P38 to P47 (msg id: 2328)
Capt Van Deventer appears to have been with the 49th FS which flew P38s though prob before he went overseas in early 1942. The 49th has a very active association and you can contact them through their website. Good luck you must be close. Van Deventer was later in the 52nd FG which did not utilize P38s mostly British lend-lease Spitfires and some P40s and P39s flying from N. Africa bases. He had 2 aerial victories with the 52nd, both on same same day March, 1943, and he did the same with the 373rd in the P47 which he accomplished June, 1944.
Posted By: PastPilots
on 05/17/2011 6:20:39 PM EST
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387TH FIGHTER PILOTS (msg id: 2327)
DOES ANYONE HERE HAVE FAMILY MEMBER'S WHOM FLEW A P-47 THUNDERBOLT(RAZOR AND BUBBLE BACK) WTIH THE 387th FIGHTER GROUP THE ESCORTED THE BOMBERS?? HIT ME UP THATS THE SQUADRON MY FATHER FLEW WITH..
Posted By: LIZ
(ezdodger9@yahoo.com)
on 05/17/2011 12:17:57 AM EST
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more questions (msg id: 2326)
thx yet again. Now if Capt. Cowell was in the Med flying p-40s is it possible Richard was also there flying p-38s and came to the 373rd like the Capt. did?The info you have on a Richard Nickerson flying DC3s was that in Europe? thx
Posted By: Dan
on 05/16/2011 2:41:28 PM EST
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42 8616 (msg id: 2325)
Not a problem Dan happy to assist. With Lt. Nickerson piloting, 42 8616 was involved in an accident May 23 at the 373rd air strip at Woodchurch prob on take off or landing. It would have been repairable damage with minor or no injury to the pilot, as both were back in service in the months following as you noted. The July MACR is for the same P47, however piloted by 1Lt. Duncan Davis, a squadron mate of Lt. Nickerson, and just days before the 373rd moved from Woodchurch to A-13 in France. Pilots assigned to specific P47s was usually done after a prescribed number of hours/missions and until that time a number of pilots may have flown them. Even the dedicated P47s could be used by another pilot if repairs to their own needed to happen, but the pilot was still needed.
Posted By: PastPilots
on 05/16/2011 2:16:50 PM EST
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more mysteries (msg id: 2324)
I hope you don't mind more questions about Richard.
He is listed in an accident/incident report in May '44 in plane S/N 42-8616 at Woodchurch. In July '44 this plane is also in a MACR 7050. But has a different pilot Duncan Davis? Could this plane been damaged and Richard received another, 42-75072 and when his other plane repaired given to Duncan? Or is this his first crash and he wasn't in a p-38? The p-38 is dad's memory so it could have been 2 p-47s he was shot down in. There is also an accident report where his name is listed in '43. Thx
Posted By: Dan
on 05/16/2011 9:39:32 AM EST
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373rd and Lt. Nickerson (msg id: 2323)
The 373rd FG was solely P-47s, and existed only about 2 years (Aug 1943 to Nov 1945), having set up in England April 1944 in preparation for the offensive. I did find a 2Lt Richard L. Nickerson who was a DC-3 co-pilot in 1942. It was not uncommon for commissioned pilots wishing to switch to single-seat fighters with the build up in 1944 however it would have been more difficult to change fighter groups. A number of pilots crewed larger aircraft prior to switching to P-47s. Also interesting about Capt Van Deventer he flew the P-40 in the Med then switched to the P-47 with the 373rd. He was posthumously awarded the DSC for unquestionable valor in aerial combat that your uncle witnessed that day. Quite the experiences Lt. Nickerson had in WWII.
Posted By: PastPilots
on 05/15/2011 10:21:33 PM EST
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P-38s in 373d? (msg id: 2322)
Hi again another question. Did the 373d have p-38s earlier in the war? And would they have had missions into Germany or Belgium? Dad seems to feel that Richard went down both times in Germany or Belgium or even France. I don't have his SSN so i can't request his records.
Posted By: Dan
on 05/14/2011 10:01:07 AM EST
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Thx Again Pastpilots (msg id: 2321)
Yes. Richard saw Capt. Cowell Van Deventer S/N 42-26654 go down near Evereaux, France in july '44. I have that report also. The story goes that Richard Nickerson was shot down in his P-38 by machinegun fire. Crashed and had a broken leg. Farmers or someone was beating or kicking him when the Germans came. He was taken to a German hospital and apparently escaped from there. but i don't know where that was. Was his group 373d in Italy in say 42-43? One problem i have is i can't find his enlistment record or marriage or death records. I had someone at a Genealogy forum have him living in Bitbury, Germany. I know there was a Air Force base there. I'll keep digging thank's for all your help.
