Details of death of two USAAF officers

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

I am searching more details on the death of two USAAF officers lost in North Africa.

The first is 2nd Lt John R Huffman, O-561327, who is commemorated as MIA on the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial with a death date of 1 January 1943. His unit is shown as "Air Corps". https://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/WWII...O_20200911.pdf adds he was lost in Algeria.

The second was F/O Glenn Ferris Van Vliet, Jr, also of "Air Corps" and who died on 6 July 1943 and is buried in North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial. According to https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/5...rris-van_vliet, he was a pilot stationed in Morocco when "while in formation, approximately two hours out, the engine of his plane exploded. While bailing out, Flight Officer Van Vliet was hit and killed by the tail of his plane."
He was the pilot of a P-40 of 21st Observation Squadron, 75th Observation Group, that on 1 January 1943 hit an airplane tug vehicle while landing at Will Rogers Field, OK. Van Vliet was unhurt but the driver of the vehicle, Sgt Antonio Matonti, was killed. 75th Observation Group never left the US, and became a training structure, but similar 68th Observation Group went to North Africa and spent a lot of time in Morrocco, but AFAIK by early July had moved to Algeria and Tunisia to take part in Sicily operations. So Van Vleit might have been a member of this group or not. The findagrave story might come from family or newspapers and not be fully accurate.

Thanks in advance

[RSwank]

Newspaper stories on Huffman:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...mes/133340307/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...mes/133340175/

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks for the links. Sadly they have no details on Lt Hufman's death, not even if was an aircraft loss or something else.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

By checking the loss of a B-17 of 97th BG on 6 July 1943, I found no link with Van Vliet, but raised a new question. On this day, the B-17 42-30121 of 414th BS, 97th BG, crashed on take-off from Oudna due to a crosswind and fell on fuel barrels. The explosion of these and the bomb load killed all 10 crewmen (list here https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/5...lliam-k-studer, confirmed). All ten crew are considered KIA.

But on ABMC there is another man from 414th BS, S/Sgt Carl M Essigman, who according to https://www.fold3.com/image/310763896 "died no-battle", but according to https://www.fold3.com/record/7003443...iles-1942-1954 the cause of his death was "aircraft". So I wonder if he was killed in the explosion caused by 42-30121 crash, but as he was not part of the aircrew dispatched for the mission was considered DNB. He may also have no link with the crash, but the death reason seems to indicate there is one.

There is no accident report for this crash, and a MACR was created late in the war but has few details except the crew list (MACR 16152). IMHO a MACR was opened because several of the crew were not identified. 7 of them rest in a collective grave in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri. The 3 other rest in North African US Cemetery.

[Leendert]

Laurent,

According website honorstates Van Vliet flew with the 27th FBG, flying A-36 Apaches (see https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=334573

However,an Honor Roll doesn't mention him: http://raf-112-squadron.org/27thfghonor_roll43-44.html

As for Essigmann (double "N" at end), this story (account at the bottom) appears to point to some ground crew also killed in the 42-30121 accident: https://www.reddog1944.com/SLATEN_97th_BG_414th_BS.htm

Leendert

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Leendert for the links

[Mark R.]

Only one USAAF fighter loss (33rd FG P-40 pilot safe) and one American bomber loss that day. Would have suggested it might be the latter: 1/1/1943 vic Tunis 1110 - 1125 34th BS/17th BG B-26B-2-MA Lt Frank A. Morton Jr. (MIA) + 5 MIA flak MACR 1512. However, then I looked up the crew to find out that pilot was Morton and the co-pilot was 1Lt Otho W. Pence. Remainder of crew were SSgts.