P-51 "B" at Toulon, French Riviera.

[Philippe Cépé]

Dear all.

Hi from France, French Riviera.

I am searching more informations about an P-51 "B" worrying the ASN 42-106748 lost close to Toulon during WWII.

I possed only few informations about the fact that this plane was maybe shot down on August 12'1944 because a loss of gas (?), and belonged at the 52nd Fighter Group of the 15th USAAF.

The AFHRA of Maxwell AFB, Alabama, don't have more about adn can't help me more.
Thank you if someone can give us more about this curious mystery.

Is the first time that we identified an plane with his data plaque, and that our request about "who was the pilot, and what happened about him" don't receveid positive identification.

Thank you

Philippe

You can visit us at :

www.aero-relic.org

or

www.immadras.com

[shooshoobaby]

Phillipe - 2 suggestions:
New Book - Spitfires and Yellow Tails 52d FG
www.accident-report.com
Email the contact and give them Serial #
Cheers

[kaki3152]

No P-51 losses reported by 52nd FG book on August 12.
No P-51 losses in the MACR listing.
Nothing on Joe Baugher's list.

[Philippe Cépé]

Howdy !

Thank you for your nice and quick reply at my request;

It is now since many years that I worked on this particular case.

I know well the web sites'links you send me, and that was my last way to know better about, but...

My direction about this plane, had also an little possibility of an plane giving by the 52nd FG to the 332nd FG, the famous Tuskegee Airmen "read tailled".
I am in contact with this organisation, and received an 332nd FG'historian
at home last summer about these blacks pilots shot down in French Riviera.

But, with no MACR, impossible of know who was the pilot and his statut, ...depiste the famous radio-call number'data plaque in hands.

Many thank for your help, but I continue my search for, despite apparently a real difficult way.


Philippe

[Nick Beale]

For Southern France combats on 12 August 1944 involving Spitfires and P-47s vs. Bf 109s see http://www.ghostbombers.com/dragoon/odnav.html

Click on the link for "Before D-Day" and read from there.

[Philippe Cépé]

Thank you for the link Nick, but is difficult of have more again.

The date of August 13 is also giving as one "possibility", with, maybe, an pilot named Robert Daniels, Capt. of the 332nd FG.

But, is incredible..., is, too, impossible of know what was the serial number of the capt. Daniels P-51 "B" ?

Thank you one more time for your help.

And again and again, I continue my search for soul.

Philippe

[Alex Smart]

Hello Philippe,

May I suggest that you look at the MACR number 7617.

This is for the 361st FG 375th FS loss of 2Lt John E. Engstrom who was shot down by flak in "E2-G" serial number 42-106778. The date was 12th August 1944.

Alex

[kaki3152]

Alex,
I thought Phillipe's P-51 find was made on an underwater wreck? In that case, it could not have been a 361st FG P-51. The mission for the 361st FG on August 12th was attacking rail tranportation targets in France.

Phllipe.

I don't think the absence of MACR records for some of the 332nd FG losses was due to segregation, but instead due to the vagaries of war. Records were sometimes destroyed or not tranmsmitted. All which make historical research very difficult.

For most of the the 332nd FG losses, there are existing MACRs.

[Alex Smart]

Hi Kaki3152 ,

Did I miss something ? where did Phillipe say the P51 was under water ?

Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hi Kaki 3152,

Recorded on the NARA site as POW for the 12th August 1944 are

2Lt. Robert H. Daniels jr, O-817582 - Negro - 332
2Lt. Alexander Jefferson, O-819461 - Negro - 332
2Lt. Richard D. Macon, O-821916 - Negro - 332

While listed as dead on the ABMC site are

2Lt. Joseph E. Gordon, O-821912 - 99th FS 332 FG
1Lt. Langdon E. Johnson, O804554 - 100th FS 332 FG

I also have found that there was

2Lt. John Daniels of the Class of 43-G-SE 7/28/43 - 01106669 from Chicago, IL.
and
Lt. Robert O'Neill of the Class of 44-A-SE 1/7/1944 - O819463 from Detroit MI.
But have no more info on them.

Alex