Help! Aircraft crashplace B-24 Lt. Panity, FW-190 Fw. Kurt Gren, 23.08.1944

[Kurtl12]

During a mountaintour through Austrian alps I recently found some interesting reports about an aerial combat on August 23rd, 1944. A B-24 was shot down by a Focke Wulf 190 and caught on fire just before it crashed at mountainous terrain. A little memorial place indicates 5 dead airmen out of two planes during lunchtime. So I guess also the Focke Wulf crashed close to the B-24. According some investigations it could be the B-24 of Lt. Panity and the Focke Wulf of Fw. Kurt Gren.

Does anyone have details about this aerial combat?

Regards and many thanks!

Kurtl

[FrankieS]

if really B-24, must be one of these


7957 440823 B-24 42-78171 451 Markersdorf AF Wien
7956 440823 B-24 42-95379 Extra Joker 451 725 Whiting Kenneth A Markersdorf AF Wien Turnitz A
7958 440823 B-24 44-40196 ?44-3019? 451 727 Markersdorf AF Wien Sankt Aegyd am Neuwalde A
8324 440823 B-24 42-7763 451 Markersdorf AF Wien
7966 440823 B-24 42-78471 451 Markersdorf AF Wien
8326 440823 B-24 42-51334 451 Markersdorf AF Wien
7965 440823 B-24 42-78523 451 Markersdorf AF Wien
7974 440823 B-24 44-41163 454
8766 440823 B-24 41-28689 461 767

[FrankieS]

Casualties (KIA) B-24 crews for 23.08.1944

451 BG, 724 BS:
Philip W. Pratt, Jr.

454 BG, 738 BS:
James W. Milne
Ivan G. Nichols
George M. Paddock
Simon V. Prochin
Herman Seelig

[FrankieS]

Nachname: Gren
Vorname: Kurt
Dienstgrad: Feldwebel
Geburtsdatum: 08.09.1920
Geburtsort: Wien
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 23.08.1944
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Wiener-Neustadt / NÖ
Kurt Gren ruht auf der Kriegsgräberstätte in Blumau (Österreich) .
Endgrablage: Block 4 Reihe 7 Grab 370

[Kurtl12]

Thanks alot for your help. Regarding further investigations it was B-24G 42-78171 of 2nd Lt. Glenn Stephens PANYITY who died during the crash. 3 other crewmembers of his 10 men crew also were KIA. MACR 7957 states: "attacked over IP, tail section came off at Ball Turret, noticed parachutes leave the ship, after which it went into a spin, losing both wings on the descent."

I wonder if there are any pictures of this B-24G available?

[FrankieS]

2 LT Glenn S. Panyity
ID: O-821350
Hometown: Bradford County, PA
Status: KIA
451 BG 725 BS
Hometown: Williams Street, Bradford
Killed in action 23 August 1944
Over Markersdorf, Austria
Age: 23
Group Burial: Section A, Site 12
Grafton National Cemetery, Grafton, WV
Repatriated: 12 May 1950


Markersdorf Airfield was the target, but also the crashplace???

[Horst Weber]

Frankie !

The responsible Luftgaukommando (LGK) reports for this day the following crash-locations of B-24 (time / place or area / LGK-ME-report):
-1100 Area Neuberg ME 2016
-1100 North of Bruck, Steiermark ME 2018
-1150 Forest near Slemdorf, Steinberg Community, n/e Pettau KSU 2017
-1230 St. Agyd, Nieder Donau ME 1974
-1230 Ferrara ME 1976
-1230 Bruck Mur ME 2049
-1233 Bischofsstetten ME1971
-1300 Near island Herso ME 1993
-1300 Eibenkogl Steiermark ME 2034
-1330 St Agyd Niederdonau ME 1973
-1330 Area Annaberg ME 1975
-1330 Annaberg ME 1972

Unfortunately, no aircraft's USAAF s/n shows up for this particular losses that day in the LGK day-by-day arranged catalogue.

Maybe, this list of Aug. 23rd, 1944 Liberator losses can help you.

All the best !

Horst Weber

[FrankieS]

Cheers !

Thank you Horst!!!