April 26th Shot down of 2 P-61 by friendly fire

[brickhistory]

According to the 417th NFS' history and an interview with one of the surviving crews, the 417th lost three (3) P-61s that night.

P-61 (I didn't write down the tail #s) crewed by Lts T.E. Cartwell, pilot, and H.A. Anderson, R/O, were shot down and killed by friendly AA.

Their patrol was assumed by P-61 crewed by Lts H.J. Allen, pilot, and Frank Campbell, R/O. They were hit by friendly AA but recovered at Y-90, Geiberlstadt.

A third P-61 crashed at the conclusion of their patrol but the crew walked away.

Brick
author, Beaufighters in the Night, 417th NFS, USAAF

[Rolfeb]

Hi Brick,

thanks for your feed back. I'm living in the area where Cartmells P-61 crashed.
I'm very interested where the third P-61 you mentiond crashed. There must be an additional crash in the same area either from 417th NFS or 415th. Crash site most probably located but no evidence on plane.
Therefore any additional help would be great.
Are there some photos of Cartmells crew in your book?

Thanks
Rolf

[Ian_T_H]

Hello Rolf, I'm new to the forum but know a little about P61s. Part numbers should start (according to resources at 'aviationarchaeology,com') with 51 or 513, 516, 517. I have a piece of P61 coded 513062-2 which is part of the gunner's seat. Good luck, Ian.

[SMF144]

I thought our resident expert on friendly fire incidents would have been all over this query.

Where are you Brian?

Stephen

[Brian]

Hi guys

Stephen, I am not an 'expert' on friendly fire incidents but am collecting material for my 'friendly fire' series.

There is so much of which I am unaware, this incident - or series of incidents - being 'new' to me. Therefore I am very interested but cannot add anything of substance.

However, I am hopeful that Volume I of said series (covering 1940 only) will be available by spring.

Cheers
Brian

On April 26, 1945, P-61B-10-NO, AAF SN 42-39559, was shot down by friendly fire at approximately 2130. It was from the 417th NFS, flying out of Giebelstadt, Germany, flying a night intruder mission in defense of the Ulm-Dillingen Bridgehead. The location of the crash site was recorded as "Vicinity Altishein, Germany T 30821"

The pilot was 2LT Thomas E. Cartmell USAAF (my uncle), flying his first combat mission. IDPF records suggest a catastrophic crash and burn. The radar operator was 2LT Hal Anderson, who bailed out before the crash but because of the low altitude, his parachute did not fully deploy and he was killed on impact. Tom is buried at the AMC in St. Avold, France, and Hal was buried in the U.S.

More details of the loss, plus transcribed letters of Lieutenant Cartmell during his training and wartime service can be found at https://brooksidepress.org/cartmell/

Mike Hughey

I am a nephew of LT Thomas E Cartmell USAAF, the pilot of the P-61B that was shot down by American friendly fire on April 26, 1945, while on a night intruder mission over the Dillingen Bridgehead. After reviewing the burial records contained in his IDPF file, the site of the crash was identified as in the vicinity of Altishein, T 308201 (military map coordinates). I had a knowledgable friend help me translate this location into contemporary coordinates of 48.73777 10.87816. Tom was initially buried in the German military cemetery in Reutti. His remains were later moved to the US military cemetery in St. Avold, France.

I have produced a website that provides more detail about the incident, and moreover a collection of all of his wartime letters written to his family. I've also posted all of the related documents (flight logs, etc.) that belonged to him or were related to him. You can view this site at https://brooksidepress.org/cartmell/