Crash Site P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt 42-76268

This concerns the crash site of P-47D 42-76268 of the 353 FG / 350 FS USAAF. It had taken off from Raydon Airfield in England for an attack on Fliegerhorst Plantlünne, about 15km south-east of Lingen in Germany. On the way back at 8:25 PM the aircraft was hit by Flak.
2nd Lt Harry Y. Aldridge (19101417 / O-762190 / born 9-8-1920) managed to leave the aircraft, but at too low an altitude and was probably killed as a result.
The aircraft came down along the Oldenzaal - Denekamp road.

2nd Lt Aldridge was buried at the Oostercemetery in Enschede (grave 202) and on February 4, 1946 he was reburied in Margraten (Plot WW-10-247) and later reburied again at Inglewood Park Cemetery in California.

There is no memorial or any other visible reminder at this crash site.

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Source

• Text: Coen Steenbeeke
• Photos: U.S. Air Force (1), Coen Steenbeeke (2, 3)