March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

On March 21,1943. MAW3 reports a 3 PG F-4 missing. No further information is provided. Any ideas as to the identity of the aircraft?

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Still searching, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/unit...ed%20To%20.%20


http://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/345

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

41-2152 wrecked near Peterson Field, CO Mar 21, 1943. Crashed near Ellicott,
CO and was assigned to 10th PRS. Port engine caught fire. Pilot parachuted safely from the
burning plane. his name - Koziupa, ( NMI) Michael.
Perhaps this is the a/c ?

Another loss was a P38F - 43-2073 - Algeria, 1st FG, pilot Fell, Albert W.

ref: USAF Serial Number's

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

There was an 81st FG P-39 that crashed ,the wing tip struck the ground, a/c burned .Pilot 1Lt. John "Jack" Leo Ryan O-661382 was killed .
As far as I can find he is still Mia. "Findagrave" has him with a P-40 though, ( could they have meant a P-400 ? ) but does have 81st FG, and the 81st flew both P-39 & P400 around that time.

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

12th AF IntellOps Report No, 132; 1800/21 Mar 43. One of three 3rd Photo Group F-4s dispatched that day for photo recon did not return to base. Tony Woods noted JG 53 claimed three P-38s around noon on this date. All low-altitude kills which suggest they were not F-4s or the F-4 had descended from its normal high altitude run.

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Thanks Mark for the information. I wonder if the pilot returned to his unit later, as there seems to be no 3rd PG MIA for this loss.

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

That is my guess. I could find no MIA listing, no POW listing, and no burial for that date and unit. I think the aircraft had a mechanical problem and force landed.

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Thanks again Mark. I have done some research into the the 3rd PG and it is very hard to find information on this unit.

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Here is a list of some F-4 events.

41-2164 - January 02/43 USA
41-2160 - January 03/43 INDIA
41-2183 - January 07/43 USA
41-2134 - January 08/43 North Africa
41-2163 - January 12/43 INDIA
41-2213 - January 19/43 USA
41-2203 - February 02/43 - July12/43 - USA
41-2215 - February 05/43 USA
41-2154 - February 22/43 USA
41-2181 - March03/43 USA
41-2193 - March 03/43 USA
41-2192 - March 03/43 USA
41-2199 - March04/43 -September 22/43 - USA
41-2212 - March 06/43 USA
41-2368 - March 04/43 USA
41-2381 - March 16/43 USA
41-2152 - March21/43 USA
41-2111 - March22/43 - April 21/43 - USA
41-2182 - April16/43 USA
41-2188 - May10/43 USA
41-2370 - May11/43 USA
41-2177 - May21/43 NGU - MACR 12279
41-2200 - May23/43 USA
41-2137 - June26/43 SWP - MACR 16410
41-2129 - June17/43 - S.Nanur- MACR 203(date ?).
41-2376 - July20/43 - USA
41-2138 - August 04/43 INDIA
41-2210 - August 18/43 USA
41-2167 - October 21/43 USA
41-2371 - November 17/43 - Corsica - MACR 1148
41-2179 - November 18/43 USA
41-2379 - December 09/43 USA
41-2209 - December 12/43 - MACR 1689

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

41-2121 - to France.
41-2122 - RAAF as A55-3
41-2128 - April 05/42 - USA
41-2131 - March 24/42 - USA
41-2133 - September 26/42 -March 03/44 USA
41-2144 - June 28/42 - USA
41-2148 - November 18/42 - USA
41-2149 - July 06/42
41-2153 - April 23/42 -USA
41-2155 - June 23/42 - USA
41-2156 - to RAAF on loan.
41-2158 - to RAAF as A55-1
41-2159 -to RAAF as A55-2
41-2161 - May17/42 - USA
41-2162 - January 16/44 - USA
41-2166 - September 18/42 - USA
41-2169 - January 18/45 - INDIA
41-2170 - September 30/42 - USA
41-2171 - October 20/42 - USA
41-2178 - June15/43 - CHINA
41-2185 - April 03/42 - USA
41-2186 - August 20/42 and October 26/43 - USA
41-2187 - August 10/42 - USA
41-2189 - September 13/42 - USA
41-2191 - December 16/42 - USA
41-2194 - January 05/44 - USA
41-2196 - August 14/42 - USA
41-2198 - August 07/42 - USA
41-2201 - September 08/42 - USA
41-2202 - August 08/42 - USA
41-2204 - December 12/43 - INDIA
41-2207 - November 01/42 - USA
41-2208 - November 20/42 - USA
41-2211 - November 06/42 and March 22/43 - USA
41-2214 - September 22/42 and February 05/43 - USA
41-2218 - 3 Killed - USA
41-2373 - July 26/42 - USA
41-2375 - June 22/42 and December 14/42 - USA
41-2377 - September 07/42 - USA

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Which leaves -
41-2098 - crashed September 14/42 - New Guinea
41-2099 - Salvaged February 12/42
41-2123 - November 28/42 New Guinea
41-2124 - MIA - August 25/42
41-2125 - July 27/42 Misiama Island.
41-2126 - condemned October 31/44
41-2127 - condemned November 43
41-2130 - condemned - AustraliaMay 09/44
41-2132 - condemned - July 08/44
41-2135 - salvaged October 23/42
41-2136 - condemned October 31/44
41-2139 - salvaged September 26/44
41-2140 - MIA - March 16/43
41-2141 - condemned December 06/42
41-2142 - condemned June 02/44
41-2143 - condemned July 02/44
41-2145 - MIA - September 29/44
41-2146 - condemned July 08/44
41-2147 - condemned June 30/43
41-2150 - condemned July 08/44
41-2151 - condemned July 08/44
41-2165 - salvaged February 20/43
41-2168 - wrecked December 05/43 - USA
41-2173 - condemned June 30/43
41-2174 - to France
41-2175 - condemned March 31/43
41-2176 - condemned April 06/43
41-2180 - salvaged July 05/43
41-2184 - condemned July 08/44
41-2190 - salvaged July 03/44
41-2195 - Wrecked November 21/42 - USA
41-2197 - AAA - July 08/44
41-2205 - salvaged March16/45
41-2206 - salvaged April 26/45
41-2216 - salvaged January 17/43
41-2217 - salvaged, Australia - September 26/44
41-2220 - loaned to RAAF
41-2362 - to France
41-2363 - to France
41-2364 - salvaged December 09/45
41-2365 - to France
41-2366 - condemned May 10/44
41-2367 - salvaged February 10/43
41-2369 - condemned October 31/44
41-2372 - condemned July 02/44
41-2374 - salvaged January 31/43
41-2378 - salvaged December 15/42
41-2380 condemned July 08/44

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

"One of three 3rd Photo Group F-4s dispatched that day for photo recon did not return to base."

The fact that one aircraft did not return to base does not automatically mean it was lost: it may have landed on a base with bad communications, or have force landed somewhere without heavy damage.

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Hi Leurent,
That may well have been the case.
Will perhaps see a note about it in MAW vol 5 ?
Alex

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Hi Alex

Not in Vol 5 as we have not found anything to add. All we have is the Intel summaries saying an F5 was lost. Don't know who was in it, why it was lost or any other details.

Regards

Russell

Re: March 21,1943 F-4 MIA Tunisia
 

Thank you Russell, looking forward to the publication.