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

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

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.

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, Belgium. The aircraft in the photo is attributed to be 7H-U of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron.

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! :drink3:

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

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/re ... 9440917-32

I would still like to know the S/N of Lt. Mills aircraft and if the one in the photos is his aircraft.

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2635

This seems to indicate the aircraft came down in Allied territory, so most likely no MACR. Perhaps a typo and Mills was actually flying 42-100874 as indicated above.

https://www.facebook.com/airbornetroopc ... 8552356667

One of the hundreds of C-47s hit by German defensive fire was 42-108874 (7H-U) of the 306th Squadron, 442nd Troop Carrier Group (TCG) from Chilbolton, UK. It was on route back from having dropped paratroopers of the 3rd Btn., 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 101st Airborne Division over Son, near Eindhoven, in the Netherlands. One of the LZ's as part of operation Market Garden. It was hit by German FlaK and it crashed on an open field (fortunately already in friendly territory) North-East of Geel, near Larum in Belgium.
Only two crew members – Flight Officer John K. Barber (co-pilot) and S/Sergeant Jessie H. Beal (crew chief) – bailed out before it was too low for a safe jump. The others – 1st Lieutenants Thomas H. Mills (pilot) and Olin H. Jennings (navigator), and S/Sergeant Rollin R. Bailey (radio op) survived the actual crash.

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Yes, that is one of my many references that I have seen to that aircraft picture with incorrect s/n listed...and I am trying to prove the accuracy for my own 306th Troop Carrier Squadron research. Was Lt. Mills flying C-47A-75-DL 42-100874, and is that the aircraft in the photos.

The reason for this is I am working on the restoration of C-47A 43-15137 7H-H, that served in the same squadron. If C-47A-75-DL 42-100874 is 7H-U being flown by Lt Mills I would be very pleased.

Starfighter · **Posted:** Tue May 03, 2016 5:38 pm

The list of Crashed C-47 models on 17-9-1944 around Market Garden LZ in the Netherlands are: see list below.
In the subsequent days there were more crashed C-47`s, for operation Market Garden.
The same days for operation Market Garden, the British RAF used C-47/Dakota`s those days several also crashed around the Market Garden LZ.

Look at this page with some pictures from it: http://www.bloggen.be/warresearcher/arc ... 1318802401
They talk about Skytrain 42-108874 (7HU-U), would be then C-47A-75-DL 42-100874 is 7H-U???

There is also a book, called the long road, where C-47 43-15098 is mentiond https://books.google.nl/books?id=Xt_ZAw ... 98&f=false

T4051 17-sep-44 Brabant ? C-47 A 42-92064 313TCG/49Sq 1st Lt. J. Fishel O
T4052 17-sep-44 1308 Wyler (N Groesbeek) C-47 A 43-16049 313TCG/49Sq 1st Lt. N.A. Baldwin Jr O
T4053 17-sep-44 1245 Heijningen (buurt van) C-47 A 43-15308 315TCG/34Sq Capt. R. Bohannan B
T4054 17-sep-44 1500 Boxtel (Kleine Liempde) C-47 A 42-100671 434TCG/72Sq 1st Lt. C. Nixdorf B
T4055 17-sep-44 Oostelbeers C-47 A 43-16033 434TCG/72Sq 1st Lt. D.A. Pahlow B
T4056 17-sep-44 Lage Mierde (bij Wellenseind) C-47 A 43-16034 434TCG/72Sq 1st Lt. K.M.P. Bertken B
T4057 17-sep-44 Son C-47 A 42-24111 435TCG/76Sq 1st Lt. W. Parsons O
T4058 17-sep-44 Son C-47 B 43-48391 435TCG/78Sq Maj. D. Elam B
T4059 17-sep-44 Son C-47 A 42-100522 436TCG/79Sq 1st Lt. R. Stoddardt B
T4060 17-sep-44 Son C-47 A 42-100527 436TCG/79Sq Capt. R.P. Hanna B
T4061 17-sep-44 1300 Son (landingszone W) C-47 A 42-24066 436TCG/80Sq Lt. J. Gurecki B
T4062 17-sep-44 Son C-47 A 42-100567 436TCG/82Sq 1st Lt. G.S. Toothman B
T4063 17-sep-44 1300 Casteren C-47 A 42-100672 436TCG/82Sq 1st Lt. G.R. Brassesco B
T4064 17-sep-44 1300 Bladel (Neterselseweg) C-47 A 42-100801 437TCG/83Sq 1st Lt. C.W. Gilmore B
T4065 17-sep-44 Wagenbroek (tussen Casteren en Hoogeloon) C-47 A 43-15302 437TCG/84Sq 2nd Lt. W.B. Williams B
T4066 17-sep-44 Luyksgestel C-47 A 42-100676 437TCG/84Sq - C.L. Clifford B
T4067 17-sep-44 Vessem (bij Grootakkers) C-47 A 42-100648 437TCG/85Sq Capt. W. Yeager B
T4068 17-sep-44 Bladel C-47 A 42-108884 437TCG/86Sq Lt/Col. R.E. Lehr B
T4069 17-sep-44 1400 Hoeven C-47 A 42-100965 440TCG/96TS Lt/Col. F. Krebs B
T4070 17-sep-44 1330 Linden (NW Cuijk) C-47 A 42-100863 441TCG/99Sq 1st Lt. J. Martin O
T4072 17-sep-44 1523 Groesbeek C-47 A 43-15102 441TCG/100Sq 1st Lt. B.J. Connelly B
T4073 17-sep-44 1340 Groesbeek (Zevenheuvelenweg) C-47 A 42-101026 441TCG/301Sq Capt. E.W. Peters B
T4074 17-sep-44 1330 Heihoek (Gassel - Beers W van Cuyk) C-47 A 42-92904 441TCG/302Sq 1st Lt. A.A. Dell Antonio B
T4076 17-sep-44 1316 Erp (W van Vogelenzang) C-47 A 43-15111 442TCG/304Sq 2nd Lt. H. Shulman B
T4077 17-sep-44 Eindhoven C-47 A 43-15098 442TCG/306Sq - J. Corsetti O

Best regards: Dennis

BennoT6 · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2016 3:07 am

Hi,

Geel is in Belgium, not The Netherlands. It's about 10 m south of the Dutch border, SW of Eindhoven (NL).

Regards,

Benno

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Starfighter wrote:

The list of Crashed C-47 models on 17-9-1944 around Market Garden LZ in the Netherlands are: see list below.
Look at this page with some pictures from it: http://www.bloggen.be/warresearcher/arc ... 1318802401
They talk about Skytrain 42-108874 (7HU-U), would be then C-47A-75-DL 42-100874 is 7H-U???
Best regards: Dennis

Perhaps the aircraft that Lt Mills was flying, because it crashed in Belgium, is not on that list. Additionally the article that you reference has the wrong serial number. C-47 42-108874 was sold to India after WWII. I believe the correct serial number is C-47A-75-DL 42-100874....and I would like to know if in fact that was the aircraft flown by Lt Thomas Mills that day, and crashed in Belgium on September 17th 1944.

patelie · **Posted:** Thu May 12, 2016 4:47 am

If 42-100874 is the correct SN it means that the aircraft was transfered from the 93rd TCS between June and september 1944.

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

When I enlarge that pic to 170% the last 3 digits of the tail number underneath the "U" looks like 674 to my eyes.

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