P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

Hello,

There is one case of unidentified American airmen buried in Yugoslavia which is quite puzzling.

Plane crashed near Drvar, in Bosnia, Yugoslavia, on about September 21st 1944. (since date is given by witnesses, it could be off by as much as two months!).

Remains are partial and identification was impossible.
However, aircraft was identified as P-38, and serial were visible.

Engine plate: V 1710-91 A-047489
(as I was told it could be from P-38J)

Machine guns:
1190815
1190382
1294465
120206 (judging by number, this could be from 20mm gun)

It seems that it could be easily identified in MACR - except that there is nothing similar in MACRs.

My thoughts:
Could it be from some other allied airplane? I know french used P-38 in MTO.
Were there other users of P-38?
Did they have planes missing on September 1944?

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

This appears to be the IDPF file for this loss.

http://www.7tharmddiv.org/docrep/ima...GRADE/X-55.pdf

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

Yes it is.
I think I gave all relevant data here, so there was no need to put link to entire file.

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

On the contrary, the IDPF file has possible MACRS, which were not provided in the information you provided.

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

As I stated, those MACRs, as well as many others, were checked.
There is a list of M2 serials from MACRs (though not complete), and serials are not in it.

In some P-38 MACRs MG serials are not listed, but there are engine serials, and again they are not match.

This is why I think there is possibility that this plane was not American.

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

There is also the clue of the 10K gold ring. The "Patent" wording and number inside "205466" would seem to make it an American (or English) ring, not French. I think it was possibly a birthstone ring with the birthstone missing. If it were some sort of class ring, there would be more lettering on the ring.

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

The problem also lies in the fact that some combat losses were not reported on a MACR, for some reason or another. The French only flew reconnaissance P-38s.

I'm also pretty sure the a/c is American and a P-38 based on (1) gun s/n and (2) Allison engine.

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

Yes, the missing MACRs are a problem. For example, I can not find a MACR for 1st Lt Fay R Valley, 1st FG, lost in Yugoslavia. The exact date of loss is also unclear. Perhaps someone has that info?

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

Found a M2 with ASN 1294465 listed in MACR 8271 (43-28663 lost near Belgrade on 2 September 1944), but the other serials don't match and the pilot of this P-38 evaded.

Re: P-38 crash in Drvar, Bosnia, in September 1944.
 

I have found some 450 american airmen (mainly bomber crews) in Yugoslavia for whom MACR was not made. They were evacuated quickly with partisan help, and entire crew was well.
But in this case MACR should be made, since airmen was missing.

In few cases, MACR is not available on Fold3.