P-47 LOSS;

Guestbook Entry (msg id: 1111)
Member 346th FS, 350th FG flying jugs out of Pisa, Italy. 1944-45

Posted By: Henry E.Tatum (p47jug350@aol.com) on 11/26/2000 3:32:58 PM EST

Guestbook Entry (msg id: 1110)
On November 11, 2000 the wreckage of a P-47 Thunderbolt was dug out near BERNBRUNN, a little village in South Germany. Bernbrunn is situated between HEIDELBERG and HEILBRONN, east of the NECKAR River. The inhabitants insits on the opinion that the pilot never was recovered and that the pilot is still in his plane. I don’’t share this opinion. As I know it, each american soldier KIA was recovered and buried. The P-47 crashed on April 2, 1945 at noon time or early afternoon. The results of the recovery were: a few human bones, a lighter (initials: GAB but not engraved),smallest parts of a uniform and parts of the headgear with parts of the right headphone and a automatic colt.45. I researched the american losses of the XII TAC on April 2,1945 as well as the losses of April 1, 1945. The only losses at the XII TAC on APRIL 2,1945, had been with the 27th FIGHTER BOMBER GROUP. You can read in the Daily Mission Report for April 2, 1945: …. AO 69 8 a/c off at 1200 on ground controlled strafing mission. In area between R-8367 and R-9786, formation received intense, light flak causing loss of 3 planes. Other 5 planes landed 1400. Flak: Intense, Light, Accurate from R-8367, R-9068 and R-9786. The distance from R-9786 (flak hit) to the place of the crash is only a few kilometers. The following pilots who didn’’t return to their base Toul/Ochey in France, had been: 1. 2nd Ltn. Arnold I. Sellars (O-720937) 2. 1st Ltn. William J. Hay (O-821621),3. Robert P. Jones (O-825446). All three were then reported MIA. A Research Group (MACR’’s and Data Casualty) told me via E-Mail, that Ltn. Hay was POW and survived the war. Ltn. Sellars is not in the Database, so he also might have survived the war. But 1st Ltn ROBERT P.JONES was declared KIA and buried (information from the Research Group). The red coloured spinner of the a/c indicates, that these 3 officers may have belonged to the 522nd Fighter Bomber Squadron/27th Fighter Bomber Group. Can anyone confirm the recovery and burial of Ltn. Jones and tell me the place where he is buried. It my be of interest to you, that after the revovery work of the few relics a Divine Service was celebrated and a LORDS PRAYER was spoken. A former German Fighter Pilot (FW-190) who served in Italy - but not involved in this loss- laid down some red and yellow roses. He held a short speech to honour this unknown american soldier and former enemy as a man, ho had to do his duty for his country as well as he and his comrades of the German Air Force had to do their duty. I feel very obliged to anyone,who can anything tell about this mission especially the fate of 1st Ltn Robert P.Jones. It would be great, if pictures of these 3 pilots and their planes could be made available to me. Please E-Mail or write me. Günter Beck, Kirschenrain 4, 71717 Beilstein, Germany

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Posted By: Günter Beck on 11/26/2000 6:02:33 AM EST

Arnold Sellars