Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum  

Go Back   Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum > Discussion > Allied and Soviet Air Forces

Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 1st October 2010, 18:08
Laurent Rizzotti Laurent Rizzotti is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 2,917
Laurent Rizzotti is on a distinguished road
B-24 crash in Italy, 1st October 1944

On 1 October 1944 the B-24J 42-51995 crashed near Mottola, Italy, killing (at least) the pilot, Norman Apking.

I would like to have more details about this crash, especially the names and fates of the other crew.

Thanks in advance

Laurent
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 1st October 2010, 18:31
Leendert Leendert is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Belgium
Posts: 2,728
Leendert will become famous soon enough
Re: B-24 crash in Italy, 1st October 1944

Laurent,

On airforcehistoryindex.org the crew is mentioned as follows:

APKING, NORMAN E.; LESLIE, ROBERT T.; HERSHKOWITZ, MURRAY; GIBBS, JAMES E.; SHOREY, FORREST F.; CHAMBERLAIN, HARRY K.; LUND, CLAYTON J.; HUBERT, EARL B.; HORRIGAN, JOHN P.; ERVIN, LYLE H. (MOTTOLA ITALY) (45-10-1-

Regards,

Leendert
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 1st October 2010, 18:44
Leendert Leendert is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Belgium
Posts: 2,728
Leendert will become famous soon enough
Re: B-24 crash in Italy, 1st October 1944

Laurent,

All men were killed. Three are buried in Italy according to the AMBC website (Gibbs, Chamberlain, Lyle). The others are also mentioned on wwiimemorial.com with DNB.

B-24 flew against mountain in zero visibilty at location you referred to.

Unit is unclear, but some men were assigned to HQ 15th AF.

Regards,

Leendert
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 2nd October 2010, 14:32
Laurent Rizzotti Laurent Rizzotti is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 2,917
Laurent Rizzotti is on a distinguished road
Re: B-24 crash in Italy, 1st October 1944

Thanks a lot, Leendert, both for the reply at my question, but also for showing me a very intersesting website I didn't know so far (airforcehistoryindex.org).
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 3rd October 2010, 22:00
aestorm aestorm is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Wiltshire England
Posts: 23
aestorm
Re: B-24 crash in Italy, 1st October 1944

Laurent
I presume the crew were from a USAAF sqdn based at Foggia ?

Anne
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 4th October 2010, 16:05
Laurent Rizzotti Laurent Rizzotti is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 2,917
Laurent Rizzotti is on a distinguished road
Re: B-24 crash in Italy, 1st October 1944

The B-24 was then attached to Air Transport Command, and one of the crew registered on the AMBC website is shown as belonging to Headquarters Squadron, Fifteenth Air Force.

At this stage of the war, there were no more moves from bomber units from USA to Italy. I believe that replacement aircraft were flown by ferry crew or by replacement crews, but were not allocated to a precise Group until they arrived in Foggia.

In this case, as there was a full ten-man crew aboard, I guess it was a replacement/reonforcement crew rather than a ferry crew flying this bomber.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 4th October 2010, 20:45
Leendert Leendert is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Belgium
Posts: 2,728
Leendert will become famous soon enough
Re: B-24 crash in Italy, 1st October 1944

Laurent,

Indeed, some of the killed crew had the rank of private or corporal while a regular crew had sergeants and lieutenants.

Aviationarchaeology.com also has AT as parent unit.

Regards,

Leendert
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Update:107 Plane crash in WWII, 30 km around of Heidelberg Area Part 1 Klaus Deschner Allied and Soviet Air Forces 4 15th August 2013 04:27
Bombing of Pisa (Italy) on October 29th, 1944 ??? Douglas Jr. Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 4 24th October 2009 03:33
Crash of Planes in Berlin Area 1944 Michal Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 6 12th April 2007 16:14
Soviet losses in air combat 1st October 1944 Laurent Rizzotti Allied and Soviet Air Forces 0 5th February 2007 23:36


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 09:36.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net