ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 113882
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| Date: | Saturday 13 January 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  North American P-51D-15 Mustang |
| Owner/operator: | 360th FSqn /356th FGp USAAF |
| Registration: | 44-15305 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Bridge Farm, Grundisburgh, Suffolk -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
On Saturday 13 January 1945, during Eighth Air Force Mission 791, 958 bombers and 469 fighters were dispatched to hit marshalling yards and Rhine rail bridges mostly by PFF methods; 7 B-17s, 1 B-24 and 2 P-51s were lost over Germany, while 13 more aircraft (5 B-17s, 1 B-24 and 7 P-51s) crashed in Allied territory.
This day saw typical British winter weather, the sort that is particularly poor for flying; bad icing, thick cloud and snow storms. The fighter groups of the 8th Air Force were nonetheless tasked with escorting the heavy bombers. This resulted in the deaths of six fighter pilots as their Mustangs crashed within the space of about an hour in East Anglia that morning. Very probably all the crashes were the result of the pilots suffering from vertigo – severe disorientation while relying on instruments, something that was difficult to train for in the clear skies of the American mid-west.
One of these pilots was Lt Wendel John August Nelson, of Fremont, Nebraska. He had volunteered to fly with the RCAF in 1940 whilst America was still neutral, and was shipped to England after receiving his wings. He flew with the RAF in the desert at the time of the battle of El Alemein, where he flew "tank buster" Hurricanes. After being shot down and wounded by ground fire, he joined a high altitude Spitfire unit, intercepting Ju 86s at over 30,000’. He noted two documented kills at that time in his log books, but they are not listed in any of the "kill" records of the RAF or RCAF.
He later transferred to the USAAF in 1944, and was commissioned a 1st Lt. He was trained in the P-47 Thunderbolt and transferred back to England, where he joined the 360th FS, 356th FG, based at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk. As soon as he arrived, the squadron transitioned to the P-51 Mustang. On his 11th mission in the P-51, he launched in a blinding snow storm on January 13, 1945. His P51D-15NA 44-15305 PI-N crashed near Bridge Farm, Grundisburgh, Suffolk, shortly after take off from Martlesham Heath, and he was killed.
This crash site was originally investigated in the 1970’s when the engine was recovered. It was re-dug about twenty years later, when it was discovered that many finds on the original dig had been discarded. The complete instrument panel, control column, pilots goggles, engine cowlings and many small items, discarded on the first dig were re-discovered.
A ’Fairburn-Sykes’ fighting knife of the type commonly known as a commando dagger had been found on the first dig, at the time this was believed to belong to Lt Nelson. However research has shown that the 356th FG had a policy of having a knife taped to the control column on most of their aircraft, this was to aid the pilot if he became entangled while trying to exit the aircraft in an emergency. When the control column (left) was recovered and cleaned, remnants of tape could still be seen on the shaft.
Sources:
http://www.sweffling.freeserve.co.uk/13%20jan.htm
http://paul.rutgers.edu/~mcgrew/wwii/usaf/html/Jan.45.html
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?5121-Unaccounted-airwoman-and-airmen-11-3-1942&p=28919#post28919
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grundisburgh
http://www.maplandia.com/united-kingdom/england/east-anglia/suffolk-county/grundisburgh/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Jan-2016 08:52 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Jan-2017 09:42 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Operator] |
| 13-Feb-2020 19:00 | Iwosh | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 23-Jan-2021 15:47 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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