Two P47s of the USAAF collided over Holland.
One crashed at Herpen. The pilot, Lt. Col. Melvin F. McNickle, was captured and became a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III.
The second plane crashed into the Zuider Zee. The pilot, Lieutenant James F. Byers, McNickle's wing-man, was killed. The wreckage was located in 1976.
McNickle's career has been extensively documented, here, and here.
This account gives a different version of the crash.
His twin brother was retired from the USAF as a Lieutenant General, and a younger brother was shot down and killed in Burma.
George Thomas Hodgson, 578 Squadron
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial has a photograph and biography of Hodgson, extracted from the Album of Honor for Brant County.
21 September 1944 Niftrik-Hernen Netherlands
Stirling LJ810 of 196 Squadron RAF.
Aviation Safety Network
Flight Sergeant Peter Bode Bode's grave is one of two Commonwealth Graves at Wijchen; the other is Flight Sergeant William H Skewes. More on Skewes here. This reference also provides more information on LJ810:
21 September 1944
196 Squadron.
Stirling IV LJ810
Place: Between Niftrik and Heren.
This aircraft was attacked by three fighters and although one was shot down by the air gunner, the others pressed home their attack successfully. This crew had completed their tour on 19 September but agreed to fly another sortie due to the shortage of crews. Azouz and his bomb aimer were Jewish and this day was the Day of Atonement. having baled out, Azouz was machine gunned by the enemy fighters which had been attacking his aircraft and he was killed.
Casualties....
W/O. Mark Azouz. 22. DFC. Pilot.
F/S. Peter Harold Bode. 21. Air Gunner
War Memorial Herpen
War Memorial Herpen - WW2Museums.com
In addition to the Halifax crew, another British soldier is named - Private Stanley Purbrick.
Google Street View
A Halifax bomber from 578 Squadron, Royal Air Force, was shot down the night of 20-21 July 1944 and crashed in Herpen, The Netherlands. The crew was killed in action.
The crew members were:
Flight Lieutenant Joseph Arthur Leo Couture, Royal Canadian Air Force, Pilot, Age 23. Couture was a U.S. Citizen;
Sergeant Walter Broughton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Flight Engineer, Age 21;
Flying Officer Harry Sellers, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Navigator, Age 23;
Flying Officer Joseph Stanley Paul Fitzpatrick, Royal Canadian Air Force, Air Bomber, Age 21;
Sergeant Charles Alfred Morton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Wireless Operator;
Sergeant Alan Hugh Garnham, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Air Gunner, Age 19; and
Flight Sergeant George Thomas Hodgson, Royal Canadian Air Force, Air Gunner, born 26 May 1923. Hodgson is named on the Norfolk War Memorial Carillon Tower in Simcoe, Ontario. His is the last name on the Second World War Plaque; as the preceding names are alphabetical, it appears that his name was added after the plaque was first erected.
All are buried at the Uden War Cemetery (Map)
166 aircraft - 149 Halifaxes, 13 Mosquitos, 4 Lancasters - of 4 and 8 Groups attacked the synthetic-oil refinery at Bottrop. The northern part of the target was badly damaged. 7 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster lost. 578 Squadron lost 42 crew in 6 aircraft.
The crew members were:
Flight Lieutenant Joseph Arthur Leo Couture, Royal Canadian Air Force, Pilot, Age 23. Couture was a U.S. Citizen;
Sergeant Walter Broughton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Flight Engineer, Age 21;
Flying Officer Harry Sellers, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Navigator, Age 23;
Flying Officer Joseph Stanley Paul Fitzpatrick, Royal Canadian Air Force, Air Bomber, Age 21;
Sergeant Charles Alfred Morton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Wireless Operator;
Sergeant Alan Hugh Garnham, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Air Gunner, Age 19; and
Flight Sergeant George Thomas Hodgson, Royal Canadian Air Force, Air Gunner, born 26 May 1923. Hodgson is named on the Norfolk War Memorial Carillon Tower in Simcoe, Ontario. His is the last name on the Second World War Plaque; as the preceding names are alphabetical, it appears that his name was added after the plaque was first erected.
All are buried at the Uden War Cemetery (Map)
166 aircraft - 149 Halifaxes, 13 Mosquitos, 4 Lancasters - of 4 and 8 Groups attacked the synthetic-oil refinery at Bottrop. The northern part of the target was badly damaged. 7 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster lost. 578 Squadron lost 42 crew in 6 aircraft.
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