[RSwank]

I updated post #10 to include Gellhorn's description of events. The link to her book given in that post no-longer gives the full story.

While I am at it, here is some info from the book Leendert mentioned earlier:

From The Flying Prostitute, but Lawrence J Hunter (page 176)

"Later, on 11 April, 1945, Lidicker participated in a morning mission with the “Annihilators,” who sent 44 aircraft against the Aahereleben marshaling yard with poor to good results. Two aircraft of the 450th Bomb Squadron separated from the rest of the formation and, by mistake, flew over the southwest corner of the Ruhr pocket and drew light, accurate flak fire. One of the planes, that was carrying now 2nd Lieutenant John Lidicker as copilot, received a direct hit and crash landed in enemy territory. Lidicker was blinded and burned with the explosion of the 1000 gallons of 100-octane gasoline the plane carried. The German medics brought him to the front lines and left him for dead. He survived but has spent years recuperating and undergoing a multitude of operations in our hospitals."


I am going to order Dwyer's IDPF file. I am curious as to on which side of the Rhine his body was recovered.

I am also following up on some leads to contact relatives of the crew. This sometimes takes a while, we will see where it goes.