P-47 loss April 1945?

[Karoband]

Good evening all,

http://raf-112-squadron.org/86thfghonor_roll.html

In the above source, between the entries for 28 April 1945 and 29 April 1945, there is reference to an Edward D. Jette of the 526th Fighter Squadron/ 86th Fighter Group who some time in April 1945, "crash landed his plane in enemy territory he returned to the Unit on 30 April 1945".

Can anyone shed light on the identity of this aircraft and the date of its loss?

best regards,

Jim Geens

[Delmenhorst]

86th FG losses i April 1945. Go to Fold3 and start searching:
13638 450402 P-47 44-20983 86
13751 450411 P-47 44-20986 86
14330 450427 P-47 42-27918 86
14338 450429 P-47 42-28601 86

[Rainer]

MACR 13638 is about 1st Lt Blaine F. Nelson (O-820554) KIA
MACR 13751 is about 1st Lt George D. Kinsel (O-721428) KIA
MACR 14330 is about 1st Lt Paul J. Dornstadter (O-719286) KIA
MACR 14338 is about F/O John A. Scheele (T-63472) KIA

There is probably no MACR for Edward D. Jette when he returned within a few days to his unit.

[Alex Smart]

Perhaps an E&E Report, but not available on line.
Alex

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The war diaries of 86th FG and its squadrons are available online there:
http://www.86fighterbombergroup.com/War%20diary.htm

You can search for Edwards in the April pages, but there are PDF files of the image type so you have to scan them by eye. Apriul 1945 for 526th FS is there: http://www.86fighterbombergroup.com/..._P201_P222.pdf

[Karoband]

Hi Laurent,

Thank you for the link to the war diaries.

1st Lieutenant Howard C. Wolf, the Unit historian of the 526th Fighter Squadron, is undoubtedly the source for the entry about Lieutenant Jette in my first post. Since Wolf is scrupulous in listing promotions and awards and there is no mention of Jette I presume he was a 2nd Lieutenant. The entry of "a couple of days ago" on the 28th of April would put the crash landing on or about the 26th of April.

I found further sources giving the date of birth of a Edward D. Jette as 23 November 1922 and a site quotes the Department of Veteran Affairs as listing a Edward D. Jette as enlisting in the Air Corps on 07 Oct 1942 given the service number 12174983. His date of death is given as 22 Oct 1968.

Rainer is most probably right about no MACR being issued. Unfortunately Wolf did not include him in his casualty list.

Thank you all.

Jim

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Nothing in the 86th FG papers so far.

Maybe Jette crashed in an aircraft not belonging to the unit, but to another. Or on a ferry flight from England/France with a replacement aircraft.

[Rainer]

Found the following entries about him in the 526th FS War Diary so far:

28 Apr 1945: Word was received from Army that Lt. Jette who crashlanded his plane in enemy territory a couple of days ago was safe and well and would be returned to the outfit in a couple of days. We have all been sweating him out and this was indeed good news.

30 Apr 1945: Lt. Jette returned late last nite and he really had quite a story to tell. When he first landed he was captured by Hitler Youths who turned him over to SS troops. These SS troops were strictly in favor of hanging him but he managed to talk them out of that. He was then turned over to German soldiers stationed in an old fort. The German commander asked Jette how he could surrender to the Allies. Jette told him and to make a long story short, when the Americans arrived Jette had firm control of three officers and 35 soldiers.

June 1945: 1st Lt Edward D. Jette awarded Bronze Star

[FrankieS]

13656 450401 P-47 42-28063 86 Nighswonger. Laurence L 74564 Crailsheim D
13638 450402 P-47 44-20983 86 527 Nelson, Blaine F KIA 1 71296 Heimsheim D
13751 450411 P-47 44-20986 86 Kinsel, George D KIA 1 86720 Nördlingen-Löpsingen D
14330 450427 P-47 42-27918 86 526 Dornstadter, Paul J KIA 1 86862 Lamerdingen-Kleinkitzighofen D
14338 450429 P-47 42-28601 Stump Lifter 86 525 Scheele, John A KIA 1 83035 Bad Aibling D

[RSwank]

There is a photo of Edward D Jette on page 60. He was in class 44-F. He also served in Korea.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Classbook.pdf

He was from Sunny Side, Long Island, NY.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...&GRid=82570441