Back in 2002, my team recovered the remains of MAJ Chester Slingerland's P-47.  MAJ Slingerland was the CO of 393d FS and went down on 23 March 1945.  Now by chance I found out that LT Alvin Beethe's P-38 went down less the 20 mins drive from my home and he is still listed as MIA.  Tomorrow I am hitting the archives near his suspected crash site and I need all the help I can get to finish this puzzle.  I need if possible, information on next of kin (or if someone can contact them and ask them to contact me, whatever is easier).  I also need to get as much info as possible on the P-38 he flew (outside of what the Dynamite Gang book and the MACR can tell me) and if a photo of the pilot exists.  Thanks in advance from Danny in Germany.

Hi,
 
2Lt. Alvin Beethe, 393rd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group.
Lost 26th November 1944.
Crashed near Duren, Germany.
Aircraft was a P38J-15-LO serial number 43-28709 Squadron Codes were "8L".
The MACR number is 10557.
 
You may find remains of a Black painted Circle on the Tail plane's and Blue paint on the Nose cone  and Prop Spinners.
 
Hope this is a help in your search.
 
Alex

From my P-38 database:
43-28709   P-38J-15-LO   Beethe, Alvin., 2nd.Lt.(O-766396). /Mia 
393th Fighter Sqd 367th Fighter Gp 9AF 441126 GLUE (Germany, Duren) MACR #10557   
V-1710-89/A051154 
V-1710-91/42-20698 
20mm. s/n 116802 
50.cal. s/n 397699, 746654, 928944, 929970  
Dive-bombing mission to Duren, Germany.
During dive bomb run, hit by flak & never pulled out of dive.

Terry T.
 

According to an eye-witness I interviewed yesterday, LT Beethe entered a dive, while his wingmen turned away.  He stated that there was no AA fire and no enemy fighters and he thought that the pilot looked like he missguessed his altitude.  Danny

Keay:
Was the witnees you mention named Capt. Blumer & if so he is listed as the only eye witness..and he stated that Beethe was 4-miles ahead of him, making the dive bomb run, stated he did not see him come out of the dive & crashed into the ground.
 
The MACR stated he (Beethe) was hit by Anti-Aircraft Fire.
 
Terry T.

Keay:
I forgot to meation the weather..Hazy tops 10,000 - bases 5000,  visibility poor.
 
If you would like a copy of the MACR, witness statement, and map area of downed a/c..drop me an e-mail and I will send it to you.
 
Terry T.

Terry, no the eyewitness was back then a 13 year old boy and he was interviewed about the crash twice after WW2.  But like so many cases, I assume Beethe was deemed non-recoverable back then.  The eyewitness even confirmed the type, he stated the plane was a "Lightning".  Him and his friend (since deceased) were the first ones at the crash-site.  I guess I now need to get the IDPF and an aerial recon shot from the spot.  Danny

Terry, the attached map is the best I have ever seen...Blumer was close to dead on. 

Keay:
I gather then you have the MACR,,as I have never sent you anything. Im done with this game!
 
 
Terry T.

Terry, what game?  I am sorry, but in my initial post I mentioned info that is not in the book Dynamite Gang or the MACR.  I am sorry that I did not answer you directly, but I answered the last two replies after just returning from service.  I have the MACR as I downloaded it from Footnote.  I am just stating that Blumer was not the only witness of Beethe going down.  Danny

Hello Danny,
 
I only have the following data concerning Lt Alvin Beethe :
 
He was from Elk Creek in Nebraska and he was married to Harrie Lee Beethe.
 
I have not any additional data or picture.
 
Let us know of our research.
 
Olliball

Oliball, still waiting for the weather to clear....I think the melting of the polar caps has all come down on Germany in the form of rain.  The way it is going I need scuba gear, not an excavator to ID this site :(

Hello Danny,

I am looking forward to receiving the news about the excavation.

Olliball

Well, the field is now empty, but the weather sucks.  It is September and we have either rain or cold, damp weather.  I hope to conduct a search this coming weekend.  Danny

Well, we searched over the field, which is due to be replanted in a week.  We had tons of signals, which is not unusual giving a field that was bombed by mistake by the 9th AAF a few days after LT Beethe crashed.  Today I received an exert from the IDPF and a search/recovery was conducted in 1949.  A shoe was found and the weapons, which on hand of serial numbers clearly identified this plane as belonging to Beethe.  The eyewitness that actually was first at the crash-site stated he found an army with a (he presumes wedding) ring on one of the fingers. 
After reading the IDPF, I doubt that a further search will reveal any clues that could help located further remains, especially in light as the two bombs Beethe's plane carried seemed to have exploded on impact (he was in a dive to drop them, so they most likely were armed and we assume he passed out in the dive) and as the armament is located in the nose and they were found, I am certain that any human remains should have been found at the time. 
As the village near the crash site was occupied by Allied troops only a few days later, I doubt that anyone would have burried the arm on a cemetery, but rather near the crash site, thus causing the only link to a DNA test to be lost. 
Sorry, wish I could have had better news :(
Danny