Lt Jerome Sainlar of 339 FG

[Alexander]

Hello,

I'm looking after some information about 1 st Lt Jerome Sainlar of 339 FG/ 504 FS and the mission of the 10 of March 1945 when he was shot down above Belgium.
Thanks,

Alexander

[Revi16]

I searched Footnote (MACR's) and 339th FG webpages, no luck. His name did not turn up. Also I couldn't find any reports of a 339th P-51 missing on 10 March 1945.

http://forum.armyairforces.com/Lt-Je...l-m122321.aspx

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/339thfg.php

Regards,
Mike

[Alexander]

Hello Mike,

I had noticed the topic on the forum of armyairforce.com but I couldn't find any trace of this aircraft serialnr. or crash.
According from what I've as crash location the P-51 came down in the area of Saint-Trond (Belgium) but this wasn't confirmed by anyone till now.....
Here are other details: Escorte (877 -230) to Dortmund and I've 12 of March instead of 10 of March. I don't know which of the 2 days (10 or 12) are correct.
Thanks for trying to find anything.
Regards and greetings from Belgium,

Alexander

[shooshoobaby]

Alexander - 3/10/45
Bits and Pieces shows a P - 51 from the 339th FG , 504th Sq.
shot down accidentally by a B - 17 over Belguim.
P - 51 Crashed near Saint - Trond
Pilot - Lt. Jerome Sainlar
Returned to Duty
P- 51 Serial # Unknown
Mike

[BC]

The incident is mentioned on p 460 of Roger Freeman's "Mighty 8th War Diary", confirming Sainlar was shot down by B-17 gunners near St Trond.

I believe the site was investigated about 10 years ago by a group led by Belgian wreckologist Rudi Simons from Tongeren.

I did a write-up in "Wrecksearch" magazine - will try and dig it out for you.

BC

[Alexander]

Hello,

Thank you very much for the information!!!
Regards,

Alexander

[BC]

Found the item I wrote in "Wrecksearch" magazine Autumn 1993:

"Belgian Mustang: Rudi Simons and a small group of Belgian enthusiasts have pooled their resources to excavate the wreck of a USAAF P-51 Mustang, and already the group have plans to investigate other local crash-sites.
The Mustang, an aircraft of the 504th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group from Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, was engaged on bomber escort duties on 10 March 1945. Pilot 1st Lt Jerome J Sainlar, of Louisville, Kentucky, was instructed to investigate a group of B-17 Fortresses some distance from the others, possibly from the 490th Bomb Group at Eye, Suffolk. As he side-slipped towards them, his P-51 suddenly came under fire from the bomber gunners. It was often said by USAAF fighter pilots that 'anything that does not have four engines and flies near bombers is an enemy fighter to gunners'. It was a cruel ditty, but one which had a ring of truth in this case. Hit by at least 10 .5 calibre rounds, including two through the cockpit canopy, the engine of Lt Sainlar's fighter burst into flames and the pilot was obliged to bale out. He landed safely and returned to the 339th to finish his tour on 18 July 1945. Sainlar's only other claim to fame in combat with the 339th Fighter Group was an Me 262 damaged during the mission of 9 February 1945.

During the recovery, near St Trond, the group recovered: the Packard Merlin engine, damaged, but without corrosion; two propeller blades; four oxygen bottles; the propeller hub; armour plating from the cockpit; both main undercarriage oleos; tailwheel tyre; remains of fuel tanks; radio mast; miscellaneous airframe wreckage and much .5 calibre ammunition. David Wade and Jeff Carless of the East Anglian Aircraft Research Group have already assisted Rudi and his colleagues by forwarding photocopies of some pages from the P-51 Mustang Service Manual and the 339th Fighter Group History account of the event. The JCB excavation reached a depth of 6 meters, and no cockpit wreckage was found. Since buried wreckage was still visible, it was concluded that some parts were deeper and a return visit is planned. More details on this, and hopefully other Belgian investigations, including an FW 190 in the St Trond area, will hopefully follow. Watch this space !"

There was no follow-up on the P-51 site, so I am unable to say whether any further digging took place. I suspect Rudi Simons is on-line by now, so I'd be interested to know if any of our Belgian friends could mention this to him ?

Alexander - we have more in common than you think: See my post on the 467BG B-24

Regards,

BC

[Alexander]

Hello BC,

Thanks for this very interesting information about Jerome Sainlar! Great!!!
I know Rudy Simons and I'll contact Rudy later this week and ask him more information.
Yes, it looks like we have more in common.....perhaps the area of Saint-Trond???
Greetings from Belgium,

Alexander

[penathey]

Hello, Gentlemen. I am Jerome J. Sainlar's niece and am looking for more information on his missions. I have also posted a message on the armyairfoces.com forum that came up when I googled Sainlar. I am happy to share a bit of information about him.

[ssg keay]

The reason there was no MACR is because the plane went down in friendly territory. We have a P-47 and a B-17 that are identical....no MACR. Danny