B-24 42-50411 458bg/734bs crashlanding on January 3 1945 in Belgiumm

[Alain57]

Hello ,

B-24 42-50411 458BG/734BS made crashlanding on January 3 1945 in Belgium , due to Flakdamage. Anyone an idea about the crashsite?

Regards
Alain57

[FrankieS]

isn't mentioned 42-50411 this one on June 6 1944 with crash Romania ?



"464th B.G. / 776th B.S. / B-24 H Liberator / # 42-50411 / Abschuss durch Bf 109 / Absturz westlich Pitești (Kreis Argeș) - Rumänien /
Captain George W. Leggat / 1 gefallen / 10 Fallschirmabsprung - KG"

[Alain57]

Hello ,

Thanks for the reply , but i found the info somewhere in Facebook

" In January 1945, returning from a mission, enemy flak knocked out one of the engines and rendered landing gear inoperable. My Dad, Zwinglio Frausto, the Bombadier, told us that pilots Charles W. Cleary And John C McArdle were able to guide the aircraft to liberated Belgium and crash landed; all the crew got out without a scratch."

Regards
Alain57

[FrankieS]

alright, thank you, Alain!


here:

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/ar...craft/42-50441


Baugher:
50441 (734th BS, 453rd BG, 8th AF, based at RAF Old Buckenham Airfield, Station USAAF-144, Norfolk, England) Crash Landed Jan 13, 1945 in Belgium While Returning From a Mission on The Railroad Bridge at Rudesheim, Germany Due to Landing Gear Failure. Flak Knocked Out (1) Engine and Rendered Landing Gear Inoperable. All (10) Crew Survived. Aircraft salvaged on January 18, 1945 By 5th SAD in Belgium.

[Leendert]

Alain,
I saw the Facebook page you were referring to. Indeed, on one hand bombardier Lt. Zwinglio W. Frausto (O-708031) spoke some French with Belgians, on the other hand he bought wooden shoes with "België" on it.
My estimate: B-24 bellied on the border of Liège and (Belgian) Limburg provinces? Picture of landed B-24 suggests to show high ground on a plateau.
Crew may have been ferried back to base from nearby A-92 St. Trond where in area Lt Frausto picked up the clogs... .

Pilot Lt Charles W. Cleary (O-690187), CP Lt John McArdle (O-768619), Navigator Lt George H. Pfortner (O-719139), Radio T/Sgt Eugene J. Larchyk (16062932), FE Sgt Wellesley N. Boling (19167379), nose gunner S/Sgt. Clair G. Bell (31318542), tail gunner S/Sgt Walter J. Bonus (32916587).
Other named crew in FB message Sgt. Egbert Arling (Top Turret) and John Nichols (Waist gunner) to be further identified.

Groet, Leendert

[Leendert]

There's only an indirect reference to the 13 Jan 1945 landing of 42-50441, and then not even in the 453rd BG or 734th BS diary of Jan 1945.
AFHRA Reel B0600, p. 933 (involves 732nd BS diary) merely says: "Two other aircraft of the Group landed on friendly territory on the Continent enroute back."

Leendert

[Alain57]

Hello Leendert ,

Thanks once more for the info.

Regards
Alain57

[Leendert]

Sgt. Arling as written on FB and elsewhere is in reality S/Sgt Egbert J. Aring (36044928).

Leendert

[Alain57]

Thank you
Alain12