The newphew of Uncle Pilot is in Italy.

This story has its roots in 'Winter 1943.

Only in May 2000 thanks to a witness Fodom / Livinallongo / Buchenstein I learned of the fall of an American four-engine bomber in , in the valley dell'Edelweiss, so called for the Refuge.

The search begins Senior school, with repeated trips to Treviso, my city, in the fall that year I began to search. The first Elders were a bit 'secretive, but they offered me the following high availability. Thus emerged as a large group of witnesses of whom the most prominent and the oldest ever, 93 years, was Giarona Costamoling.

Eventually I was able to record the stories consistent, generous and full of details for which are grateful to 35 men and women especially in Colfosco inhabitants. Incassai a single refusal. From the beginning I received a gift of the metal remains of the "U.S. bombing," a big by Paul Clara, but none could fully reveal its source. Floriano Alfreider even gave me part of a tire.

One track, finally A first step in my research was provided by the verification performed willingly in the Book of the Dead by Clara Parish Corvara Don Alfonso. Was the discovery of 11 dead allies Crespena Lake on December 19, 1943. A Sunday. They were taken to the local cemetery for the burial which took place a few days later. No list of names or other data were recorded.

The villagers remembered the slides used for the transportation and the poor condition of the bodies battered by a fire on board. Heinz Kostner, for many years Mayor of Corvara, I remembered the layout of the tombs having a child at the top of the cemetery. Francesco Piccolruaz remembered perfectly under attack by a German fighter wing to which he had cut a heavy enemy aircraft, while causing a devastating fire that immediately enveloped in a fireball. Fact also mentioned by Filomena Pitscheider that out with the dinner plate in hand to follow the scene fell down the staircase of the farm and fortunately ended up in the snow. A heavy metal fragment lost from the plane out of control had heavily damaged the bell tower of Colfosco, before disappearing behind the Monte Ciampac.

Precisely in this village I found the greatest number of collaborations. A choral participation to the recovery of memories never confided in some cases, even children.

The mystery remains tight But the data do not jump on Fallen U.S. fuori.Giorgio Kostner an autumn afternoon I made progress in the knowledge of how hard the war episode accompanied to the land of the tragedy. It was a rich exploration of emotions for me. That left few notable scrap and small pieces of different materials: aluminum, plastic, glass, iron, brass, acrylic, steel and wood in an area well-

2 kept track of the huge fire. My guide remembered for having visited the place with his brother Paul when the shepherds were boys from up there and played in different ways with the remains of the wreck. The remaining wreckage still had not useful to identify the aircraft.

The way of the local Stock I followed the official training course, but the Secretary of the Municipal Archives City Vinzenz Clara turned out that there was a fire with the loss of folders in that period. Only a registry shall retain traces of a correspondence from the Town Hall after the war with the Prefecture of Bolzano. I went so in this Police Station: the dead Americans were so Corvara been reported but no list ever. Only their number: 11. Always in search of crucial data that did not arrive while continuing house to house to collect the stories of men and women who lived through those times.

More stories and pictures The stories were saved all very interesting, precious photographs that showed the eyewitnesses in the '40s, the contemporary views of Alta Badia but still nothing that would help to illuminate the mystery of Lake Crespena. One day the old pastor of Colfosco Brake Don Vincent, introduced me to Francis of Mersa Trafoi.

Two other plates were joined so to my collection. But he had something special. My son Paul noticed that the smaller, externally painted in pink sand, the color

3 of the desert, on the inside, smeared with grease and dry hay fiorun to have been for decades under the roof of the barn to solve an infiltration rain water, left inscriptions appear, perhaps letters or numbers.

One thing, at last It was so clean and what now appears part of a nacelle showed a sign in English indicating the source from the Engine No. 1 of a B-24D bomber "Liberator", followed by the number: 1479..

The track was very interesting but those data are not sufficient to decide which B-24 they were among the many who fell a few seconds away on that Sunday of war around the Sella group. The official report by the U.S. Army had the recording of serial numbers on all engines, but this did not correspond to any standard. The mystery remained unsolved. There followed a period of more research in other regions also affected by that which was emerging as a major air battle. Other disasters in , Austria, Val di Fassa, in the , Friuli.

