Request info about B-24 and his crew

[SALERNO1943]

I'm looking informations about aircraft of lt Prchal crashed 11 jan 1943 after bombing Naples. Many informations about Prchal are in book LIBERANDOS pages 91 to 93. Someone have it and cand sent those informations? Thanks!

[SALERNO1943]

Here are some fragment from B-24 crash site. Some idea about them? In the place there are also some old car fragments so someone of part is not from aircraft. I indicate those parts. Thanks.

Fragments of engine


Fragments of fuselage


Small parts




28D1022 ALCOA 32D1150R 32D2005-50


7736 32B1144 7314


Plexiglass


What it is?


What it is?


Car or aircraft?


Car or aircraft?


Car or aircraft?


Car or aircraft?


Battery pack. Where it is allocated?


What it is?




Small parts


SUCTION RELIEF VALVE
Type B-8
MFRS. PART No. 216B
MFRS SER. No. A 5120
Specification No. 28368
Order No. W535A 15807
PUMP ENGRNG SER CORP.

[Leendert]

Salerno,

I don't know how far you are with the crew list, but the co-pilot was Lt Eugene. L. Ziesel from Omaha, Nebraska, just like the pilot Lt Louis A. Prchal.

Lt Ziesel is mentioned on findagrave.com.

The ABMC website gives Sgt Merle J. Andrews and Sgt Harold C. Vanness with date of death 11 Jan 1943 (376th BG, 514th BS), but confirmation needed if they indeed were crew members too.

I hope this is a start.

Regards,

Leendert

[SALERNO1943]

Originally Posted by Leendert

Salerno,

I don't know how far you are with the crew list, but the co-pilot was Lt Eugene. L. Ziesel from Omaha, Nebraska, just like the pilot Lt Louis A. Prchal.

Lt Ziesel is mentioned on findagrave.com.

The ABMC website gives Sgt Merle J. Andrews and Sgt Harold C. Vanness with date of death 11 Jan 1943 (376th BG, 514th BS), but confirmation needed if they indeed were crew members too.

I hope this is a start.

Regards,

Leendert

Many thanks. I hope to find the names also of other men on this aircraft. Witnessing spoke about 3 or 4 men bail out but just one survive and was captured. Do you have some idea to find all name of this B-24? Thanks again.

[Leendert]

Salerno,

A post on armyairforces.com reveals some more info: http://forum.armyairforces.com/Unkno...2-m214047.aspx

Here Prchal's B-24 is identified as "59-W".

Note that 376th BG lost another B-24 on 11 Jan 43, the one of Lt Col John Payne, so the sergeants I mentioned may have been on this plane instead.

Regards,

Leendert

[SALERNO1943]

Thanks but because I'm not fluent in english language I not understand much that discussion about MACRs....

[Leendert]

Salerno1943,

The names you're after most likely the ones on this link: http://arkansasgravestones.org/view.php?id=144254

Those other names are Elwood E. Carr, Jess W. Cotham, Jack B. Lavender and Roy O. Woody.

Both Prchal and Ziesel are mentioned too and they're probably all from the same B-24 lost on 11 January 1943.

Regards,

Leendert

[SALERNO1943]

Thanks Leendert. I also believe engine number can give us some help to identify aricraft. However there are no MACRs for B-24 shot down 11 january 1943 so I can't compare engine number...

[SALERNO1943]

Some idea about these fragments and about aircraft?

What it is?


What it is?


What it is?


handwriting


32E1685, 32W2014 171, 32E3067, 32D2005-23, G102AY60 470..,

parts


What it is? 05 1050


...014


What it is?


What it is?


What it is?


42A7308 42A7327


LUNKENHEIMER. What it is?


Fragments of equipment


CAUTION HIGH VOLTAGE STOP DYNAMOTOR BEFORE REMOVING THIS COVER


N.P. 62964 What it is?

[Leendert]

Salerno1943,

The AFHSO in Washington, DC, was so kind to provide the full crew list of Lt Prchal's B-24.

Next to the already mentioned men (Prchal, Ziesel, Cotham, Lavender, Carr and Woody) there also were 2nd Lt Theodore P. Schoonmaker (navigator and the only survivor) and bombardier 2nd Lt Earl G. Matheny.
Matheny is buried in San Antonio, Texas (picture on findagrave.com).

Can you send me a PM with your (personal) e-mail address so that I can send you pages 90-93 from the book The Libarandos. and some other info about the 11 Jan 1943 bombing mission to Napoli.

Regards,

Leendert