Identifying a B-24

[Russell]

Hello to everyone

On 10 September after a raid to Vienna, a B-24 that had been hit by Flak, the No 4 engine damaged, No 2 cut, and when the No 3 cut the crew baled out and landed near a Partisan HQ in Yugoslavia. 2/Lt Arthur Pasco and his crew were flown out that night. There is as far as I can see no MACR.

Does anyone know the serial number of the B-24?

Regards

Russell

[vathra]

Maybe it could be 41-29533
I don't know how I found this No, I wrote it with ?, so not a definitive ID
There is no MACR, and no info on Serial in Escape statements.

[Martin Gleeson]

Hello Russell,

I might be able to narrow your search down a little, but I cannot give you a complete answer.
Using a combination of ‘THE B-24/PB4Y IN COMBAT’ by Al Blue for daily loss lists and Joe Baugher’s website on individual aircraft histories, I can offer the following.

42-7742 720 BS, 450 BG. All 10 crew “baled out and evaded capture with help from partisans”. MACR 8372.
44-41096 62 BS, 460 BG. All 10 crew baled out, but two became POWs while the other 8 evaded with help from partisans. MACR 8375.

Also listed by Al Blue are;
41-29532 485 BG and 44-41221 344 BS, 98 BG.
Neither of these two have entries yet on the JB website. If neither of the first two above with MACRs are the B-24 you seek, then I suggest one of the second pair would be a strong possibility.

Do you know the unit of Lt. Pasco ?

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

[Martin Gleeson]

I can add a little more. The pilot of 42-7742 was a JW Hirsch, so that B-24 can be ruled out.
I used the MACR search function on Craig Fuller's Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research (AAIR) website for the above.
However, no trace of MACR 8375 on it.

Regards,

Martin.

[Russell]

Hi Marrtin

Pasco was in 830th BS/485th BG.

B-24J-195-CO 44-41096 ‘B’ was crewed by 2/Lt William J Schoppman Jr ,he and 1 crew were PoW, 8 evaded [8375] ME2214.

David Gansz in 15th AF War Diary says the 485th BGs 41-29533 returned after part of the crew baled out, but he has no other 485th losses.

I have yet to trace anything on the Al Blue 41-29532 485 BG and 44-41221 344 BS, 98 BG. 41-29532 supposedly shot down 11 July 44 with the 458th BG in the 8th AF. . I shall try to track the 98th 44-41221.

More later if I find anything.

Russell

[Buckeye30]

Hi Russell. Looks like this was Arthur W. RASCO, on 41-29532 "50 Missions from Broadway" an H-15; there are also several photos on Dan's "B24bestweb" site. All crew returned Italy.


Regards
Nick
https://www.485thbg.org/Photos/830th/830th.html

[Martin Gleeson]

I believe Nick is on the right track with 41-29532.

41-29533 was lost on 7 July 1944 in the North Sea and was with the 846 BS, 489 BG of the 8th Air Force. All 9 crew were killed, pilot 2/Lt. Woollen. MACR 7549.
Both Joe Baugher and 'LOSSES of the US 8th and 9th AIR FORCES, Vol. 4' by Stan Bishop and John Hey agree on that.

Regards,

Martin.

[vathra]

There is no MACR.
Since the crew was rescued on the same day, a MACR was not made.

It happened several times in Yugoslavia.

[Alex Smart]

Could it have been PASCOE, Arthur R - 35316684 - MACR 4908 ?
Sorry, not this airman, all B-17 crew were killed, he was a LW Gunner, not Pilot.

[Buckeye30]

There is a photo of the Rasco crew on the link I posted, they are alphabetically. The caption has details of loss. There are 4 photos of the nose-art on Dan's B24 site. If you can't see them I'll send a link.


Nick