., 2Lt Navigator Olszewski, Henry (NMI), 2Lt Bombardier Petit, Rene P., 1Lt Engineer-gunner Davis, Jimmie L., Sgt Radio-gunner Parham, James E., T/Sgt Gunner Everhart, Clifford R., Sgt Photographer None June 8 – 14 – 44: Lieutenants Petit, and Olszewski killed by direct anti-aircraft fire while on a mission over Sassaferrato, Italy. The rest of the crew parachuted TO SAFETY over the home base. 445th BS: War Diary of: Seegmiller, Barnard H., Sgt, armament: 06/13/44: “Parachuting from a badly damaged plane seems to have become a popular solution to the problem of getting down safely since the two ships crash landed and burned. Today one of the planes (43-27640) from the 448th Squadron had the nose completely shot away, killing the bombardier and navigator. As the formation came over the field, the three men in the rear bailed out and landed safely. The pilot and copilot, remained in the ship which was controllable enough, but had one very bad engine. From the ground we could hear it cutting out. Because of the two bodies on board they were trying to bring it in. Then the Colonel gave the order to try to drop the bodies by parachute and then bail out themselves. While trying to accomplish this, the bad engine cut out completely and the pilot and copilot were forced to bail out. The ship crashed and burned." Final rest: Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, USA Burial Date 22 Dec 1948 1st Lt Henry Olszewski, O-805193 - Cemetery Plot Section E Site 11 1st Lt Rene Prosper Petit, O-746909 - Cemetery Plot Section E Site 11 Bodies returned from NETTUNO, Italy in one casket. 1LT Henry Olszewski (1917-1944) - Find a Grave... 1LT Rene P Petit (1916-1944) - Find a Grave... Best regards Finn Buch
