Loss of B-24H, 42-95186, 21-6-44

[RSwank]

I am trying to help some German researchers investigate the crash of a B-24, serial number 42-95186, which occurred on June 21, 1944. A lot is already known about the crash, so as background, here are some links:

The 52 page MACR: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90997375

A good summary of much of what is known about the loss can be read here:
https://aircrewremembered.com/howell-cleve.html

The researchers are trying to locate the bodies of the four of the five crew who are still missing and are listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Margraten. Those four are Majestic, Johnson, Hamblin and Dolecek. These four may have been recovered by a unit of the British army.
At the end of April/the beginning of May 1945 American forces advanced into the area Lübeck-Wismar-Grevesmühlen-Schönberg. Soon they were replaced by the British Army (15th Scottish Infantry Division, Major Gen. Barber). In this timeframe, a British unit arrived at a place named Diedrichshagen. The inhabitants were summoned to gather in the churchyard. According to eye-witness reports and information from a local chronical, men had to open three graves of crew members of the bomber mentioned above: 2LT Arthur B. Majestic, O – 701940, SSGT Bertil S. Johnson, 35099877, SSGT Herschel O. Hamblin, 13062783. Their mortal remains were put into coffins. They were put on a lorry and driven away by the British. Since then, they have been missing. Where did this lorry go? A fourth crew member, 2 LT Victor D, Dolecek (O – 697998), whose place of interment on June 21, 44 is unknown, may have also been picked up by the same lorry and it is possible that his remains were in a fourth coffin on the lorry. A fifth crewman is also still missing, Sammie D Vinson: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...ammie-d-vinson
Only two crew bodies were recovered after the war, those of:
George John Grubisa, who is now buried in the Ardennes cemetery:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...e-john-grubisa
and James Louis Vajgl, who is also buried in the Ardennes cemetery:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...es-louis-vajgl
The war diaries of the 15th Scottish Infantry Division are on-line and searchable:
https://www.15thscottishdivisionwardiaries.co.uk/
Unfortunately, the researchers have not been able to find any reference to the above “Diedrichshagen” incident in the 15th division diaries.
Do any of you have IDPF files for any of the crew who were killed? I can order some but it can be expensive.

[edwest2]

At the time, the War Department collected information about the loss and interment of bomber crews and other soldiers. I hope the following is helpful.


https://weremember.abmc.gov/#!/s?a=c&sort=title:ASC