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Re: USAAF Fire Fighting
Here's more on this incident now that I am in front of the book. The brother who watch the crash was not in a bomber crew but was in the infantry visiting the base. The pilot of the P-51 was Lt. James R. Korecky on the 364th FG which was based at Honington where the 1st Strategic Air Depot was housed. Lt. Korecky's group had just converted from P-38's and the pilots had been warned about the single engine torque.
During takeoff, he veered left and crashed through the tail section of a 385th B-17 (42-107226) undergoing repairs. The bomber was severed in two and the P-51 traveled a little further bursting into flames. Two enlisted crew working in the B-17 were injured. On the tail of the P-51 you can see a partial serial 4034 and on the right fuselage is code 5Y =#= . The date of the incident was Jul 30, 1944.
One fireman does have a long jacket but it does not appear to be an abestos suit.
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