February 6, 1944
An accident today as one of the alternate planes returned to the field cost the lives of five fliers in the 489th squadron. As the 36-plane mission took off to bomb a road junction at Frascati, one of the alternate planes, piloted by F/O Buell O. Wiltshire of Hemet, Calif., started a landing approach. A minute or so later, when the co-pilot was at the controls and the pilot's attention distracted, the plane flew into the turbulent cloud mass and when it broke out it was out of control very close to the ground and a fire. Quite possibly a wing was torn off. Flight Officer Wiltshire and the co-pilot, 2nd Lt. William J. Capson, were reported to have been tumbled about in the cabin until Witshire fell clear. His parachute worked, but he suffered bruises and shock, and was also treated for burns. The bodies of Capson and the rest of the crew were found in the plane, close to Castelmare. The fact that Wiltshire landed almost next to the aircraft demonstrates the extremely low level from which he was thrown out or jumped. The dead include 2nd Lt. Roy L Carvel, Bombardier; T/Sgt Frank J. Luczak, radio operator; S/Sgt. Peter J. Miller, Jr., Turret gunner, and S/Sgt. Carl O. Wellington, Tail Gunner...The mission against Frascati was fair. Cloud cover also affected the success of a "nickeling" mission in the Atina, Penne, and Pescara areas, with only a small part of the leaflet load of the three planes actually dropped....Authority having been grated this group to award its own Purple Hearts, a general order was published granting nine of our men this decoration for wounds.
An accident today as one of the alternate planes returned to the field cost the lives of five fliers in the 489th squadron. As the 36-plane mission took off to bomb a road junction at Frascati, one of the alternate planes, piloted by F/O Buell O. Wiltshire of Hemet, Calif., started a landing approach. A minute or so later, when the co-pilot was at the controls and the pilot's attention distracted, the plane flew into the turbulent cloud mass and when it broke out it was out of control very close to the ground and a fire. Quite possibly a wing was torn off. Flight Officer Wiltshire and the co-pilot, 2nd Lt. William J. Capson, were reported to have been tumbled about in the cabin until Witshire fell clear. His parachute worked, but he suffered bruises and shock, and was also treated for burns. The bodies of Capson and the rest of the crew were found in the plane, close to Castelmare. The fact that Wiltshire landed almost next to the aircraft demonstrates the extremely low level from which he was thrown out or jumped. The dead include 2nd Lt. Roy L Carvel, Bombardier; T/Sgt Frank J. Luczak, radio operator; S/Sgt. Peter J. Miller, Jr., Turret gunner, and S/Sgt. Carl O. Wellington, Tail Gunner...The mission against Frascati was fair. Cloud cover also affected the success of a "nickeling" mission in the Atina, Penne, and Pescara areas, with only a small part of the leaflet load of the three planes actually dropped....Authority having been grated this group to award its own Purple Hearts, a general order was published granting nine of our men this decoration for wounds.
February 6, 1944
An accident today as one of the alternate planes returned to the field cost the lives of five fliers in the 489th squadron. As the 36-plane mission took off to bomb a road junction at Frascati, one of the alternate planes, piloted by F/O Buell O. Wiltshire of Hemet, Calif., started a landing approach. A minute or so later, when the co-pilot was at the controls and the pilot's attention distracted, the plane flew into the turbulent cloud mass and when it broke out it was out of control very close to the ground and a fire. Quite possibly a wing was torn off. Flight Officer Wiltshire and the co-pilot, 2nd Lt. William J. Capson, were reported to have been tumbled about in the cabin until Witshire fell clear. His parachute worked, but he suffered bruises and shock, and was also treated for burns. The bodies of Capson and the rest of the crew were found in the plane, close to Castelmare. The fact that Wiltshire landed almost next to the aircraft demonstrates the extremely low level from which he was thrown out or jumped. The dead include 2nd Lt. Roy L Carvel, Bombardier; T/Sgt Frank J. Luczak, radio operator; S/Sgt. Peter J. Miller, Jr., Turret gunner, and S/Sgt. Carl O. Wellington, Tail Gunner...The mission against Frascati was fair. Cloud cover also affected the success of a "nickeling" mission in the Atina, Penne, and Pescara areas, with only a small part of the leaflet load of the three planes actually dropped....Authority having been grated this group to award its own Purple Hearts, a general order was published granting nine of our men this decoration for wounds.
An accident today as one of the alternate planes returned to the field cost the lives of five fliers in the 489th squadron. As the 36-plane mission took off to bomb a road junction at Frascati, one of the alternate planes, piloted by F/O Buell O. Wiltshire of Hemet, Calif., started a landing approach. A minute or so later, when the co-pilot was at the controls and the pilot's attention distracted, the plane flew into the turbulent cloud mass and when it broke out it was out of control very close to the ground and a fire. Quite possibly a wing was torn off. Flight Officer Wiltshire and the co-pilot, 2nd Lt. William J. Capson, were reported to have been tumbled about in the cabin until Witshire fell clear. His parachute worked, but he suffered bruises and shock, and was also treated for burns. The bodies of Capson and the rest of the crew were found in the plane, close to Castelmare. The fact that Wiltshire landed almost next to the aircraft demonstrates the extremely low level from which he was thrown out or jumped. The dead include 2nd Lt. Roy L Carvel, Bombardier; T/Sgt Frank J. Luczak, radio operator; S/Sgt. Peter J. Miller, Jr., Turret gunner, and S/Sgt. Carl O. Wellington, Tail Gunner...The mission against Frascati was fair. Cloud cover also affected the success of a "nickeling" mission in the Atina, Penne, and Pescara areas, with only a small part of the leaflet load of the three planes actually dropped....Authority having been grated this group to award its own Purple Hearts, a general order was published granting nine of our men this decoration for wounds.
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