P-38 Crash on Landing At A-78 Florennes Belgium on 01/29/1945

[Alain57]

Goodafternoon ,

2nd Lt Berg Oliver 0-718810 474FG was killed during landing 1 1/2 mile south of Florennes january 29 1945 coming back from a mission To St-Vith
Can someone help me with the serialnumber of his P-38

Regards
Alain57

[Sean Welch]

2nd Lt. Oliver BERG.
Can't help with the a/c serial number but his ASN was O-710810.

Sean

[Peter Randall]

42-67733 but don't have the a/c code letter.
Peter

[Alex Smart]

A/c P38J, was coded "F5" 428th FS.

8&9AF Losses(6) has an entry twice for this event on the 29th. Page 350 and 352 ?

I also have the following -

42-67733
2nd January 1945
474/428
P38J-10-LO
MACR 11519.
Bailed safe.
Pilot: 2Lt. James F. Hitchcock, O-770279.
Baled safe.
Details of this are to be found on page 305. Seems that he must have been killed after he landed.

So your aircraft must be another serial number.

[Revi16]

I found this accident on 01/29/1945 at Florennes,
450129 P-38L 44-24403 485FS 370FG A78 9 TOA 4 Hunt, James E BEL Florennes/A-78

https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Jan1945O.htm

[Alex Smart]

So not looking for Berg's aircraft after all ?

Found on findagrave.
His details given as 2Lt. Oliver Berg, Minnesota.
29-January 1945.
However his enlistment details give name as Berg, Oliver T.,Married and number 37793795.
Enlistment date 9th April 1945. (?).
His photo AND I presume a photo of his aircraft, coded F5 - E.
Serial number obliterated by the Squadron white square marking on outside of tail.Aircraft was camouflaged. Would most likely have worn the squadron's black nose and spinner marking as well.

[KM1957]

I have Berg flying in F5-Y 44-23636 when he was killed.

Kent

[Alain57]

Thank you all for the help

Alain57

[Alex Smart]

Thank you Kent

[Eagle0025]

Apologies for being late, but my records also show that Lt. Berg was killed in P-38J-25-LO, s/n 44-23636, coded F5-Y. USAAF records confirm the ship was "Declared salvage SBD 29 Jan 45". Cheers, Gary Koch