The B-26 Ship #41-34912 that was LOST on 20 Oct. 1943, the pilot was not able to make it to land only miles away and ditched at Sea. #41-34912 was a * 441st Bomb Squad Ship* being flown by a 443rd Bomb Squadron CREW on 20th (21st) Oct. 1943

(NO Photo of the Ramblin' Reck yet) #41-34912 B-26 C BN 8 Tail # 441st BS SHIP

The B-26C which was being flown by the 443rd Bomb Squadron was actually a 441st Ship. She was named "Ramblin' Reck" with a Battle Number of 8 on her tail. The 443rd Crew was assigned to her that day because the CREW was ready but not the ship they regularly flew. Just before the Target (a Railroad Bridge West of Guardea, Italy) on 20 October, 1943 the engines were seen to start smoking. The pilot 1st Lt John J Turner made a water landing 50 miles off the Italian coast, near to Giamutri Island. The pilot and co-pilot 2nd Lt. John R Smart were killed but the other crew members took to the life raft. The surviving crew members were spotted in the water by other aircraft in the formation. Despite later sea searches the rest of the crew were never spotted again and presumed dead. (Information and actual story from B-26 Historian Paul Clouting)

B-26 #41-34912 Ramblin' Reck B-26 C BN 8 Tail # of the 441st BS

1st Lt Turner, pilot Lt John J Turner (Pilot) 0-668165

2nd Lt Smart, co-pilot Lt John R Smart C-Pilot) 0-669799

S/Sgts Chavez, Alexander T Chavez (Radio/Gunner) 13042573

S/Sgt Lefler, Albert L Leffler (Bombardier) 12038292

S/Sgt Miles Jr., Clarence H Miles ( Aerial Gunner ) 14068323

S/Sgt Watt. Julian Watt, Eng/Gunner 34125316

. April 2011 Thanks to a friend of mine who lives in the Livorno area (Tuscany), have
located the remains of the mentioned B-26, ditcehe at sea between the
Giannutri and the Giglio islands.
My friend, Fiorenzo Bucci, is the director of the daily "La Nazione" and
has asked me to write a brief account about the story of this B-26 and
his crew. From the AirCrashPO Team Leader Professor Agostini Alberti (April 2011) Historian, Po Valley, Italy**

The 320th Bomb Group (medium) flew the Martin B-26 Marauder. At the height of the war against Nazi Germany, it was the most important American medium bomber in the MTO as well as the ETO. It had a reputation as a "hot" plane in combat, but was an unforgiving could be a handful for the unwary pilot. Indeed, in its early days "Widow Maker" was one of the least unpleasant names bestowed on it, and its continued production was in jeopardy at least four times. It had its faults, but in the hands of an experienced pilot was, as it later proved successfully, an excellent weapon, and by the end of the war in Europe Marauders had a lower attrition rate than any other U.S. aircraft.****

"The 443rd throughout the war used a black African native figure crouching in jungle foliage and blowing a bomb out of a blowpipe. The figure held a shield with the U.S. star insignia".(See photo above)

Barbara Ennis Connolly, WWII Historical Researcher PRINCESSBARIB25@msn.com 57th Bomb Wing Researcher and Historian for 2 of her Groups. Research provided by Barbara Ennis Connolly and Patti Johnson, (57th BW Historical Researchers), Prof. Ago Alberti of the Air Crash PO and B-26 Researcher Paul Clouting._

320th Bomb Group, 443rd BS, B-26 LOSS 41-34912, 20 Oct.'43