Looking for pictures of Neville C. Benson. 15th AAF; 344th squadron ; 98th Bomb Group. KIA 11/11/1943 in the crash of the "Yankee Doodle Dandy". WG on Killer Kane's "Hail Columbia" crew on Ploesti mission. Sorties on the "Kickapoo", "Sad Sack" and "Baby" I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has pictures or other information concerning my uncle. [signature]

Judi, The serial number for the B-24 in which your uncle was lost is 42-40105. MACR 1197 gives details of the loss and this document can be obtained by following instructions under "research" in the header above. The following link to a French language website gives some pictures of recovered wreckage and details of the loss. http://www.aero-relic.org/1024x768/Francais/B-24%2042-40105%20Mc%20Collum/1f-00-b24mccollum.html[/url] Sean. [signature]

Judi, had a glass of Beaujolais so translated the web page for you! B-24 Liberator at Andonno, Italy Mission Date November 11, 1944, MACR 1197 Target the S.R.O. factory and viaduct at Anthéor Crash location Rucustun mountain, Andonno, (5 km SE of Cuneo), Italy B-24D-30-CO Serial 42-40105 "Yankee Doddle Dandy" 15th AF, 98th BG Crew 1 Pilot 2nd Lt Omer McCollum 2 Copilot 3 Navigator 2nd Lt Ralph Potter 4 Bomber 5 Radio 6 Machine gunner 7 Machine gunner 8 Machine gunner 9 Machine gunner 10 Machine gunner Thursday November 11, 1944, the newly created 15th American Air Force, whose headquarters were then in Tunisia, dispatched for the first time four-engined planes to France. 32 B-24 Liberators of the 98th Bomb Group, were going to bomb the S.R.O. ball bearing works at Annecy and on the return trip the viaduct at Anthéor, Var, France. Annecy was severely damaged by this raid, unfortunately causing several deaths within the civilian population. A B-24 during the outward journey, when the formation flew over the Italian Alps, had to make a return due too technical problems. This was B-24 D serial 42-40105 called "Yankee Doddle Dandy". Separated from the others this aircraft was the prey of 7 Messerschmitt 109 of Jagdgruppe (JG) 77, whose base was dispersed around Cuneo. In flames, with 3 dead men on board, the four-engined plane crashed close to the top of the Rucustun mountain, in the valley of Termes Valdieri, approximately 5 km to the South-west of Cuneo. Among the 7 crew members who baled out of the B-24 one man was killed in his opened parachute, another was wounded when he landed on the ground and was made prisoner. The 5 remaining aviators, including the pilot, succeeded in escaping from the hands of the occupying forces to be recovered by the Italian partisans under the command of Aldo Quaranta. To commemorate this wartime incident a monument to the memory of the four young aviators killed during the attack, was inaugurated by the Aéro-Re.L.I.C and the municipality of Validieri/Andonno some 50 years later on November 11, 1993, at the foot of the Rucustun mountain, in the small village of Andonno. 6 years later, on November 11, 1999, Ron and Gary Potter, the sons of the navigator of the aircraft (2nd Lieutenant Ralph Potter), visited for the first time to be met at the foot of the monument, in the presence of the local councillors and a large crowd. These two men, emotionally moved, returned home carrying in their luggage casserole pans and lids of aluminium, manufactured 55 years before from the remains of their father's aircraft. [signature]

Thanks Sean. I have a copy of the MACR. There is only one picture of Neville and a crew that my family has. I keep hoping somewhere someone has others. I appreciate the translation! [signature]

Here is a pic of the crash site

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Judi:
 
I think I have a photo of Hail columbia after it's crash on 1 August 1943. Possibly Nevill is in the photo but unidentified. I have other photos of "Killer Kane" and his crew. As you know Nevill flew with Kane's crew before going to McCollum's crew.
 
BTW: I received an Email a few weeks ago from Dale Johnson's daughter. Dale was the flight Engineer on Yankee Doodle Dandy when it was shot down. Also I think I have the name of the German pilot that shot down YDD.
 
I had open heart surgery last year and have been relatively inactive since. So that is one reason I have put some of my archives aside and may have trouble finding some of the data. I will try to search my files for any other pictures of Nevill.
 
Our reunion this year is Cincinnati. Since you are so close, I hope you can be there. I believe you were in Philly a few years ago.
 
I have just been reinstated as historian and am trying to get back into the swing, however am much slower now.
 
Herb Harper