359th Fighter Group / P-51#42-103329 lost the 10th june 1944

[loiclemarchand]

Hello everybody,
I'm looking for information concerning the loss of a P-51C #42-103329 CV-Z lost the 10th june 1944 at La Croix-St-Leufroy. This aircraft was piloted by Olin Drake from 359th FG - 368th FS. The pilot made a force landed and evaded with help of the underground.
Anybody have infos concerning this ?

Thanks
Cheers
Loïc

[edwest]

All I have is MACR 5594.



HTH,
Ed

[John Beaman]

Originally Posted by loiclemarchand

Hello everybody,
I'm looking for information concerning the loss of a P-51C #42-103329 CV-Z lost the 10th june 1944 at La Croix-St-Leufroy. This aircraft was piloted by Olin Drake from 359th FG - 368th FS. The pilot made a force landed and evaded with help of the underground.
Anybody have infos concerning this ?

Thanks
Cheers
Loïc

What specific information are you seeking that you do not already have?

[loiclemarchand]

More particularly the circumstances of his escape because I just know that he was helped by the french resistants. You have maybe infos John like a photograph of Drake, I've already a photograph of his aircraft...

Thanks John and Ed
Cheers
Loïc

[Six Nifty .50s]

From Mustangs & Unicorns: A History of the 359th FG (Jack H. Smith):

June 10, 1944 (1953-2235)...
...Meanwhile in the area of Evreux, Blue Flight of the 368th FS has just finished bombing a target when they engage three Me 109s. During the ensuing fight Lt. Olin P. Drake causes two of the bandits to crash but the third one latches onto Drake's tail. 20mm fire from the 109 bows a large hole in the Mustang's left wing root and also explodes into the engine. In a chivalrous gesture the German pilot flies formation with Drake until he makes a safe crash landing and then circles before leaving. Drake then evades capture and is hidden by the French, along with Staff Sgt. Melvin McCurry, a ball turret gunner from a B-17. Both are liberated by American forces and return to England in September.

No further information was given.

[Peter Randall]

Is this any help?

Courtesy of 359th FG Association

Peter

[loiclemarchand]

Hello

Many thanks to you Six Nifty and Peter.
Cheers

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hi, sorry to hickjack this thread but if SixNifty can gove what is said in the 359th FG about the loss of 1st Lt Bartlett of 368th FS, 359th FG, on 5-Oct-1944 (P-51 44-13669), I will really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

[Six Nifty .50s]

Originally Posted by Laurent Rizzotti

Hi, sorry to hickjack this thread but if SixNifty can gove what is said in the 359th FG about the loss of 1st Lt Bartlett of 368th FS, 359th FG, on 5-Oct-1944 (P-51 44-13669), I will really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

From the Mustangs & Unicorns history:

...October 5, 1944 (0945-1345 hrs)
Capt. Benjamin King, of the 368th FS, leads as the Group flies penetration, target and withdrawl support for B-17s bombing Dusseldorf, Germany. The 359th puts up forty-five Mustangs today and nine abort. R/V is made east of Herenthals, Belgium at 1110 and 26,000'. Bad weather splits the bombers up near the target and attacks are made on Cologne and Dortmund, Germany. No enemy aircraft are encountered. On the way out, near Tirlemont, Belgium, where escort is broken at 1230, Lt. Billy D. Kasper, of the 368th FS, sees Lt. Clifford L. Bartlett drop his tanks and enter a tight downward spiral from 30,000'. After an attempt to raise Bartlett on the radio fails, Kasper drops to 8,000' but fails to find any sign of him. Bartlett is later listed as KIA...

No further information given about Bartlett.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks a lot