Ltn Louis.G. Lind, 350 FG, KIA

[gradoli.v]

Gentlemen,
we are a group of local historians, and we are rebuilding the story of an American pilot who died aboard on a P 39 during a strafing a train near Montalto di Castro, Central Italy. We have several witnesses who remember this incident.
He was the First Lieutenant Louis G. Lind, 345 FS, 350 FG, Service O - 793641, date of death April 11, 1944.


Some of you may give us the MACR of this incident? Thank you!
Victor

[Leendert]

Victor,

Can't help you with an MACR, but have a look at http://www.conradwings.com/groups/lind.htm

Regards,

Leendert

[Tony Kambic]

This is from Joe Baugher, and may possibly help you limit the range in identifying a MACR, if you have access to them.

44-3001/3850 Bell P-39Q-20-BE Airacobra

3056 (350th FG) lost Apr 9, 1944. MACR 3993
3104 (347th FG lost May 29, 1944. MACR 5405
3112 (347th FG) lost Apr 19, 1944. MACR 4365
3126 (350th FG) lost Jun 27, 1944. MACR 14572.

[Tony Kambic]

Victor,

From ArmyAirForces.com:

A/C Serial Date MACR Group A/C Type

42-8971 4/4/1944 3994 350 P-39
42-8979 4/4/1944 4108 350 P-39
44-3056 4/9/1944 3993 350 P-39
42-18370 4/13/1944 4097 350 P-39
42-18382 4/20/1944 5369 350 P-39

No other MACRs in April for P-39s. Possibly it was learned by the Air Corp that he had crashed and perished there, thus no MACR was written up for this. You indicate that there were witnesses so they may have been able to confirm it to the authorities.

[gradoli.v]

Dear sirs,
thanks to you all, you have been very valuable for our research!
Regards
Victor

[Leendert]

Victor,

You may have seen these as well?

See http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...364942&df=all&

and/or

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...122861&df=all&

Regards,

Leendert

[gradoli.v]

Thanks again! We found some documents in which it appears that the Lieutenant Lind was quickly buried in the Cemetery of Montalto di Castro after the crash. At the end of the war he was exhumed and buried first in Follonica and then to Florence.
Rest in peace!
Victor

[Rainer]

As provided by Col. Earl "Dutch" Miller

April 11, 1944:
1st Lt. Louis G. Lind, 345th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, was killed while bombing the Montalto di Castro bridge from 400 feet with 4-second delay-fused bombs. His P-39 exploded in the air near the target. It is unknown whether the aircraft was hit by enemy machine gun fire or was caught in the blast of a bomb dropped by another P-39.

War Diary 345th Fighter Squadron by Captain Allan C. Wills, S-2 Officer:

While acting as anti-flak protection for other P-39's of the squadron on a bombing mission against the Mostalte di Castro R.R. bridge, the plane flown by Louis G. Lind of Edinburgh, Indiana, was seen to crash and explode, instantly killing the pilot. Lt. Lind, a veteran member of the squadron since April 1943, was greatly respected for his flying ability, brilliant mind and high moral character, and his loss is a severe blow to the squadron.

Source: http://simhq.net/forum/ubbthreads.ph..._April_11.html

[gradoli.v]

Dear Rainer, I thank you for your contribution. We know that on that day the German Flak has been very active. The important thing is that the body of 1 st. Lind was respected and immediately buried at the cemetery of Montalto.
Regards
Victor