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Research Help: C-47 crash September 17 1944 - Holland


Quest Master
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Quest Master

I am looking for some research help on a C-47 that was shot down on September 17th 1944.
This is what I know: On, 17 September 1944 at 1030 hours 23 aircraft of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron, 442nd Troop Carrier Group flew Serial A-10 Operation “Market” to drop paratroops and parapacks on DZ “B” NE of Eindhoven in Holland. 21 aircraft landed at 1610 hours. 2 aircraft lost to German Flak: C-47A-80-DL 43-15098 (MACR 9977) flown by Lt. Corsetti and another C-47 flown by 1st Lieutenant Thomas H. Mills.
I am trying to figure out the S/N of Lt Mills aircraft and MACR #.

The crew of that C-47 was 1st Lieutenant Thomas H. Mills (pilot), Flight Officer John K. Barber (co-pilot), S/Sergeant Jessie H. Beal (crew chief), Olin H. Jennings (navigator), and S/Sergeant Rollin R. Bailey (radio operator).

These photos are attributed to the aircraft I am looking for information on, but it is INCORRECTLY identified as C-47A 42-108874. That s/n: C-47A-15-DK 42-108874, was sold to India after WWII and registered as KG476, so that isn't the S/N in the photos.
post-5775-0-58916700-1462296297.jpg

post-5775-0-59394800-1462296306.jpg
The C-47 in the photo with a last stroke of bad luck, hit the only obstacle in the otherwise clear field: a 45 ton German Jagdpanther which had belonged to 1. Kompanie of the schwere Panzer-Jäger Abteilung 559 and was disabled sometime between September 10th - 12th, 1944, during the fighting in and around Geel, Holland. The aircraft in the photo is attributed to be 7H-U of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron.

The aircraft in the photos "may" be Douglas C-47A-75-DL 42-100874 which on the aviation-safety.net, shows being lost on 17 September 1944 near Geel.

https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440917-32

 

So again, my question is, what is the S/N of the C-47 that Lt Thomas H. Mills flew, and lost on September 17th 1944 and what is the MACR #. Then, hopefully I can prove that it is or is not the aircraft in the photos.

Thanks!

 

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Quest Master

The C-47 in the photo with a last stroke of bad luck, hit the only obstacle in the otherwise clear field: a 45 ton German Jagdpanther which had belonged to 1. Kompanie of the schwere Panzer-Jäger Abteilung 559 and was disabled sometime between September 10th - 12th, 1944, during the fighting in and around Geel, Holland.

Yup.

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marketc47

I wrote a book about the C-47 losses during that operation. Planes that ended up in Allied territory don't have MACR.

This is indeed the mentioned 306th TCS aircraft. I've been in touch with one of the crew, and the son of another crew member.

You can check out the Airborne Troop Carrier website and Facebook site. There is also contact info for me.

 

Hans

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Quest Master

I wrote a book about the C-47 losses during that operation. Planes that ended up in Allied territory don't have MACR.

This is indeed the mentioned 306th TCS aircraft. I've been in touch with one of the crew, and the son of another crew member.

You can check out the Airborne Troop Carrier website and Facebook site. There is also contact info for me.

 

Hans

 

Hans,

Of the 23 aircraft of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron, 2 aircraft were lost to German Flak. C-47A-80-DL 43-15098 does have a MACR # (MACR 9977) flown by Lt. Corsetti, so why doesn't the other one flown by 1st Lieutenant Thomas H. Mills have a MACR?.

Is C-47A-15-DK 42-108874 the aircraft Lt Mills was flying and is that the one in the photo?

Thanks,

Van

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marketc47

Van,

 

That is Mills' aircraft at Gheel, Belgium.

Two man bailed out, the others rode it down. As they were in friendly territory, they seem to have been able to get word to base that they were ok. Or the MACR was not filed or thrown away after the crew showed up.

Anyway, with them landing inside friendly lines is the reason that there is no MACR.

You may check the number of MACRs for C-47s during Market, but won't get close to the approximate 80 that I know of.

For gliders, they hardly used MACRs. Even if GP became POW.

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Quest Master

Hans,

Awesome! That is a perfect fit for my research. Makes sense that there is no MACR, either because it was Belgium, or the short time period. From the 306th Troop Carrier History, File # 19440901-19440930, this is the excerpt:

"19 September 1944, 1130 hours, 18 planes towing CG-4As took off for LZ “W”. Entire formation ran into a wall of fog over the channel. The gliders could not see their tugs. The formation broke and dribbled back to base. Lost four gliders in the channel. The crews were saved. Lt Mills and his crew except Sgt Bailey who was hospitalized due to burns from the crash, returned to us safe and sound."

So, I guess because they were only gone two days....no MACR was generated.

Thank you!

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Jeeper704

Another glider crashlanded in that area (Rethy - Gheel) and some of the gliderriders were captured by the Germans, so the ones you talk about were VERY lucky.

 

Erwin

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  • 2 weeks later...
Flying Rooster

This crash occured in the vicinity of Antwerpseweg 87, Geel, Belgium. Close to the site of Agio cigar factory.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Flying Rooster

One of the gliders landed in Meerhout. I do have a few bits and pieces of this glider in my collection.

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The one I mentioned had a British Signalman on board (Harold Spence).

The others were of the 101st Airborne Signal Company.

Two were shot by the Germans, the others escaped.

Spence survived the war.

 

Erwin

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