Lockheed F-5's of 7 PRG at Market-Garden

[Jaap Woortman]

Acc. to Patricia Fussell Keen in Eyes of the eight at page 188: "An urgent call for cover of Nijmegen on a priority one request came on 25 September. In two days, only five missions had been attempted and two pilots had been lost. Operations assigned this new request to Lt. Benton C. Grayson of the 22nd Squadron. Threatening weather had grounded all other 7th Group operational missions. Operations briefed Lieutenant Grayson. In spite of weather and the fact that the area was the same one where Johnston and McDonald had been lost the day before, the importance of the intelligence required that a mission be attempted." The two operations at September 24th, 1944 were : 7/3404 with Johnston, Lt. Ernest E. of 27 Sqn. in F-5B 42-67123 en 7/3405 with McDonald, Lt. Warren M. of 27 Sqn. in F-5C 42-67331. Both MIA/KIA. Also acc. to Miss Keen.
According to the both MACR's the operations took place at September 25th, 1944. We know now that 1Lt. Warren M. McDonald has made a crashlanding at Huissen in the Netherlands at September 24th, 1944 and was buried the next day in Huissen. But the crash location of the F-5 of 1Lt/ Ernest E. Johnston is still not known. It is believed that he has made a crashlanding north-east of Grave in the Netherlands. That is in the Nijmegen area, but I have my doubts about this. Who can help?

Jaap Woortman
Study Group Air War 1939-1945

[Leendert]

Jaap,

Lt Johnston's F-5 points to 42-68213 instead of 42-67123?

Groet,

Leendert

[Jaap Woortman]

Leendert,

I think that Patricia Fussell Keen in "Eyes of the eight" has made some "typo's" in the information about these two cases.
At page 369 she has mentioned 42-68123 for Johnston's F-5 and at page 373 42-68213.
The MACR 9229 the plane is an "Aircraft F-5B-1-LO AAF Serial 42-68213".
She also wants us to believe that Johnston was MIA/KIA at Sept. 23rd and not at Sept. 24th. See page 373.
It is also strange that the both MACR's are mentioning that both pilots are MIA at Sept. 25th, while I know that McDonald was KIA at Sept. 24th. Strange.

1Lt Ernest E. Johnston is now resting at plot K row 37 grave 39 Lorraine American Cemetery.
Before that he was buried at St. Avold Temporary Cemetery. Where he has been buried before St. Avold I do not know.

Jaap

[karl lusink]

[quote=Jaap Woortman;219119]Leendert,

I think that Patricia Fussell Keen in "Eyes of the eight" has made some "typo's" in the information about these two cases.
At page 369 she has mentioned 42-68123 for Johnston's F-5 and at page 373 42-68213.
The MACR 9229 the plane is an "Aircraft F-5B-1-LO AAF Serial 42-68213".
She also wants us to believe that Johnston was MIA/KIA at Sept. 23rd and not at Sept. 24th. See page 373.
It is also strange that the both MACR's are mentioning that both pilots are MIA at Sept. 25th, while I know that McDonald was KIA at Sept. 24th. Strange.

1Lt Ernest E. Johnston is now resting at plot K row 37 grave 39 Lorraine American Cemetery.
Before that he was buried at St. Avold Temporary Cemetery. Where he has been buried before St. Avold I do not know.

Jaap

He was buried in the civil cemetery at Haldern (kreis Rees) Bishop/Hey page 394.
Who can confirm this?
Regards,
Karl