Lt. Dan Wilson was Killed in Action February 19, 1945, at Schwanberg, Austria. The crash is recorded in the town history, which was sent to me by Mayor Karl Schuster in 1989.
1945 15. [should be 25] Feber: Es fallen Sprengbomben aus englischen Kampfflugzeugen in den Kulmerwald. 6 Tage vorher greifen alliierte Kampfflugzeuge auf dem Schwanberger Bahnhof einen Wehrmachtransport an. Ein Flugzeug sturzt auf den heutigen Sportplatz.
Schwanberg 700 Jahre Markt by Dr. Alois Ircher. An undated history of the city, in German, page 41. Dr. Ircher also wrote that Dan Wilson was not shot down, as we took for granted. He said the plane was so low that it hit a telephone or light pole, and that where the plane fell is now a “sportplatz.” He doesn’t know what the German occupiers did with the remains of the plane.
Translation: 1945 February 15 [sic]: High-explosive bombs fall from English fighter planes in the Kulmerwald. 6 days earlier, Allied fighter planes attacked a Wehrmach transport at the Schwanberg train station. A plane crashes on today’s sports field.
The main mission of the 37th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, 15th Air Force that day was was to escort B-24s of the 55th Wing at Bruck, Austria. On their way back to their base at Triolo, Italy, the P-38s were strafing (and an experimental skip-bombing) in the Graz area of Italy.
For more about what happened to Danny Wilson, please see What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers.
So sad. For such a man to be lost because a handful of insane people wanted to rule the world.
Exactly. Thanks, GP.
Did you see Dennis Peterson’s latest post? He mentions Pacific Paratrooper!
Yes, I did and was both thrilled and surprised. I comment about him mentioning you and your books!!
Encouragement all the way around, huh!
Of course!!
It’s heartbreaking that Dan, who you knew to be a hard working man of integrity, should lose his life while serving his country. It must be frustrating not to know why his plane was unable to climb higher and avoid crashing. A reason may have been determined if the plane hadn’t disappeared!
Thank you, Nancy. The bergermeister of the town (1990s) told me that he flew so low that he hit a pole. It was Nazi occupied territory at the time, so that’s why they couldn’t even search for him until after the war.
Thank you, Joy. I can’t think of anything more important than keeping history alive and remembering well. All the sacrifices…so much heartache and love. Appreciate you, my friend.
Bless you, Vicki!
❤️❤️❤️
It’s sad when someone dies because of the insane malice of nations’ leadership.
Amen. A family who’d just dug themselves out of the poverty of the Great Depression in the heartland of America lost three sons because of those tyrants.
This is beyond heartbreaking, Joy…
Thank you, Lauren.
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This was a tough section of the book to read. Just gut-wrenching.
It sure was, Liz.