01/07/1944 358FG losses over France or Belgium

[Alain57]

Hello ,

On January 7 1944 the 358FG lost three P-47's

2nd Lt Bedford Corlys A. (KIA) 0-671488 Cuyahoga County Ohio MACR 2005
Maj. Younglas Donald A. (KIA) 0-417813 Genessee County Michigan MACR 2003
1st Lt Pousette Lance A. (KIA) 0-793530 -1 Mar 1920 MACR 2004

My question did they crashed in Belgium or France

Regards
Alain57

[Rottler]

Hello Alain57,

according to the German "Namentliche Verlustmeldung" AV 503/44 2nd Lt Bedford and Major Younglas were shot down near Colleret, 10 km south-east of Maubeuge, Northern France. They were buried at the community cemetery of Rue de Mons at Maubeuge: Bedford in grave no. 46 and Younglas in grave no. 48.

Regards
Leo

[RSwank]

Here is the link to the AV 503/44 report for Bedford and Younglas
See image 19 of 81: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/17352440

Note that three Thunderbolt pilots were buried, Bedford in grave 46, Younglas in grave 48 and an unknown Thunderbolt pilot in grave 47. I suspect the unknown was Pousette. The unknown had crashed about 3 km away from the other two.


MACR 2003: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90914881
MACR 2004: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90914890
MACR 2005: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90914900


https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...avery-younglas
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...nce-a-pousette
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...rlys-a-bedford

[Alain57]

Goodmorning ,

Thanks for the help.

Alain57

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The website http://francecrashes39-45.net/rech_avion.php has all three crashes reported in France, with location given. This site is usually reliable, with sources linked and local data if available.

[Alain57]

Hello ,

Maj Younglass was first buried at Fosse Belgium.

Regards
Alain57

[RSwank]

At war's end the bodies of all three airmen were recovered from where they were first buried by the Germans and reburied in a temporary American cemetery at Fosse. There is a list of all the temporary burials at Fosse here, with all three men listed:

https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-c...=1#sr-59294163

The families of the men were then given the choice of having the bodies returned to the US or to have them buried in a permanent American cemetery overseas. It appears that all three families had the bodies returned to the US as we saw in the findagrave lists in post 3.