Posted By: Dan
on 05/13/2011 9:21:52 AM EST
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One More Note 0n 42-75072 (msg id: 2320)
My apology on the name oversight should read Lt. Richard Nickerson, not "Richardson". Here is an interesting excerpt of Lt. Allisons on his care for P-47 42-75072 the name actually being the O'Pal rather than Opal Lee. A good history on how the name came to be.
http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1640
Posted By: PastPilots
on 05/12/2011 11:02:32 AM EST
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More Re 42-75072 (msg id: 2319)
Hi Dan. Yes, the P-47 in which Lt. Richardson was shot down would have been England-based flying missions such as bomber escort with the 352nd Fighter Group. In 1944 this became the function of the P-51, so a lot of P-47s, including 42-75072, were transitioned into 9th AF fighter groups to provide low-level bombing/strafing support to ground troops, including the 373rd fighter group. Before the transition, Lt. Fred Allison actually had two names for this P-47 Opal Lee on the left and Betty Jane on the right, somewhat unique. If Opal was still on the jug at the time it went down, it is likely the art panel was not replaced following the transition. As an aside, the P-51 Lt. Allison used to replace that P-47 was then named just the Opal Lee and Allison went on to become an ace with 7.5 recorded kills (due to their role, 8th AF fighters saw more aerial combat than 9th fighters). Also if Lt. Richardson reported seeing another plane go down in July, 1944, he likely wrote this as witness to another pilots MACR, unrelated to 42-75072. Pilots were required to complete these as soon as possible on return to their home field. Interesting about his P-38 capture/escape as well. An escape/evade report is likely to have been filed on his return but I have not seen one. You or your father could request a copy of Lt. Richardsons military records. Once you confirm his P-38 squadron affiliation the resources are considerable with historians and associations. Good luck!
Posted By: PastPilots
on 05/12/2011 10:41:13 AM EST
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thx pastpilots (msg id: 2318)
Thx, so Richards plane was from another Squadon? My father said that Richard was also shot down in a p-38 earlier, captured ecaped and returned to duty. I cant find any record of the first one. Also in the MACR it lists Richards planes nickname as "Opal." That was I questioned the report. Richard also wrote a report in July '44 for seeing another pilot go down. So it stands to reason one of his plane may have been damaged and replaced with the one he was finally shot down with.
Posted By: Dan
on 05/08/2011 3:53:27 PM EST
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Re: p-47 S/N 42-75072 (msg id: 2316) (msg id: 2317)
Hi Dan that specific P-47 was with the 352nd FG (8th AF) which in the summer of 44 switched to P-51s It would have been standard practice to reassign aircraft to new fighter groups, even between the 8th and 9th AF (the 9th was losing a lot of P-47s at that time!). Tail numbers, like a VIN are permanent so if that aircraft is in another MACR it could be an error since MACRs are filed only if the pilot (in the case of the P-47) goes missing which usually means the aircraft also went down and would unlikely fly again. The 352nd pilot, Fred Allison, had named this P-47 for his wife, Opal Lee and it appeared to have taken good care of him. The only MACR I could find associated with that tail # is the one involving your uncle. You can also request a copy of a specific P-47s history from the time is was manufactured (this one was built at the East Farmingdale, NY facility) I believe I got one a few years back through the National Museum of the USAF in Ohio. Its my understanding as well the artwork/names didnt go with the plane they could just replace those pieces with new artwork or blank plates.
Posted By: PastPilots
on 05/05/2011 5:51:09 PM EST
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p-47 S/N 42-75072 (msg id: 2316)
My uncles tail number was 42-75072. I queried below any other info on 2nd lt. Richard L. Nickerson. I have the MACR reports but one question I have is, can that tail number be asigned to another plane? Richard was in the 9th air force, 373d, 410th sqd. There is another pilot in the 8th air force with the same number that was shot down or in an accident. Also the plane nicknames are almost the same. Is this just mixed up reports?
Posted By: Dan
on 05/04/2011 9:55:52 PM EST
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Lt. Robert E. Donnelly, 1st Sqd, 413th Gr, Apo 345 (msg id: 2315)
Lt. Donnelly witnessed John Heathcote's plane go down on August 9th, 1945. He wrote a letter to my mother, who was married to John Heathcote, describing what he saw on that day in 1945. My mother would like to make contact with him. Please contact her at mkjoyner@aol.com. Thank you.
