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

[ClinA-78]

Hello,

Scott Frederick of the 474th FG Association sent me this picture from a veteran album. Indeed date is wrong and you confirm this is NOT the aircraft he flew when he crashed at Lotenne (SE of A-78). I have found his crashsite some years ago.

Best regards.

ClinA-78

[ClinA-78]

Strange, no possibility to add a picture when go advanced.
Anyway, this is the picture showing F5-E.

ClinA-78

[Alain57]

Goodmorning ,

What's now the correct date and a/c serialnumber ?

Alain57

[Eagle0025]

Alain, I know of the photo of F5-E that ClinA-78 is speaking of. I have the same photo. The 29 January 1945 date is absolutely correct. The serial number is in question. P-38J-25-LO, s/n 44-23636 does show up as a write-off in the Combined Loss Listing (CLL) for 29 January 1945. I need to confirm the unit it belonged to and verify it was F5-Y. If so, it has to be for Berg. The 429th FS also had an incident that day where Lt. Richard V. Riggs returned from a mission with a flak-damaged left engine and was forced to belly-land at Florennes. It's possible this is the ship mentioned in the CLL. I have a good contact at the AFHRA who can assist me with getting the aircraft data cards. Let me do some more digging. This one has been a mystery for me also.



I also found an old email from a Belgian contact who also confirms the crash site in the vicinity of Lautenne, 4km SSE of Florennes. For ClinA-78: Can you post a map or coordinates of the precise crash site? Did you find any part numbers/data plates that could identify the ship (e.g. engine serial numbers, gun serial numbers)?



Here is an excerpt from the 428th FS history "The Geyser Gang" about the incident:
"The day had been an accident-filled one at A-78 and the 428th was not spared. [Returning from a B-26 escort mission], Lt. Oliver Berg's airplane, already in the traffic pattern and with wheels partially down, suddenly spurted a trail of flame. The pilot had plenty of altitude--at least 1,200 feet--for a safe bail-out; he had been known, moreover, as an icy-nerved flier. But for reasons unexplainable, he failed to jump, despite the shouts of Lt. [Robert] Freeman and others who had seen his predicament. The airplane fell off on one wing and then crashed about two miles southeast of the field."



Cheers, Gary Koch (474th FG Historian)

[KM1957]

Paul R. Meier's combat report for December 17, 1944 says he was in F5-Y 44-23636, so unless the plane was transferred to another squadron/group before January 29, 1945, I am pretty sure F5-Y is correct for this serial number for Lt. Berg's loss.

Kent

[ClinA-78]

I also found an old email from a Belgian contact who also confirms the crash site in the vicinity of Lautenne, 4km SSE of Florennes. For ClinA-78: Can you post a map or coordinates of the precise crash site? Did you find any part numbers/data plates that could identify the ship (e.g. engine serial numbers, gun serial numbers)?

Hello Gary,

I am the Belgian guy
here is : 50°12'18.11''N 4°40'49.72''E (at Lautenne or even Lotenne)
(Why I am still unable to post a picture, except from a URL ???)

Indeed this is a 'flat' crash, as he was on approach from SE toward A-78. Only little bits and rocky soil.

Best regards.

ClinA-78