That's who knows how to interpret that number! When I finally understood how website I could ask for help in the interpretation of the fairing codicizzata, just made the post with the photo of the part in the Forum site armyairforces.com Veteran American airmen of World War 2 only had to wait 24 hours to obtain a decision no doubt that my piece came from a famous American whose four-engine Air Force photo, taken in August during a previous controversial, risky bombing mission on Ploesti, Romania, against the largest oil refineries in the service of III Reich, are still published in all the history books in the United States..

4 Consolidated B-24D serial # 42-40402, nick name "The Sandman", 98th Bomb Group, 345th Bomb Squadron, Pilot Lt. John W. Viers, 10 airmen, all KIA, Killed In Action, killed in combat. The answer to my question was the work of the Blue, a young sailor in the U.S. Navy during the war, a keen student of the B-24. His contribution was decisive for me, especially as you can imagine, finally made it possible to identify the unfortunate occupants of large aircraft. The revelation repaid the great efforts expended in travel, document capture, internet research, exchanges with others in central Europe and the United States. And here of course opened an infinite range of contacts.

Bob had flown 31 times It was the interpreter of the code on the blank sheet to let me know immediately Maj. Robert Sternfels that on that aircraft had flown 31 times as a driver, including the prodigious free passage between the smoke and fire of Ploesti mushrooms, never again repeated in the mission at low altitude on the expanse of huge tanks.

That was "his" plane, almost personal, and after failing to return to the base of Manduria in Puglia told me that two days after the flight had even tried unsuccessfully in the Gulf of Trieste, where, however, had not passed a second time returning from the objective expressed by: Messerschmitt aircraft near an industrial plant in Augsburg, Germany. Had been destroyed in the mountains around the Puez. Years ago, Bob was moved when he could be present in 5 kg of his beloved plane, the thing I wrote to him more precious in the world.

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Turns out the head formation But others sought bomber that disappeared for 59 years. Even Reuben Weltha Pilot Officer who had one Sunday in December 1943 the responsibility of leading the entire formation of 67 B-24, two different groups. When we got in touch via Austria told me that was quite interested in the mode and place of death of Lt. Stanley Napierala, its official navigator who had lost and had been assigned to the Sandman disappeared into the cauldron of war.

He was so happy news and photos that I sent him forth from his Diary of a mission very detailed and valuable account which was published in the News of the Veterans of the 98th to form the nucleus of a Saga of the Sandman that was enriched from year to year . The story of the discovery in a mountain of South Tyrol's best known as a war machine of World War 2 sought in the Adriatic, and even in a lake in Bavaria, was not emphasized by the great American press, but nevertheless found wide resonance among historians, aviation and history buffs, with some initial difficulties due to the time spent by the facts and the enormity of the territorial U.S., succeeded as my primary interest was to prove to some families of the fallen. A composite collection of stories, in fact rebuilt the whole saga about this Bomber and those who flew on the network can be found by typing: "Giorgio + ORIGINAL Pietrobon.

Where were the bodies? In February 2005, Glenn Strong, historian with a passion, the U.S. sent me the data of this cemetery Crew: 2 bodies found in U.S. Military Cemetery in Florence, 7 in a mass grave in Kentucky, did not know of an accommodation.

A veteran full of initiatives

6 Jim Graham, of Seattle, a senior pilot P-38 Lightning of the 1st Fighter Group, which was based in the Gargano, in the summer of 2005, informed of my research while he was in Austria visiting a renowned British researcher also my teacher, Keith Bullock, during a couple of our subsequent meetings in Italy offered to help me look for contact with the families of the fallen. The first result of its commitment in the fall, it was me about the history of the Sandman Co-pilot, Lt. William Smyser, from New Jersey, which was made available as an alternate for one last flight, after the 50 required. An article full of memories, a razor-sharp pictures of military smiling..

