Need help - Lost Mustang 18 Aug, 1944

[drgondog]

My father Bert Marshall was shot down by flak at a marshalling yard loosely located E/NE Paris on 18 August, 1944. By Priest's recollection of the mission, Marshall led the squadron away from a Marshalling Yard NE of Paris that was full of red cross marked rail cars and went further east toward the German border.

Marshall made the first pass "to check out the defenses" and ran into rail mounted flak train, was hit and bellied into a field about 2 miles away. He was flying Chuck Lenfest's WR-F Lorie IV. It had only been in operational service approximately 3 weeks. Marshall's WRB 44-14293 was 'in the shop' from flak damage and B/L on August 15.

He was subsequently rescued by Lt Royce Priest and returned to Steeple Morden.

Two questions:

1. Does anyone have the serial number for the a/c (WR-F "Lorie IV")?it was definitely a 51D but I have no photos of high enough quality to get serial number under cockpit. High probability it was a -10

FYI - WR-F Lorie V 44-14275 which came into battery in late August survived the loss of Lenfest 3 October as he was flying Marshall's WR-B 44-14409 Jane III when he attempted to rescue Brown.

2. Does anyone know exactly where this happened?

I suspect the a/c serial number would have to come from German records as it does not exist in 355FG histories, nor side view of the P-51, nor is there a Marc, nor can even Ted Damick find a 'lost/missing a/c record'. I have exhausted my fairly extensive research library and sources to no avail.



Thank You

Bill Marshall

[drgondog]

Ted Damick found it for me - 44-13950 WR-F Lorie IV

Believe the crash site for Marshall was 20 miles W of Soissons but still not positive. Any additional details from french or German sources are welcome

Regards,

Bill Marshall

[edwest]

I have serial 44-14409.


Ed

[edwest]

If you haven't already, give these gents a try:


http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=355



Ed

[Kutscha]

Originally Posted by edwest

If you haven't already, give these gents a try:

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=355

Ed

And the site you just posted in another thread. Martin is very knowledgable.

[drgondog]

Ed -scroll up to my posted pics and maybe a little further to see the detailed geneology between WRB's and WRF's.

Briefly, my father was assigned WRB from July 17, 1944 through the end of his 8th AF career in October 1945.

Chuck Lenfest was assigned WRF for the entire period he flew with 354FS.
From July 17 through October 3 (when Lenfest attempted to rescue Henry Brown)
These were the ships they flew on a day to day basis unless one or both were off flights ops for the moment.

WRB 44-14293 Jane II - damaged by flak on 15 August and bellied at Steeple Morden.. repaired and returned to squadron service as WRB (no bar).

The next WRB 44-14409 Jane III (see pic several posts above) wasn't in the Squadron inventory until August 22nd, so Marshall flew Lenfest's WRF because Lenfest did not fly that mission.

WRB 44-14409 was lost when Lenfest tried to land and rescue Brown on 3 October and got stuck in the mud - end of war for Jane III

There were four more WRB after 3 October - all except last lost or damaged by flak. WRB's 44-14799, 44-15279, 44-72253, 44-72953 (Jane VII)

Lenfest's geneology is as noted above - what I didn't have and neither did martin or Peter was the serial number of WRF Lorie IV which was the ship dad 'borrowed' on August 18th. Ted Damick got me 44-13950 after some research (no Macr filed, no damage report because a.) the pilot was not lost - but rescued, and b. the a/c was destroyed in combat - so it slipped through normal reporting channels - but still noted)

I have pics of all of the WRB's with tail numbers clearly visible, and I have all the WRF's except Lorie IV in full side view. I even have a shot of Lorie IV with Lenfest and can almost see the serial number under the cockpit.

So, final answer.

WRF Lorie IV was 44-13950 - lost near Soissons when Marshall shot down and rescued by Priest.

WRB Jane III was 44-14409 - lost near Nordlingen when Lenfest landed and stuck in mud trying to rescue Brown.

WRF Lorie V 44-14275 was off line on October 3, but Marshall led the squadron several times in this ship until a.) new WRB 44-14799 was ready for 26 October mission and b.) it was assigned to new 354FS CO Gordon Graham when my father was promoted to Deputy Group CO of the 355th.

Graham named WRF 'Down for Double' and 44-14275 flew for Graham until Kemper 'borrowed' in February 1945 and shot down by flak. Graham then inherited Everett Stewart's WRS Sunny VII 44-15255 when Stewart moved from 355FG CO to 4FG CO in late February and survived VE day.

I give Martin and Peter all of my 355fg data base periodically when I find errors and/or a 'missing' ship. Ditto for Ted Damick who is the father of all the 8th AF a/c geneology.

All of this will be in the revised Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons" plus all of the 1500 photos of 355FG and Scout Force out of Steeple Morden.

Thank all of you for pitching in. If you are interested, I put 96 photos of 355FG ships and pilots in the Member Album section of the Photo Gallery
http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/a...Type=3&apage=1

Last note - my father and Henry Brown and Deacon Priest and Chuck Lenfest remained close friends - it was interesting growing up listening to them rag each other about losing the 'borrowed' ship.. and Al White pitching in to remind Brown and Lenfest that he had landed close by successfully to give them their ride home - but they were too busing running away to take advantage of the 'taxi'

It was after the October 3, multiple rescue attempts, that Doolittle went ballistic and threatened court martial's for the next one - and Why Jack Ilfrey made no mention of his successful rescue of his wingman in November - and Why George Green of the 4thFG was 'fired' and sent home for rescuing his CO Piece McKinnon on 18 March 1945 - and Grover Hall 'forgot this wasn't a 'first' and put the rescue in an official Public Relations release.