154th TRS in Italy, loss of P-38 17 Feb 1944

[Russell]

Hello all

On 17 February 1944 a 154 TRS P-38 left at 0609 on a weather recce, and failed to return, apparently pilot returned later after bailing out due to unknown cause engine fire;2/Lt John V. Eastman was the pilot. Squadron records state they had no operational losses in February just two engine fires, both pilots baling out. I know who the other one is, but does anyone have further info on this plane, pilot or circumstances?

Russell

[Leendert]

AAIR has P-38G 42-13457 on 10 Feb 1944 with pilot (2nd Lt) Delphon C. Kenney (O-668248). Bailed out after explosion near Foggia #2.

Regards, Leendert

[Russell]

Hi Leendert

Yes. He is the other one of the two mentioned. There appears to be nothing outside the squadron records war diary for Feb 44 at all on the web for the 17th Feb 44 loss. Hence the question. Given the II/JG 51 claim at roughly the right time and location I am wondering what caused Eastman (and the name is hard to read in the film) to bale out.

Russell

[Leendert]

Although it needs further checking, pilot Eastman may be identified as Lt. John T. Eastman, O-803559 from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Mystery and not related to the apparent 17 Feb bail out: his later POW record says he was with 68 TRG indeed (parent unit of 154 TRS) here https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...pg=1&rid=22945
while on the other hand on day of capture 3 March 1944 he was flying in a P-47 of 317 FS/325 FG.... See MACR 3215 here https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90938739?objectPage=3

According this site http://raf-112-squadron.org/325thfghonor_roll.html Lt. Eastman was on his first P-47 mission with 325th FG after his transfer from the 1st FG (!?), a P-38 group.

Leendert

[Russell]

Leendert

Thats possible, most of the pilots seemed to have served elsewhere first, e.g. Kenny was ex 2nd BG. He was shot down on 28 March and reported KiA, but evaded and returned, much to the surprise of the Squadron, on 29 April, having been shot down NE Fiume, probably by Ofw. Francesco Tonello of the ANR.

The 154th Records list the missions they flew. The missions on which people are shot down or lost for other reasons, appear to be totally different to the detaiis in the MACRs.

I am still tracing Eastman,and will now check the possible group records to see if he gets a mention.

Regards

Russell

[Alex Smart]

Hello Russell,
You may already have seen this post of mine from 2020, but just in case you haven't, it may be of some help to you.
Here is what I found for the 154th .WRG Sqn.
Hi, here is what I have for the 154 the WRS.

KIA = Killed in Action - 21.
KIT = Killed in Training or other aerial activities - 4.
MIA = Missing in Action - 3.
POW = Prisoner of War - 4.
WIA = wounded in Action = 13.

1942
April 3rd - 2Lt. HAYMAN, George F. Jr - O-421933 - A-20A - 40-3157 - KIS.
April 3rd - 1Lt. DARDEN, Alfred C Jr - O-352476 - A20A - 40-3157 - KIS.
April 3rd - PFC. FISCHER, Charlie D. 20758889 - A20A - 40-3157 - KIS.
November 8th - 2Lt. PARKER, James K - O-725784 - East Coast Memorial, Tablets of the Missing - 122nd Obs Sqn ( But 154th )- KIA.
November 8th - Cpl. PICRAS, Nick G - 14058382 - KIA - East Coast Memorial, Tablets of the Missing.
November 8th - S/Sgt. SMITH, James A - 20758927 - KIA - East Coast Memorial. Tablets of the Missing.
November 8th - S/Sgt. WILLIAMS, Elmer We - 34072298 - KIA - East Coast Memorial. Tablets of the Missing - 122nd Obs Sqn.
ABMC and DPAA has date as the 8th November, instead of the 9th.