And here's the Navigator A month later, again thanks to the generous Jim, already corresponded with Dennis Shiesley, Buffalo, NY, nephew of the grandfather's Navigator. Her mother Sharon, which was already an orphan, on her late father had not received news from the military commanders waited for decades. I offered them to him from Italy. In return I received 16 unique photographs of the young officer, who married shortly before flying to Africa to fight on targets in central and Mediterranean.

A year later, in October 2006, thanks to an alert by Herb Harper, a historian of 98th BG, I was able to communicate with Jenny Holloway, the grandson of Sergeant William Marshman, as was his grandfather nell'USAF NCO. Few memories even if the widow of the aviator is still alive but well here is 2 pictures to show their respect.

7 And the old '43 Addresses the Family? To broaden their range of contacts with relatives of the fallen Sandman even tried 6 of the old postal addresses registered in Missing Air Crew Report # 1641, the dossier drawn up by U.S. Command at the time of retention of the Sandman at the base of Puglia. One of these letters actually came to the brother of Sgt Forest Hundley who sent me an email apparently interested in developing a communication but then did not find any shooting, because in the meantime changed their email address without letting me know.

The story is a first publication The story of the bombing of the mountain was an article in "Journal of Memory 2005" by Enrico Deaglio. Other Italian and American journalists and TV hosts from our own, but with rich information and documentation projects, on the fascinating story of the discovery of the land above Colfosco passionate about the tragedy and humanitarian aspects of intercontinental communication, did not think to dedicate space to the memory saved.

And make a movie? Angelo Rastelli, director Emilio, known from the journal focusing on the complex ground witnesses Ladin, on the geography of the battle and interest aroused by the relatives of the fallen, the organization and oversaw the revival in Badia a film which was completed in spring of 2006. "The lost Bomber" is the title.

The stories of three other bombers killed or scontratisi flying in that fatal noon Sunday, December 19, 1943 along with this could be the focal points of a circuit of the four bombers of the U.S. Goldener Sonntag '43 "around the Sella.

Jim is the grandson of the Pilot In November 2007, with a post in a Social Network Jim Graham, he always manages to find even Viers Susan Hunt, the granddaughter of his uncle's B-24 Pilot Sandman. Upon reaching the retirement has reinforced the desire to know the history of their ancestors is an important piece is tied to the 2nd World War. On Uncle that has never known she was born some years after peace was found on the net only very vague information. "He found the death" but did not specify under what circumstances or where.

8 We begin a long correspondence with the dispatch of U.S. documents, information and pictures relating to the tragic event the crew of the bomber. All material that fills a void in his family store. The information and data it receives to ensure that reminds me on time in two years "Thanksgiving Day". In family is not even found a picture of his paternal uncle serving in the Air Force. The memories of parents collected from Susan when they were alive to allow luck to outline some personality traits of the young officer who died in war.

There will be a Book In the midst of much research is now extended to two hunting Germans killed in prolonged chases and fierce attacks of the same "my" battle also commit myself to advancing the preparation of his book focuses on the history of the Sandman. Post in various forums and sites that specialize in finding people linked by family ties or military service with the 10 airmen, however, fail to obtain new results. On the other hand comparing materials from different stock I can identify the hunter of the Luftwaffe author of that four engines of killing: was the Uffz. Walther Hagenah of JG 3, aboard a Messerschmitt Bf 109G - 6.

9 A decisive help

A significant turning point takes place in spring 2010: Mattiussi Alda, a friend Friuli researcher, meet me by email an American scholar versed in genealogical research: Shawn Reid, Orem, Utah. With great skill he manages availability and quick to retrieve all the documents of the 10 funeral Fallen Sandman, 6 contacts with many new families and photographs of aviators. A great result which gives an essential contribution to the conclusion of my book, slowed recently by traveling to other areas of crashes and a problem with the PC.

The culmination of my ten most touching search

Last August, Susan Viers Hunt who lives in Baker, Louisiana, tells me that he is organizing a trip to Italy, the first for her, also addressed the discovery of the places where he made the fate of his uncle John.

