S/d on 19.3.1944 - US and German airplane HELP WANTED!
 

Hello!

Here is a SCAN of two US pilots that were captured by the Germans on 19.3.1944. In the middle, there is a German pilot. They were s/d on 19.3.1944 (including German). Author of the picture was JOZEF UMEK (born in 1915). Picture was taken in the small village of DOBLEZICE, here in Slovenia, Europe in ww2 (at that time Yugoslavia). Can anyone help me who the both US pilots might be. Also 3 or 4 dead bodies were seen in the cemetery in the village of PILSTANJ (German name of this village was: PEILENSTEIN) by the children, which were on the way to the school. US pilots were burried there. After the end of the ww2 they were exhumated by the US military authorities.

I am also looking which US airplane could it be (maybe MACR).

About the German pilot as far as I could find out is that, at that day was s/d Uffz Gollasch, Paul, Bf 109G-6, Yellow 10, 3./JG77, 162212.

Can someone confirm me that that is he? Does anyone recognize any US pilot?


Thanks in advance!

M.

Re: S/d on 19.3.1944 - US and German airplane HELP WANTED!
 

Hi Obivankinobi !

The following aircraft was lost at Pilstanj that day.
MACR 3466
B-24
serial 41-29310
"Dorothy K"
454 Bomb Group 738 Bomb Squadron
crash at Pilstanj
2 of the lost crew KIA: COATES ROY F JR and PESKIN HAROLD


On this link you find some more info, it's stated that only one
airman bailed out and was sorrily later killed by german police:
http://forum.armyairforces.com/Sgt-R...es-m71795.aspx
Maybe you contact that "germt" guy via the forum.

Here a complete list of USAF aircraft lost this day (have omitted
2 other a/c that didn't crash at ex-Jugoslavia):
MACR Date Type Serial BG BS
3289 440319 B-17 42-31446 2 429
3258 440319 B-17 42-32100 2 96
3287 440319 B-17 41-24405 2
3286 440319 B-17 42-38143 2 49
3218 440319 SPITFIRE EF7 52
3291 440319 B-17 42-31823 97
6734 440319 B-25 41-30185 345
5853 440319 B-26 42-95849 391 575
3574 440319 B-26 42-95849 391 575
3260 440319 B-24 42-52613 450
3288 440319 AC NOT LOST 454
3506 440319 B-24 42-52125 454
3467 440319 B-24 41-28659 454
3465 440319 B-24 42-52314 454
3299 440319 B-24 42-52272 454
3293 440319 B-24 42-52225 454
3520 440319 B-24 42-64459 454
3294 440319 B-24 42-52229 454
4026 440319 B-24 42-64497 455
4021 440319 B-24 41-29296 465

nice greetings, good luck with your research.
When you find out more, you should post this interesting story here !
FrankieS

Re: S/d on 19.3.1944 - US and German airplane HELP WANTED!
 

Hello FrankieS!

Thank you for the fast reply and very useful informations.

Regards!

M

Re: S/d on 19.3.1944 - US and German airplane HELP WANTED!
 

I listed this on armyairforces.com in response to your inquiry there.

MACR 3466 for 41-29310 on footnote.com seems to list the entire crew listed as KIA on the final page 19.

The formation was attacked by ME 109s. Dorothy K had the number 2 engine on fire after an attack by 3 fighters. The wing seemed to melt away according the witness statements. The target that day was Steyr Austria.

Crew List:
Pilot: Lysle William Elfrink
CP: Glen K Edwards
Nav: Byron Cole Howes
Bomb: Harold Franz Stevens
Radio: Harold Peskin
John Bystrak
J D Green
William Thomas Stack
Roy Francis Coates, Jr
William Wiley Gaines

Re: S/d on 19.3.1944 - US and German airplane HELP WANTED!
 

Interesting topic. I checked the ABMC website and only found mentions of the two supposed KIA. That does not mean the whole crew was not killed and are now burried in US cemeteries, but they are not MIA or burried on a military cemetery in Europe. Danny

Re: S/d on 19.3.1944 - US and German airplane HELP WANTED!
 

Danny, I agree interesting topic. I did a little more checking.

Lysle William Elfrink 0795374
listed as KIA in:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/military/ww2/ww2.txt.
(This is the right serial number from the MACR)

Glen K Edwards T122542
listed as KIA in:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ios...il_ww2othe.txt


Byron Cole Howes O 690429,
Did find a Byron Cole Howes born in 1917 died in 1944.
Not sure if same person. Needs further checking.

Harold Franz Steffens O 752719 (Note Last Name Spelling)


Peskin, Harold 12190688
listed a KIA on:
http://www.usdata.co.uk/Web483.html


Bystrak, John 1268374

Green, J.D. 18126923

Stack, William T 11085342
listed KIA:
http://genealogytrails.com/ver/rutland/military/

Coates, Roy F, Jr 11081764
listed as KIA:
http://forum.armyairforces.com/tm.as...igh=Roy+Coates

This last link also discusses more about this incident.