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