P-39 crash info

I am researching the crash of my uncle, Lt. John Swanson, on Feb 2, 1944 in Tunisia.  There were two other planes that crashed at the same time being piloted by Lt. Rexrod and a Lt. Watson.  They were in the 81st Fighter Group, 93rd Fighter Squadron.  A short time after the crash a Lt. Read Rocap wrote my grandmother a letter giving a brief description of the circumstances.  I am looking for any info or reports on the crash, the above named officers, any journals or logs associated with the 81st or 93rd, and any reunion information on the 81st or 93rd.  Also, I have not progressed too far in my research and would appreciate any pointers to continue my research.  

You sure that date is not 1943??
 
 
Mike

Yes, the date is correct, my uncle and two of his friends were flying back to areas they had been previously to try to locate mail for their group and to see some friends.  They were on their way back when apparantly the weather started closing in on them and it is thought they had a mid-air collision.  I believe I have located the accident report and should be getting it any day now but I do not have much info on the group or squadron.  It is my guess that they were based somewhere in Italy at the time. 

dsnyer:
The Offical Form 14 Accident Report is filecode number 44-02-02-524.
 
This involved 3 P-39Ns and the following pilots.
 
Swanson, John E  42-8842 KIA 3km NW of Ain Draham
Rexford, Henry D  42-9367
Watson, Howard M Jr  42-9696
 
All 3 pilots were KIA in the general area of your Uncle.  Hope that this helps.
Ted

Ted:
 Is that report located on microfilm reel #46319, IRIS Code 00977266 & since you have the report handy..why were all three there at such a late date?
 
According "WWII Combat Squadrons", the 93rd was stationed in Montecorvinco Airfeld, italy circa Feb 1944, and by Mar 1944 the squadron had moved to Karachi, India.
 
 
Mike

F5G6:
I do not have the microiflm of the Form 14s available with me so cannot specifically answer that question. The reason that 3 pilots were mentioned in one file is that 3 aircraft were involved in this one incident.
 
Where multiple aircraft were involved in one incident, each aircraft had a Form 14 or 14a (after November 1944) filed for the damage incurred to the aircraft. Thus, if this incident had been a MAC between 5 aircraft, 5 different Reports would have been filed under this one filecode.
 
As to the location of the Groups deployment at the time, I can't vouch for that either. I can only go by the location listed on the Form 14 as to where the incidnet occured. Smoetimes those crash site locations are pretty vague on the first page of the From 14 and one has to read the supporting documents (if there were any) to get a better idea of where the actual crash site was. On the old style Form 14 (1942-June 1945) there is a place in the middle of the form that tells where the aircraft took off from and where its destination was to have been but that does not mean that the aircraft was necessarily deployed at the point of takeoff.
 
sorry I couldn't have been of greater help.  Ted51

Ted51:
 Is this Ted Darcy who was born in 1951, I knew he used to use a few assumed names including Ed Frank, when he posted.
 
 If your not Darcy, your sure have his style.
 
Mike <s>

F5G6:
 
Sorry but that name is new to me. I am just a humble amateur researcher.
Ted51

Thanks, I appreciate the info.  I believe at the time of the crash that the French International Police located the crash sites in the mountains.  I have not been able to locate any information on them but would be interested in knowing if they still exist in some form or were absorbed by some other agency in later years.  If so they may also possibly have some record of the crash investigation.  Any suggestions?