1st Lt Koschenski Nelson W 48FG/494FS KIA december 27 1944 in Belgium

[Alain57]

Hello ,

It seems that 1st Lt Koschenski Nelson W 48FG/494FS was KIA december 27 1944 over St-Vith ( Belgium ). Doe someone has some additional info on him

Regards
Alain57

[RSwank]

There was a 1Lt Nelson W. Koscheski in the 48th FG, but it appears he died in 1991.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...ayne-koscheski


Search for Koscheski on this: https://www.lakenheath.af.mil/Portal...-02-093529-430

He was credited with two kills on 27 December 1944.

[Revi16]

Dec. 27, 1944, 48FG Losses
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/.../44DecMACR.htm
11507 441227 P-47 43-25571 48
11491 441227 P-47 42-28537 48

[Leendert]

Losses not related to Koscheski.
Alain: see http://ardennesavions45.blogspot.com...gny-le-27.html

Groet,
Leendert

[Alain57]

Goodevening ,

Thank you all for the help

Greets
Alain57

[Stig Jarlevik]

As per Bishop et al 48FG lost four aircraft on 27 Dec 1944

42-28537 Lt Dennis Duncan
42-28985 Unknown
42-28997 Unknown
43-25571 Lt Charles Looper

It seems quite certain that Lt George Riegler (see Leendert's post) was one of the "unknowns".

Since Lt Nelson Koscheski is still not fully clarified, did he also get shot down on this date or not? Obviously, if he was, he survived!
Alain seems convinced enough to pose the question though.
Was he the second "unknown" above?

From where did you get your info from Alain?

Cheers
Stig

[KM1957]

Duncan was in 42-28537 coded F4-W. Looper was in 43-25571 but I do not know the code letter of this 6M- plane. William C. Dilley (493rd Fighter Squadron) bailed out inside Allied lines, he was in I7-B 42-28975. Koscheski crash landed in Allied territory in a 6M- ship, serial unknown. Riegler bailed out southeast of Liege and broke an ankle in a 6M- plane, code letter not known to me. As for 42-28997, I have it listed as a 493rd Fighter Squadron aircraft, coded I7-A.

Kent

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Kent

I think you have partly solved the problem. Bishop et all lists four P-47D with s/n lost that day, but two with unknown pilots (as listed by me above).

Under salvaged (which I failed to check) that same day they list a "further four" aircraft lost, all without s/n but with known crewmembers. With you adding one s/n, 42-28975, we now have 5 known aircraft and six known pilots shot down.

It seems pretty clear that two of these pilots flew in the two aircraft with "unknown" pilots. For the benefit of Alain, 2/Lt Nelson W Koscheski is listed as taking off from St Trond, Belgium and belly landing in Allied territory in the St Vith area.
Soldiers of the US 1st Infantry Div helped him back to his own lines.
He was sent to the 15th General Hospital but returned to his home base in a few days.
So Koscheski was obviously only slightly wounded but returned to his unit.

So what we got so far is
42-28537 1/Lt Dennis Duncan
42-28985 Unknown, possibly Maj Stanley Latiolas
42-28997 Unknown, possibly 2/lt Nelson Koscheski
43-25571 2/Lt Charles Looper
42-28975 2/Lt William Dilley
unknown 2/Lt George Riegler

My apologies for not checking the salvaged part in the book. I was too convinced salvaged ment something else with regard to aircraft and didn't include planes lost in combat....

Cheers
Stig

[KM1957]

All,

I made a typo in my earlier post, so sorry for adding to the confusion. Dilley was in 42-28985, not 28975. I still have that plane as I7-B (all my notes show the correct serial, I typed wrong on my response). 42-28997 is I7-A and assigned to Latiolas according to my notes, but I could possibly be mistaken if it is the only P-47 unaccounted for on December 27, unless Koscheski was flying a 493rd plane instead of a 494th ship; this did happen on occasion with many Ninth Air Force units.

Kent