Lt Thomas j. Taylor 358 FS

[Peglar]

Hello,

i am looking for info about Lt. Thomas J. Taylor 358 FS.
He crashed on 9. February 1945.
He flow P 51 YFA 44-14428

Where crashed his plane ?

Thanks, Peglar

[drgondog]

Just NE of Giesen, NW Alsfeld while penetrating storm clouds on way home.

YF-A 44-14428

[Alain57]

Hello Gentlemen ,

I don't know if my info is correct but i have this lost as , " hit during strafing a train near Halberstedt and crashed in the Liége area ( Belgium ) " Buried Ardennes cmemetery Belgium

Greetings
Alain
Belgium

[Horst Weber]

Alain !

Did you check this trace: The Angels Bolldogs & Dragons - The 355th Fighter Group in World War II", a book in a fine diary form, reports on page # 91 that "Lt. Taylor of 358FS was hit by flak while strafing locomotive near Halberstadt and died from his injuries sustained during a crash landing at Liege.

This trace seems a very realistic one since there is no entry in any German LGK-report, which could be matched up with this case. All other P-51 losses that day are well matching up with LGK-reports. But only this case does not.

So, on my opinion, this pilot did not come down on a soil under German control those days.

Hope, this helps,

Horst Weber

[drgondog]

There is no J report for Taylor, the Macr states that he was last 'seen' penetrating the cloud cover/haze near Giesen at 1330.

I went back to my original ABD notes re: "died from injuries sustained in crash landing at Leige', and note that my original source was a since deceased 358 pilot Blair (who was the witness pilot in Macr) who 'heard that Taylor had crash landed' but didn't know details or source... so I left it in the book but also noted 'not 100%' verified.

It is not verified in the 358FS History, which closed it's recordings in early June 1945 before the 355th moved to Gablingen

Jaap's reference for the cemetary pretty well confirms, along with no J report, that Taylor made it back to Allied lines. I have so noted this info in my 355FG/SF Honor Roll.

Regards

Bill Marshall

[Alain57]

Hi Gentlemen ,

Thanks for the help.

Alain