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Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Charles "Butch" Moritz returns home.

Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:38 pm

REST IN PEACE SIR!


http://www.therolladailynews.com/newsno ... n-Illinois

WWII pilot's remains return to southern Illinois

St. Louis, Mo. —

The remains of a World War II pilot killed in a midair collision during training over England finally returned to his southern Illinois hometown Thursday, ending a decades-old mystery that might never have been solved had a group not happened upon the buried wreckage in search of the other aircraft

Moritz, a member of the 496th Fighter Group stationed in England, was 21 when he died on June 7, 1944, after his P-51C Mustang collided in midair with another U.S. aircraft over Lincolnshire, England. Eyewitnesses reported seeing Moritz's fighter plane spiraling out of the sky before slamming into the ground, exploding and bursting into flames.

The other pilot parachuted to safety.

Last September, members of a private English group that searches for vintage aircraft were scouring the countryside for the plane that collided with Moritz's aircraft when they happened upon Moritz's remains and what little was left of his P-51, both buried 18 feet in the ground. Found at the scene were Moritz dog tags, ID bracelet and a wallet containing papers with his name.

Re: Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Charles "Butch" Moritz returns h

Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:40 pm

RIP LT.

Amazing what is being found of late.

SPANNER

Re: Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Charles "Butch" Moritz returns h

Fri Apr 27, 2012 7:37 pm

A very interesting story. Welcome back home after all these years and likewise, RIP.

Re: Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Charles "Butch" Moritz returns h

Sat Apr 28, 2012 8:31 am

R.I.P. LT Moritz.

Re: Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Charles "Butch" Moritz returns h

Wed May 02, 2012 9:26 pm

Thank you for your service....
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