MACR 11519
 

Hello ,

MACR 11519 is about the lost of P-38J # 42-67733 , who was the pilot of this plane : 2nd Lt James F Hitchcock 0-770279 or 2nd Lt Berg Oliver 0-710810.

Alain

Re: MACR 11519
 

Alain,

It appears from a post on armyairforces.com that 42-67733 was flown by Lt Hitchcock (KIA).
P-38J crashed 8 kms SE of Vielsalm.

Regards,

Leendert

MACR 11519
 

Hi Alain and Leendert,

Found as crashlocation Rogery (Bovigny, postalcode 6671).

best regards from another part of Belgium

Luc

Re: MACR 11519
 

Thanks Luc.

Alain

Re: MACR 11519
 

Alain,

MACR 11519 does indeed belong to 2Lt. James F. Hitchcock, 428FS/474FG. Hitchcock, flying as Red Four in P-38J-10-LO 42-67733, reported that he was hit by flak in the cockpit while on a 2 Jan 45 mission. Moments later, he was seen to bail out safely, landing SE of Vielsalm. Capt. George Guyon witnessed Hitchcock's bailout, the crash of his P-38, and Hitchcock walking away after landing safely on the ground. I've seen his crash site listed as Rogery, but the actual crash site is yet undiscovered. How Hitchcock died remains a mystery since he was witnessed bailing out OK. His remains were located in an isolated shallow grave in the Emmels Forest, near Crombach, Belgium in 1948. It is likely he was killed by German soldiers and hastily buried there. Hitchcock is now buried at the cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz. Hope this helps.

Cheers, Gary Koch

Re: MACR 11519
 

As for 2Lt. Oliver Berg (O-710810), he was killed in a flying accident on 29 Jan 45 2 miles SE of Florennes, Belgium. I don't know what P-38 he was flying since no MACR was written. I am still researching this one.

Cheers, Gary

Re: MACR 11519
 

Hello Gary ,

Are you sure that 2nd Lt Hitchcock is buried at the Ardennes US cemetery ? In the cemetery list i find no trace of him

Alain

Re: MACR 11519
 

Hi Alain,

Oops! You are correct. After his remains were located, they were interred at Neuville-en-Condroz until his next of kin could be contacted. His remains were eventually sent back stateside and reinterred in Jerome, Idaho. Good catch!

Cheers, Gary