Posted By: mkjoyner
on 04/27/2011 8:27:23 PM EST
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Lt. John Heathcote, II (msg id: 2314)
To ahuggins1
I just recently discovered you inquiry about Lt. John Heathcote in 2008. My mother was married to Lt. John Heathcote II when he was declared MIA on 8/9/1945. In March 1946, she received notice that he was killed in action. He was shot down over the island of Formosa. She was notified in late 1948 that he had been found, and a funeral was held in Harrisburg Pennsylvania in early 1949. Mom would very much like to hear from you how know you knew him. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you! mkjoyner@aol.com
Posted By: mkjoyner
on 04/27/2011 6:12:16 PM EST
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Looking for info on my uncle 1st. lieut. Richard L. Nickerson (msg id: 2313)
He would have been from Ma. Born in Maine. He was in the 86th? of 373d attached to nineth air force. Shot down once in a p-38-captured-escaped. Shot down again in '44 in Germany flying a p-47. Pow stalag 3. Any info would be great.
Posted By: Dan
on 04/25/2011 5:01:46 PM EST
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My Dad just passed away, He was a P47 Pilot (msg id: 2312)
In would like to get in touch with anyone that knew my Dad. Lt. Jack Faires. He recently passed away and there are so many thing I did knot get to ask him. Maybe someone out there still remembers.
Posted By: Valerie Wolf
on 04/21/2011 9:28:35 PM EST
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Capt. Samuel W. Scalzi (msg id: 2311)
Hello, I am looking for anyone who might have known my Dad Sam Scalzi.
He was stationed in England with the 9th Air Force 373 Fighter Group 410 Fighter Squadron.
I would love to know more about Dad's war years.
Posted By: Donna Scalzi Kobrosly
(donna5300@msn.com)
on 04/16/2011 12:47:51 PM EST
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Lt. Leonard D. Milton Info, 86th Fighter Group, 527th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (msg id: 2310)
My Grandfather, Lt. Leonard D. Milton, flew P-47s with the 527th Fighter Squadron in the 86th Fighter-bomber group. I am looking for any available information on his time in the war. Information that I am looking for particularly is the number of his assigned plane, any nicknames, stories, jokes, or anything else that will help me in writing a biography about him and his wife, Caroline "Dixie" Milton. Photographs would be amazingly helpful. Any help would be great.
Posted By: Matt Postlewaite
on 04/13/2011 4:43:31 PM EST
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Re: Captain Charles C. AUSTIN 358th FG (msg id: 2309)
Hello Judy,
can you contact me.
I know a witness of the crash of Captain Charles Austin. He makes a lot of researches about this pilot, and is in contact with his wife Etta.
Regards
Posted By: Jean-Luc GRUSON
(jean-luc.gruson@wanadoo.fr)
on 04/10/2011 12:15:50 PM EST
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Re: Captain C. Austin (msg id: 2308)
Hi Judy. Capt. Austins 358th FG would have been based at RAF Station High Halden, known as Station AAF-411 to the USAAF, southeast of London. The 358th moved their base to France by mid-July. Though he is buried at the US cemetery in Normandy a nice memorial is maintained for him in Limetz. Heres a link if you have not seen it:
http://www.aerosteles.net/fiche.php?code=limetzvillez-austin&lang=fr
Posted By: PJ Stouffer
on 03/29/2011 6:21:37 PM EST
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Seeking Information on Captain Timothy F. Ruane (msg id: 2307)
Captain Ruane was missing after a mission in his P47 over Germany on April 26th 1945. He is buried in France. Seeking info from any of those that may have know him and can tell me more about about the man, the soldier, the pilot.
Thanks!
Posted By: Don Burns
on 03/27/2011 10:20:39 PM EST
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Capt. C.A. (charles) Austin-need aditional information (msg id: 2306)
Capt. Austin KIA over Limetz, France on July 4, 1944 I am writing a book about him and would really appreciate any additional info, such as where he was stationed in England.
Posted By: Judy Woods
on 03/26/2011 7:20:07 PM EST
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Looking for the son of Bill Lowrance (msg id: 2305)
I am pretty sure I am your cousin. Please contact me. I sent a message to the 1999 email addy u left but I'm sure it is gone now. Aurther Lowrance was my grandfather.
Posted By: Susan Lowrance
(savethedogz@att.net)
on 03/20/2011 5:11:19 PM EST
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Looking for Victor N. Cabas (msg id: 2304)
Looking for Gen.Victor N. Cabas
Posted By: Greg Johnson
(gajohnson99@gmail.com)
on 02/26/2011 3:37:56 PM EST
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