B17 losses 2 march 1945

[RSwank]

I contacted Peter Kassak who wrote the book "An Ordinary Day in 1945" (which is about air war events of 2 March, 1945) to see if this incident in France or the Coleman crash are discussed and they are not.

http://www.amazon.com/An-Ordinary-Da.../dp/8389450224

So I have requested from the Air Force Historical Research Agency the reports of March 1945 for both the 398th BG and the 603rd BS. These usually come on CDs (for a fee) and take a few weeks. Hopefully they will contain enough information that we can determine whether of not the Coleman loss is the correct identification. It is interesting to note that the route flown by the groups that included the 398th that day was very close to St Inglevert. The route in and out was identical while over the continent, with the first check point being Cap Gris-Nez and the 2nd check point being northern Luxembourg. (Coming out, they flew back the same way, which would very likely put them very close to St Inglevert around 1500. Hopefully the documents I have requested can clarify these things.

[wise62]

hello

The 368th BG's public relations confirms that it is the 43-38864 which is involved in this event.
Another element from the witnesses in their recalled testimony.
The aircraft has been hit by german fighters and the aircrew was six. So it's very possible that someone has spoken to them when on the ground after bale out and so, know what happens to them above Germany.

Wise62

[RSwank]

Wise62, this is good. Hopefully the reports I have requested will contain more details and the crew list. I did try to see if any of the crew members I have identified so far made any statements for the Veterans History Project here in the US but apparently not. I believe they are all dead now. It is possible to speculate on how events unfolded. They were over allied territory for quite a while on the way out and clearly, for some reason, decided not to try to land at one of the allied "emergency" airfields in Belgium or France. With wounded aboard and perhaps not able to safely land the plane they may have thought it was better to try and get home.

[wise62]

Hi
3 of 603's B17 landed in France at Merville (B-53) on the return flight :
Beckstrom-Steele (8871)
Worley (8631)
Ellis (7317)

[RSwank]

Merville-Calonee, 50°37'17"N 002°38'38"E is right on their route out. It will be interesting to see if we can located where they bailed out. It could well have been at/near Merville if they felt they could not land the plane.

http://www.ronaldv.nl/abandoned/airf....html#Merville

[RSwank]

I received the 396th BG history and the 603rd Squadron History from the AFHRA. As is typical, many pages are hard to read but with some effort "readable". The bad news is they contain nothing about the exact circumstances of what happened to the Coleman crew. They did not return on the 2nd and they were flying 43-38864 but there is little else.

There is a crew list for the 2nd of March mission:
Coleman, Swan, Murphy, Warren, Roby, Wenig, Hush, Richardson, Alderson.

Coleman and Swan flew a mission on March 5th. Incuded on that crew were Murphy, Warren, Roby and Hush.


On March 6, Alderson, Wenig and Richardson received Purple Hearts.

Coleman was promoted to 1st Lt towards the end of March.

[RSwank]

I have made contact with relatives of both Coleman and Swan. From what I have learned it would appear the Coleman put their badly damaged plane down at an airfield in Belgium. Thus their plane would not be the one that exploded over St Inglevert. Furthermore, I now do not believe that any of the 398th planes were involved as I think I can account for all of them that did not return to England on 2 March. (I noticed it wrote "396th" BG instead of 398th in the post above. Apparently too much time has gone by and I can't correct it.)