From a C-47 crash site. Someone can help us?

[SALERNO1943]

Originally Posted by Leendert

Salerno,

A friendly person gave the following information:

The following quotes come from 436th TCG microfilm (B0544) records of July/August 1944:
1) NARRATIVE: "July 31 was an unlucky day for the Group as one plane of the 79th T.C. Squadron crashed near Foggia killing nine of the eighteen negro passengers. The crew escaped with minor injuries".
2) CHRONOLOGY: "July 31 - A plane from the 79th T.C. Sq. crashed near Foggia at 1000 killing nine of the eighteen colored passengers. The crew and the other passengers escaped with minor injuries."
3) GROUP ENGINEERING REPORT: "August 1 - Aircraft No. 43-15153 crashed in the mountains of southern Italy near Montevergine Monastery. Nine passengers were killed." (I think this records their equipment loss, which is their main concern, not accident reporting)

Unfortunately no names are provided.

One problem: Foggia is far from Montevergine? But one similarity: both say nine victims...

Regards,

Leendert

Many thanks Leendert. The place where we find crash site is about 90 km from Foggia. Perhaps report you find is not precise. Perhaps the aircraft come from Foggia to go south of France so it need to go to west coast of Italy. The date of 31 july is that we also know from local historian book.
Do you have some idea like we can find a report with names of soldiers?
Any idea about this "negro" soldiers? Their Division?
Again thanks.

[dp_burke]

Been watching this thread with interest to see if the names of the dead men might be found.

The mention above of the men being 'negro' then suggests that we are probably not looking for combat soldiers, perhaps an engineering or other support unit since the 92nd Infantry Division was only entering the line at that stage. But I guess this makes it a little more likely that they were 92nd Inf Div.
If up to nine men were killed, there is some chance that at least one or more still is buried in Italy, some of their family may have chosen to have them remain buried in Italy.

With this in mind, ancestry.com allows us to look at the Italian burials for those died those dates:
31 July in Florence American Cemetery Only

John Chioda Sgt 39th Engineer Combat Regiment 33271457
Fred A Hall Cpl 4064th Quarter Master Service Company 34744224
Rafael Y Mylly, F/O 522 FS/ 27 FG T-123202
Frank Nelson, PFC, 362 Inf Reg / 91 Inf Div 39704979

The NARA AAD enlistment records do show that Fred A Hall was a "Negro" enlistment. All the others were "white" enlistment.

The 1st August includes these names

Frank J. Bertino Pvt 362 Inf Reg / 91 Inf Div W
John L. Carter 717 BS / 449 BG Assumed to be non-negro
William A. Schreier PVC 362 Inf Reg / 91 Inf Div W
Nolen C. Skipworth Pvt 435th AAA Btn No enlistment record found, but confirmed from rosters of the dead that he was White.
Noel Sonnichsen 87th FS / 79th FG W
Joseph O. Van Osdol PFC 362 Inf Reg / 91 Inf Div 37620533 W

All the above are non-negro

Not really anything conclusive there to be honest, the fact that you found infantry weapon parts at the scene, maybe this was a transport of 92nd Infantry Division soldiers on their way to the front.

It is such a pity that the US does not have a proper listing of their war dead similar to the British CWGC. The US Roster of World War Two dead, also on ancestry.com do not include dates, not even a year of death. If we could determine that 92nd Inf Div troops were brought up to the front by aircraft it might be a lead. There will be 92nd Inf Div associations out there, they must have records.

[SALERNO1943]

Many thanks for your interesting informations!
However, because they were dead in south Italy I think they were buried in Nettuno War Cemetery. Do you can search Nettuno cemetery with date 31 july or 1 august?
Do you are able to contact 92 inf div Association?
Many thanks again.

[pathfinder504]

Good Afternoon Gents!

I see that what we have been doing over at WIX is being mirrored here. Well Done! Just FYI and to avoid duplication of effort, I found and spoke with James Wyatt's nephew on Sunday afternoon. He has posted on the thread at WIX.

Matteo and Co. have a lot of work to do yet in the family contact area. That is not going to be easy. He really needs to get the IDPFs.

Dave

[SALERNO1943]

Here are some other object from this crash site. Some idea?

1 Unknown part


1a


2 Unknown parts


3 Spoon, hair cutter,


4 Black fibers, whithe glass fuse from flames


5 Buttons


6 Buttons


7 Unknown parts


8 Small fragments


9 Razor, part of parachute, glasses


10 Buttons army coat


11 Small parts


12 Unknown object


13 Unknown object


14 Label. Someone can read it?

[SALERNO1943]

Here are other objects frind yesterday with help of Pierpaolo, Francesco, Angelo e Gianluca.
15 Field-bed part, interruptors.

16 Unknown

17 Unknown.

18 Unknown

19 rear 78707111

20

21 Buttons

22

23 Sun glass fragment, electronic parts

24 MICAMOLD

25

26 Rank insigna lt? Part of cleaner kit M1

27 Buttons uniform. The biggest fragment is rank insigna berrett?

28 Plate
SIGNAL CORPS U.S. ARMY
MODULATOR UNIT BC-456-B
SERIAL NO. 38443
MADE BY
Western Electric
NEW YORK N.Y.

29 ONE CENT

30

31 Textile + plastic buttons

[ClinA-78]

Just worthing a try.
For the label on pic 14, you may put a sheet of paper on it and gently scrub with a pencil (with a dry coalmine)...

[SALERNO1943]

Here are italian newspapers that gave new about our discovery.

ROMA 28 august 2011


IL MATTINO 29 august 2011


BUONGIORNO IRPINIA 31 august 2011


Someone can send me e-mail addresses of USA newspapers and USA historical magazine that can be interested to publish this new? I hope in this way to find some or relatives of deceased soldiers.

[Leendert]

Matteo,

Try website www.thepaperboy.com for countless links to US newspapers.

Regards,

Leendert