10 In November, the planning takes more concrete and reaches its outcome very happy to Treviso Tuesday, December 2, 2010 on a visit to our apartment block "The Birch" where my wife Mariolina prepare a worthy dinner guests. Mrs. Susan Rhadd is accompanied by her son with his girlfriend by his friend Michelle and Brigitte. Along with a group of friends invited to the hall when we heard his words of mourning for his trip down memory lane and enjoy the movie, followed by the historical reconstruction of the famous Ploesti mission, but especially on the first public presentation of the faces of the crew on board the B-24 Sandman in his last flight. Find ample attention to the expression of satisfaction by all the values behind the event: the rescue of memory, awareness of the disasters of war, the feelings and interest in family history as a source of understanding of the past and the present. The gift of Susan in a box with 1200 g of small pieces of wreckage are the last surprise of the meeting in the evening.

Refreshments welcomes contacts and exchange of final addresses. But the program of the visit is a development elsewhere. The next morning, Friday 3, a cautious journey takes us under a heavy snowfall up in Alta Badia worthily to crown the result of many different exchanges and contributions in meeting with the delegation qualified Ladina made for the reception. Heinz Kostner, Mayor of the community for decades to Corvara, former airline pilot and make sure their English as host to Susan, his team and myself, guests upon arrival with a generous supply of all types of restaurants.

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The Mayor-elect Robert Rottonara offers a gift to the grandson of the pilot two prestigious volumes enriched by a splendid gallery of the in Val Badia. And 'present a witness who gave the gift with his own key to solving the mystery. Francesco Mersa shows even more eyes than with words their satisfaction at having finally paved the way for accurate communications come overseas to Families of the unfortunate aviators information as we have seen in many cases had not received even by the American military headquarters war ended. After a brief pause the first citizen leads us to the area of the cemetery on the church of St. Catherine of Alexandria where the bodies of fallen Americans had been taken in winter. Finally, in the Memorial Chapel of the two wars Ladin a card with the faces and names of the aviators is affixed to the attention of villagers and tourists. A hellebore plant resistant to snow, ensure continuity of memory. In the silence of meditation each of those present thought the Fallen and the infinite number of others that all armed forces lost their lives in fulfilling their duty in a horrendous conflict.

The Mayor assures its interest to sign this interim will be replaced as soon as possible of a metal plate that makes the indelible link found among the dead came from afar in terrible times and the people of beautiful places in the Dolomites. The shift in car Colfosco programmed to allow the vision of Ciampac behind which had disappeared completely in flames by now the Sandman, brings us closer to the places of the event 67 years ago. The low clouds do not help, but the suggestion of snow and plenty of places most close to the land of the crash of the war machine do not regret the landscape better enjoyed in other seasons. And 'this close-knit team of the RAI TV Ladina from Bolzano composed by the operator and video journalist Stefan Pescollderungg Kurt Ebner, here are the extended and exhaustive interviews right in the yard of the Church of Colfosco:

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Susan at first enthusiastic about the meeting and moved in memory, so to me that 10 years ago the case was assigned the task to weave a poor start to the wire.

The impressions in Ladino Francesco Mersa are then recorded at his home. Lunch kindly offered by the Town Council to the group of guests, meanwhile allargatosi from Innsbruck with the arrival of fellow researcher Jakob Mayer, concludes this memorable encounter lived with great friendship and hospitality. A memory of this trip, I am sure that I take away some of the signs of my correspondents, soon others will follow, also in Alta Badia. And another party of peace and strong ties of esteem we can celebrate with new friends come from afar in these mountains.

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* * * This was made possible by an interest in the memory of Francis of Mersa Trafoi Colfosco and his gift of the fairing of the engine which was the only key to illuminate a mystery that threatened to become a new legend of the Dolomites Tourist .

Francesco show here that the stable a year after we met was completely demolished to make way for a new one.

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Giorgio Pietrobon. 1943. Treviso. Italy.

Retired teacher and a volunteer researcher on a Sunday without a history of war. [email protected]

Treviso. Monday, December 13, 2010

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