1st Lt Koschenski Nelson W 48FG/494FS KIA december 27 1944 in Belgium

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Kent

I think you have partly solved the problem. Bishop et all lists four P-47D with s/n lost that day, but two with unknown pilots (as listed by me above).

Under salvaged (which I failed to check) that same day they list a "further four" aircraft lost, all without s/n but with known crewmembers. With you adding one s/n, 42-28975, we now have 5 known aircraft and six known pilots shot down.

It seems pretty clear that two of these pilots flew in the two aircraft with "unknown" pilots. For the benefit of Alain, 2/Lt Nelson W Koscheski is listed as taking off from St Trond, Belgium and belly landing in Allied territory in the St Vith area.
Soldiers of the US 1st Infantry Div helped him back to his own lines.
He was sent to the 15th General Hospital but returned to his home base in a few days.
So Koscheski was obviously only slightly wounded but returned to his unit.

So what we got so far is
42-28537 1/Lt Dennis Duncan
42-28985 Unknown, possibly Maj Stanley Latiolas
42-28997 Unknown, possibly 2/lt Nelson Koscheski
43-25571 2/Lt Charles Looper
42-28975 2/Lt William Dilley
unknown 2/Lt George Riegler

My apologies for not checking the salvaged part in the book. I was too convinced salvaged ment something else with regard to aircraft and didn't include planes lost in combat....

Cheers
Stig