B-24H, 42-52355 of 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944
 

Does anyone have the details of the loss of B-24H, 42-52355, 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944 over Yugoslavia? MACR 5044.
Many thanks,

Re: B-24H, 42-52355 of 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944
 

42-52355 AGONY WAGON, B-24H-15-FO of 763rd BS, 460th BG, Spinazzola, Italy. Noseart at http://www.b24bestweb.com/agonywagon-v1.htm
Shot down on 18.5.44, Leskovac, Yugoslavia (Serbia), 1 KIA.
"Mission to Ploesti, attacked by 9 Bf 109s 1/2 hrs after leaving target, 2 eng. destroyed, all b/o but N/G who went down w. a/c, picked by chetniks."

Re: B-24H, 42-52355 of 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944
 

It is believed parachute of the nose gunner (James Stokes) caught on the plane when the crew bailed out. His body was found 10 feet from the wreckage. The tail gunner, John Dunn died in a Chetnik hospital several days later. He had two head wounds and multiple wounds in his arms and legs. He had been wounded in the ship and also may have been shot at while parachuting down, though it is not clear if he was then hit by ground fire or by fighters. Several of the men said the fighters made passes at them as they came down but apparently did not fire. Several crew members were treated in the Chetnik hospital for wounds. Some may have been evacuated earlier than the pilot.

All the remaining survivors were evacuated on 10 August according to the pilot, Charles L Stevenson. MACR is 32 pages on fold3.

Re: B-24H, 42-52355 of 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944
 

Hi Denes,


From "Bf 109 The Yugoslav Story Vol.I" on page 138:
"The mission against the returning bombers was more fruitful. Oblt. Otto Schultz led 6./JG 51 at 12.40 and quickly caught up with a group of some 20 Liberators, one of which he damaged, before being wounded by return fire; he landed back at Medoševac at 13.00. At 12.55 nine planes of 5./JG 51 came upon a straggling B-24H-15-FO 42-52355 of the 763rd BS/460th BG near Leskovac and Lt. Siegfried Pflitsch shot it down, the bomber falling near Oruglica village (2/Lt Charles Stevenson; two killed, eight evaders with JVuO). One of the casualties, S/Sgt John Dunn, was both strafed by the Gustavs and fired upon from the ground by Bulgarian troops and mortally wounded whilst hanging on his chute."


Cheers,
Boris

Re: B-24H, 42-52355 of 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944
 

I wonder based on what sources you state S/Sgt Dunn was
mortally wounded while descending on his chute ?

Re: B-24H, 42-52355 of 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944
 

Is this enough?

Re: B-24H, 42-52355 of 460th BG, lost on 18.05.1944
 

The message I posted is an update to the MACR
which concludes he died 3 days later in
hospital .