P-47 pilot killed in L-5 crash 21 Jan 1945

[Leendert]

Ken Wakefield's "The Fighting Grasshoppers" tells of an L-5 crash on 21 January 1945 at St. Aubin-sur-Aire, NE France (between St. Dizier and Toul) in which the pilot, 1st Lt John Reiter (O-693236) of 14th Liaison Squadron was killed. Serial of L-5 was 42-99078.

A second fatality in this crash however was a P-47 pilot who was transported back to base after he had crashed before.

I wonder if the fighter pilot can be identified?

Thanks for the info.

Regards,

Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
The AAIR Website has John Teiter probably a typo error.
A/c serial same, 42-99078.
The ABMC Memorial link has this -

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry...=63&tcount=125

Perhaps somehow you could make contact.
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,

"Teiter" is a typo indeed and unfortunately copied on several crash websites. John (NMI) Reiter from Queens County, NY is the correct spelling.
I'm trying to identify his passenger, who also was killed.

Regards,

Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Have looke and could only finf the following P-47's for the 21st Jan 45.
France: 324FG/316FS - Heath, Nuckolls B.- 42-26811.
France: 324FG/316FS - Treitz, Richard H. - 42-27978.
Belgium: 366FG.389FS - Robinson, A. S. - 42-27377.
Belgium: 373FG/412FS - Burns, Robert G. - 42-7900.
Belgium: 48FG/493FS - Cole, Minor T. - 42-28625.
Germany: 366FG/390FS - Aageberg, James B. - 44-20424.
2 in Italy and 1 in FE.
Aageberg's macr has that his chute failed but a "Cub" was seen to be circling the area.
Perhaps trees sved him and the "Cub" picked him up only to be lost with the "Cub" ?
The other that might be is the Treitz loss, this might explain the "Typo" of the Reiter name if Treitz was the passenger ?

Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,

Thanks for the suggestions, but as far I could gather, only Capt James Aageberg was killed. This was at the crash site near Vielsalm, Belgium.

The crash date of the P-47 may have been some days before 21 Jan 45 as well.

Regards,

Leendert

[dp_burke]

if you have a reference to Reiters crash on AAIA then contact the nice folks at

http://www.afhso.af.mil/questions/askahistorian.asp

They should be able to send you a copy of the crash report. I imagine a passenger will be mentioned in the report.

[dp_burke]

Leendert,

anything you wish to say can be said in public, yes you have asked the question in public (two forums) and did not get the answer, possibly because people don't have the answer, just contact the AFHSO and then post the answer up here, day is saved and the forum continues. The forum is not going to drop dead becuase you request a few crash reports from an official resource.

[Alex Smart]

Hello dennis,
I have already sent them an e-mail .
Will let you know if I ever get a reply.
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex, Dennis,

Thanks for taking an interest in this case and I (also) look forward to whatever info comes forward from official sources.
But because a quicker input by our distinghuised board members can never be ruled out, I value to ask the question here first as well.


Regards,

Leendert

[Paul]

Talked to Ken Wakefield and he too is interested in the name of the P-47 pilot !

Paul