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885TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H)(SPECIAL)
OFFICE OF THE OPERATIONS OFFICER
APO 520
30 December 1944
STATEMENT
1. On 28/29 Dec. 1944 at 1925 hours, A/C B-24 No. T-1320 departed this base at 1920 hours, 28 December 1944 on operational mission. T/E contact was established with the A/C at 1930 hours while the plane was enroute to its target. At this time instructions were given to the pilot concerning two (2) LOP points that were not to be dropped. At 1945 hours a message from message for this mission was sent to the A/C inquiring as to whether or not the radio operator had any messages for the ground station. The A/C at 1947 hours received the message and answered that they had no message for the ground station.
2. The transmission at 1945 hours was the last word received from the A/C. The ground station made continual effort throughout the remainder of the day to re-establish radio contact with the A/C but no other messages were received from the A/C.
3. At 0115 hours, one hour past the plane's E.T.A., squadron operations found through Palermo flying control that no distress signals of any kind had been observed from the overdue A/C.
4. At the time of this report, unofficial word was received by this squadron that the A/C had crashed on the Yugoslavian Coast. A letter concerning the same of the accident is to be sent to this squadron by the Balkan Air Force as soon as details can be learned.
5. There were two agents on board the A/C that were OSS personnel. OSS headquarters has been notified of the missing A/C and they will submit the information concerning the two agents to the proper authorities.
6. The members of the crew of the missing A/C are as follows:
Crew Position | Rank | Name | ASN
-------------|------|------|----
Pilot | 1st Lt. | Legath, Arthur H. | 0719879
Co-Pilot | 2nd Lt. | Geary, Robert W. | 0-693623
Navigator | 2nd Lt. | Zissu, Arthur J. | 0-2069417
Bombardier | 2nd Lt. | Gittens, Ross J. | 0835534
Engineer | Sgt | Gismondi, Victor | 12124726
Radio Operator | Sgt | Friedlander, Alfred B. | 12317146
Gunner | Cpl | Smith, John L. | 17109931
Gunner | Cpl | Latsos, Charles A. | 12234631
Gunner | Cpl | Coarson, Paul L. | [?]
HERBERT G. BARON
Captain, Air Corps
Operations Officer
885TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H) SPECIAL
OFFICE OF THE OPERATIONS OFFICER
APO 520
3 January 1945
STATEMENT
1. On 31 December 1944 at 1251 hours, A/C B-24 No. T-1320 departed this base on a night operational mission. Soon after take-off, the A/C encountered extreme turbulence, 10-100 foot ceilings, rain, hail, snow showers, and heavy icing in the clouds. The pilot turned the A/C about approximately thirty-five (35) miles from base. Immediately after turning back, the A/C was caught in turbulence and a down-draft, and was thrown into a steep dive. The pilot regained control of the A/C at 100 feet with an indicated air speed of 90 mph. In regaining control of the A/C, the pilot rang the alarm bell and three men in the waist of the A/C bailed out wearing Mae Wests. The position of the A/C at this time was over water approximately twenty (20) miles off shore.
2. The pilot immediately alerted the position and notified air-sea rescue, who conducted an extensive search that night. The A/C then returned to base safely after jettisoning its load. All eleven (11) other A/C on the same flight abandoned their mission and returned to base or diverted to other bases.
3. In addition to the air-sea rescue units, who were continuing the search the next day, six planes of this squadron conducted an extensive air search the same day, 1 January 1945. No trace of the missing men was found.
4. The names of the missing crew members are as follows:
Position | Name | ASN | Rating
----------|------|-----|-------
Gunner (LW) | Stanley, Robert D. | 17168195 | Sgt.
Gunner (RW) | Trussell, Robert F. | 37504020 | Sgt.
Gunner (TT) | Shiflet, Michael J. | 42125797 | Sgt.
HERBERT G. BARON
Captain, Air Corps
Operations Officer
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