Monday night, June 30th at 9:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, History Detectives will air a presentation called "WW2 Diary" on the local PBS station.  This is the story of a diary maintained by Charles Moran, a co-pilot in the 701st Bomb Squadron, 445th Bomb Group.  Moran's plane and it's crew disappeared on a routine training mission on October 31st, 1944.  They were part of a 30 plane practice mission.  Weather was overcast from 600' to 8,000' with light icing reported by the crews at debriefing.
 
Nothing was ever heard from the crew after takeoff.  No distress or Mayday call - no wreckage or bodies recovered - and none of the flight path was supposed to be over the Channel.  This is truly a mystery waiting to be solved.
 
Check your local cannel guide for exact time and channel number.  If you go to www.PBS.org and look on the left side of the screen, you'll see where to enter your zip code to find your channel listings.  Look for WW2 Diary on History Detectives.

Mike Simpson
Webmaster & Unit Historian
445th Bomb Group (Heavy)
www.445bg.org
VP, 445th BG, Kassel Mission Historical Society
www.Kasselmission.com

ORIGINAL: Mike.Simpson

 Moran's plane and it's crew disappeared on a routine training mission on October 31st, 1944.  They were part of a 30 plane practice mission.  Weather was overcast from 600' to 8,000' with light icing reported by the crews at debriefing.

 
Mike,
 
I just noticed this posting and am facinated by the story.  There were no combat bombing missions flown on the 31st of October, 1944.  The 8th was in stand down.  The weather was cold and rainy.  To schedule a 30 plane practice mission at maximum effort (assumed) seems unusual.  Do you know if was disciplinary for a past poor formation flying performance?
 
Just curious, Bob

Bob Gilbert
Ball Turret Gunner, Goldin crew
381st Bomb Gp., 533rd Bomb Sq.
US 8th Air Force

Could this be it?
B - 24 # 44 - 40294 C  " Slossie "
445th BG , 701st Sq.
Non - Operational Sortie 10/31/44
Take - Off Accident  Ditched
8 KIA  MACR # 10160
Pilot - Lt. Edward Speers - New York
CoPilot listed as William ( Typo?) H. Moran Jr. - Pennsylvania
??????????????????
Mike

Greetings:
 
Does anyone have a copy of the MACR for Moran's Aircraft:
B - 24 # 44 - 40294 C  " Slossie "
445th BG , 701st Sq.
Non - Operational Sortie 10/31/44
Take - Off Accident  Ditched
8 KIA  MACR # 10160
Pilot - Lt. Edward Speers - New York
CoPilot listed as William ( Typo?) H. Moran Jr. - Pennsylvania
I would be interested in viewing, Thanks.
 
Bob K

I have the accident report that I sent to History Detectives - still working on getting the 109 MACRs for the 445th.

Mike Simpson
Webmaster & Unit Historian
445th Bomb Group (Heavy)
www.445bg.org
VP, 445th BG, Kassel Mission Historical Society
www.Kasselmission.com