Operation

TO : H.Q. MAAF (attention 23rd SCORU) H.Q. NATAF (attention 2nd Command Unit 23rd SCORU) SAOA SAAF FROM : SIO 21 SQUADRON SAAF REF : 21S/703 DATE : 3rd June, 1944 OPREP No. 703 for the period ending 2100 hrs on the 2nd June, 1944 (L V) : NIL W: (i) 1 Baltimore Mk IV (ii) NIL Y (i) 0.15 Hrs (ii) NIL ADDENDUM OPREP No. 702 dated 2nd June, 1944 refers Missing Baltimore reported crash landed near FONDI. One member of the crew badly injured, three slightly injured, all at 56th Hospital Flying time 1.35 hrs included in D (1), OPREP No. 702 of 2/6/44). Hallick Capt. S.I.O., 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.

1944-06-03

__o_O_o__

Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Historical & Tactical Notes: * The Fate of the "Missing" Baltimore (Closure): * Connecting the Dots: This short report (Sortie 703) is a critical administrative addendum to the previous day's report (Sortie 702, File 16), which had listed one aircraft as "missing... last seen losing height under control towards Gaeta.". * Confirmation of Survival: The report confirms that the aircraft piloted by Lt. Mackay successfully crash-landed near Fondi. As noted in the War Diary (File 1), Fondi had been liberated by the Allies in late May 1944. This miraculous landing saved the crew from becoming POWs or casualties at sea. * Medical Evacuation (The 56th Hospital): * Casualty Care: The crew members, including the seriously injured observer Lt. Edmayr, were evacuated to the "56th Hospital.". This refers to the 56th Evacuation Hospital (US Army), which was operating in the Italian theater. At this specific time (June 1944), the 56th Evac was likely stationed near the Anzio beachhead or the newly liberated areas south of Rome, providing urgent surgical care to troops injured in the push for the capital. * Administrative Clean-Up: * Flying Time Adjustment: The note "Flying time 1.35 hrs included" ensures the squadron's statistical records were accurate. Even a crashed plane's flight time had to be accounted for in the monthly logs. * Abbreviations: * OPREP: Operational Report. * S.I.O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer. * Hrs: Hours. * S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force. * SCORU: Statistical Control and Operations Research Unit. 18 Verification: Target File Verification: The document is dated 3rd June, 1944 in the "DATE" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 704) labeled APPENDIX "C" (page number 307).