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| USAAF 13th AF 42nd BG 390th BS   Verzi c1944 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Louis R. Verzi, O-815790 (MIA / KIA) Palisade, NJ Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. John H. Hejl, O-811075 (MIA / KIA) Temple, TX Bombardier F/O James E. Zeitler, T-001959 (MIA / KIA) PA Radio Cpl Anthony G. Fiscarelli, 33799044 (MIA / KIA) Knedville, PA Gunner Cpl Ercell Rankin, 18215606 (MIA / KIA) Philadelphia, PA Armorer/Gunner Cpl John A. Slagle, 12219873 (MIA / KIA) Port Chester, NY MIA February 26, 1945 MACR 12774 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25G-5 Mitchell serial number 42-64907. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 42nd Bombardment Group (42nd BG) "The Crusaders", 390th Bombardment Squadron (390th BS). Nicknamed "Nancy Jean", with the nose art of a girl wearing cowboy hat and boots leaning on a fence. Engines were Wright R-2600-29 serial numbers 42-147613 and 42-148082, with 15 50 caliber machine guns installed. Mission History On February 26, 1945 took off from Pitu Airfield on Morotai Island on a bombing and strafing mission against Jolo Island. Weather was story with visibility of 0-500' inside storms, or 20-25 miles outside clouds. At 9:08, the formation entered clouds and visibility between aircraft became nearly nil. When the formation exited clouds, this B-25 was gone. Last seen by a crew member aboard another B-25 approximately 8 miles south of Sangihe Island, south of Davao Gulf. Search The same day as the loss, a search by B-25s of the squadron was conducted by two B-25s from 75th BS and six PBY Catalinas from the 2nd Air Sea Rescue Squadron with negative results. On the same day, twenty-four B-24s from 307th BG also searched while in the vicinity, but found nothing. The next day, six B-25s from 390th BS searched in pairs in three different areas with nil results. By March 6, 1945 all organized searched for this bomber and the crew were abandoned. Memorials The entire crew was declared dead on February 26, 1945. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Relatives William Verzi (brother of Verzi) References Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 12774 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Louis R. Verzi American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John H. Hejl American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James E. Zeitler American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Anthony G. Fiscarelli American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ercell Rankin American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John A. Slagle St. Petersburg Times"A Brother's long quest" February 26, 2008 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 B-25  MIA 6 Missing |
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