1943
January 7th - Captain. KNAPP, Clyde O-328819 - KIA - A-20 - serial ? On an anti submarine patrol.
January 7th - 1Lt. GRAVESTOCK, John H - O-432056 - KIA - A-20 serial ? On an anti submarine patrol.
January 7 th - S/Sgt. POZZI, William F - 18058751 - KIA - A-20 - serial ? On an anti submarine patrol.
January 7th - Pfc. REYNOLDS, Edward H - 34199768 - KIA - A-20 - serial ? On an anti submarine patrol.
January 30th - 2Lt. McCLOSKY, John D - KIA.
January 30th - 2Lt. LAXSON, Mack E, - O-725750 - KIA.
February 2nd - 2Lr. YOST, William R - O-663219 - POW.
February 22nd - 1Lt. HILLIKER, Eugene F - O-429651 - POW.
March 11th - 1Lt. KELSEY, Verne B - WIA.
March 22nd - 2Lt. NUTZEL, William C - KIA.
March 24th - 1Lt. MARQUETTE, Elwyn J - O-429672 - KIA.
March 27th - Sgt. TOSCANO, Elias P - WIA.
March 27th - Cpl. GOLBA, Briney - WIA.
March 27th - Cpl. RUSSELL, Willie E - WIA
March 27th (Probably) - T/Sgt. CLARENCE, Leonard - WIA.
March 28th - 2Lt. UTESCH, Lewis F - 660307 - KIA.
March 28th - 1Lt. WILDER, Robert H - O-379313 - POW.
March 31st - Captain. KILLIAN, Francis M. - O-439692 - KIA
April 1st - 1Lt. BILLUPS, Ralph E - O-663119 - KIA..
April 3rd - 1Lt. KENNER, Howard - KIT
April 23rd - 1Lt. OSBORNE, John F - KIA
May 31st - 1Lt. ANSTINE, Robert M - WIA.
May 31st - 1Lt. ROSEBERRY, William E - WIA.
September 18th - 1Lt. THOMAS, William M, P, - O-799677 - KIT.
October 2nd - 2Lt. EVANS, John K - KIT.
November 7th - 1Lt. KELTNER, James B - KIT

1944
March 29th - F-5 - 42-12892 - MACR 3511 -1Lt. NOEL, Arthur F - O-750670 - KIA
April 27th - F-5 - 42-13026 - MACR 4367 - 1Lt. FOX, Paul E - O-758977 - KIA.
May 2nd - 1Lt. KENNEY, Delphon C - WIA.
June 27th - 1Lt. HORROCKS, Richard J - WIA.
July 27th - Captain. SLAGLE, Harold W - WIA
August 22nd - 2Lt. LEAVENS, Charles W - WIA.
September 15th - 2Lt. HUMPHREY, Walter J - WIA.
October 23rd - F-5 - 43-2330 - 1Lt. FEATHER, Carroll - O-675835 - KIA.
November 17th - F-5 - 44-24065 - MACR 9845 - 1Lt. TOUHY, Edward F - O-758742 - KIA.
November 18th - F-5 - 42-67040 - MACR 9867 - 2Lt. HARRIS, Everett - O-769814 - MIA.E
December 9th - P-38 - 42-67029 - MACR 10786 - 2Lt. HARRISON, Elwen S - O-769815 - MIA.
December 20th - P-38 - 42-104219 - MACR 10634 - 1Lt. JOHNSON, John Clark - O-856904. - POW.

1945
January 2nd - F/O. KYLE, Charles F. - WIA.
January 7th - F-5 - 42-104018 - MACR 10855 - F/O. MARTIN, Carl Lee - T-3012 - MIA.
February 11th - 2Lt. WALKER, Frederick A - O-712062 - KIA.
April 5th - F-5 - 44-25003 - 2Lt. BISHOP, Floyd E - O-857007 - KIA.

All the best
Alex

[Russell]

Thanks Alex.

All helps to clarify things. The two questions I have left, is what caused the engine fire on Eastmans aircraft, accident or damage from enemy action, and what was the serial number of said aircraft?

The difficult issue with American losses is the aircraft that are lost over Allied lines, Anzio beachhead being a classic case as I have recently come across four or five cases of 52nd FG Spitfires crash landing or baling out over the bridgehead, some to Flak and at least one to a FW 190. that I missed for MAW Vol IV. For the ongoing 15 AF research, tracking the bombers that got back to allied lines, or the Adriatic and ditched will be a challenge, but that's the fun of it.