Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

On June 13, 44 RN Motor Launch # 1046 rescued 10 Crewmen from a ditched B - 24 North of Pescara , Adriatic.
Trying to find Bomb Group , Crew names etc.
Mike

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

Hi,

Not sure but she could have been a US Class SC-497.
Perhaps in use in the Med by the RN or RAF or even the USAAF.
USS-SC-1046 was known as a USN Submarine Chaser
Built by Roxport, Tx.
Details from the well known U-Boat site.

Could not find any photos on the web.

But I do have a few contact e-mail addresses for this aircraft if you would get in touch by pm.

Alex

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

I know about four Adriatic losses that day - there was bail out over Vis Island by 450th BG; 5 men picked up from dinghy at 43:35N 14:00E (east of Ancona) all of 744th BS/456th BG; 824th BS/484th BG has a/c ditched appx. at 44:09N 13:33E, 7 were picked by German hospital ship Gradisca following day; and one a/c of 459th BG also ditched, according to MASAAF summaries the whole crew rescued. The last one could be a/c you are looking for.

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

Hi Mike,

Did you check you pm's

Alex

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

Schenck - The 459th B - 24 may be the one. Do you have any details?
A/C # , Pilot etc.?
Thanks,
Mike

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

Sorry, that is all I have.

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

Schenk - the 459th BG Historian says no 459th lost this day. Where did you get info? What is MASAAF?
Mike

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

MAAF (Mediterranean Allied Air Force) summaries book states 20 B-24s (15 LIA, 5 MIA) and one B-17 not coming back from ops.

MASAF (Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force) gives losses as:

98th BG_ _ _1 LIA
450th BG _ _1 LIA, 2 MIA
455th BG _ _1 MIA
456th BG _ _1 LIA, 1 MIA
459th BG _ _1 LIA (DIT- crew rescued), 2 MIA
460th BG _ _1 MIA
463rd BG _ _1 MIA
465th BG _ _1 MIA
484th BG _ _6 LIA or MIA
485th BG _ _1 LIA, 1 MIA

I am aware there were errors made in generating loss reports, in particular for MAAF summaries, as they included aircraft landed on friendly fields or those that landed in emergency on Vis Island, usually corrections were made during following dates, but in this case match with MACRs seems pretty tight.
Hopefully somebody with access to MACRs can help you more.


Cheers!

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

Hi,

Strange, cos,

From the Coffee Tower page 213
Two a/c
M J Babb 42-78307 758 Sqn
and
L L Tassin 42-78221 756 Sqn

But on page 104
Lt. Leo Fletcher 757 Sqn ditched his a/c near Ancona.

There seem to be other a/c reports given for a/c ditching. Not macr's.
anyone know where they can be got hold of?

Alex

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

Additional Information:
B - 24 damaged near Munich. 10 Crew rescued , 2 badly injured. 2 Rafts.
Rescue took place near mouth of Tarinto River. Royal Navy Launch guided by a PBY , p - 38s flew top cover.
Crew rescued June 13 , 44 - possibly went down previous to this date.
Mike

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

The PBY that found them was from the 1st ERS.Also , there was a Mission to Munich by 15th AF B - 24s this day.

Re: Help B-24 Crew Rescue
 

With thanks to Glenn , 459th BG Historian:
The B - 24 was 459th BG , 757th Sq. believe serial # 42- 78082
Pilot - Art Fletcher - 10 Crew rescued , finished Missions. 1 still alive.
Many thanks to Schenk and Alex for help.
Cheers,
Mike