474th FG 42-104399 1 April 1945

[Eagle0025]

Hi Phil,

Unforunately I cannot confirm the individual P-38 that Lt. Craig flew on 1 Apr 45. As for the serial no., I believe you meant "44-25497", not "42-25497". There was no serial number 25497 that began with "42".

I can confirm that Lt. Robert L. Craig was flying as Geyser Red Four on that mission. The 428th FS history states "The mission was memorable principally for Lt. Craig who joined the "Purple Heart Club" after one of the narrowest escapes anyone in the Squadron had experienced. While Yellow Flight, led by Lt. Capron, was bombing a marshalling yard near Leinefeld, intense light flak caught Lt. Craig's right engine. A flak fragment ripped through the cockpit, coming so close to the pilot that it burst his right shoelace and grazed the top of his foot. Lt. Craig made it home all right, landing single-engine, having succeeded not only in quieting his shaking nerves but also in blowing out the flames that enveloped the engine when it was hit."

Hope this helps. I will keep an eye out for info linking Craig to the P-38 he flew that day.

Cheers, Gary