Aircraft crashed in south Italy in 1943

[SALERNO1943]

About this aircraft we know is crashed in south Italy in 1943. Someone have more info? Thanks!

[Bill Walker]

It appears to be B-24D 41-11593. Baugher's site only lists "named Black Maria, condemned Jan 12, 1943"

[Leendert]

An appendix with the losses of 376th BG in the Liberandos book gives a mixed result

41-11593 lost on 30 Oct 1942 (Capt. John W. Kidd) but with tail number 18/O. Mission to Crete, but probably made it to Italy?

For tail 50 it says the B-24 of Lt Col Payne, lost on 11 Jan 1943, but ditched in the Med. However, this one was 41-11617.

I also found a 50/R with landing gear collapsed 4 May 1943.

I believe there has been discussion on other websites about the serial of Payne's B-24.

Regards,

Leendert

[SALERNO1943]

Surely this aircraft 11593 crashed in the ground (south of Italy, about 30 km south east of Salerno) 11 january 1943. Will be interesting to know if Payne and his crew are buried in some cemetery. If they crashed in the sea perhaps their bodies never found. So they will not have a tomb.

[Revi16]

http://www.fold3.com/search.php?quer...3AWorld+War+II

[SALERNO1943]

Originally Posted by Revi16

http://www.fold3.com/search.php?quer...3AWorld+War+II

Thanks. Will be interesting to see MACR but I have not fold3 payment account. Someone can help???

[Revi16]

Originally Posted by SALERNO1943

Thanks. Will be interesting to see MACR but I have not fold3 payment account. Someone can help???

You can always join Fold3.

[Leendert]

Salerno (Matteo?),

I put some news on armyairforces.com where you also placed the picture.
B-24 most likely Lt Col Payne's a/c since Lt Prchal ditched in the Med.
Crew list also provided there, only two survivors in Payne's B-24 and just one in Prchal's.

Regards,

Leendert

[Leendert]

Payne's crew list and burial sites of the men who were killed according findagrave.com:

John H. Payne - Austin, Texas
Norman R. Angell - Portland, Oregon (he was heavily wounded and died on 14 Jan 1943).
Merle J. Andrews - Springfield, Illinois
Cecil G. Buttram -Crossville, Tennessee
Harold C. Vanness - Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Italy
Daniel W. Brown - ? (first name assumed: only Captain with initials D.W. listed as killed on wwiimemorial.com)

The two survivors were Robert R. Krager and Theodore D. Drazkowski.
Krager was from Nebraska and became POW in a camp in Austria, while Drazkowski was held in a POW camp in Italy. He was from Michigan.

Regards,

Leendert

[SALERNO1943]

Originally Posted by Leendert

Salerno (Matteo?),

I put some news on armyairforces.com where you also placed the picture.
B-24 most likely Lt Col Payne's a/c since Lt Prchal ditched in the Med.
Crew list also provided there, only two survivors in Payne's B-24 and just one in Prchal's.

Regards,

Leendert

Thanks for your precious information. However B-24 of Prchal not crashed in the Med but on a mountain near Acerno. We recently find thias crash site as you can see in our site www.1943salerno.it Please remember that according italian aviation report that day was shot down 4 bombers.