479th Fighter Group Mustang P51D 44-14294 1st Lt. Detlefsen, USAAF Base Wattisham, Eight miles West of Minden, Germany

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Archive Report: US Forces
1941 - 1945
Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

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08.11.1944 479th Fighter Group Mustang P51D 44-14294 1st Lt. Heinz W. Detlefsen

Operation: Combat Mission

Date: November 8th 1944

Unit: No. 435 Fighter Squadron, 479th Fighter Group

Type: P51D Mustang

Serial: 44-14294

Code: J2-

Base: USAAF Base Wattisham

Location: Eight miles West of Minden, Germany

Pilot: 1st Lt. Heinz W. Detlefsen O-757961 USAAF Age 24. KIlled

REASON FOR LOSS:

Lt. Detlefsen was killed in action on 8 November 1944 when he was involved in a mid-air collision with Lt. Thomas V Smith in 44-14598 J2-#. Lt. Smith survived the impact to become a PoW.

Lt. Heinz W Detlefsen, Manning, IA., 435th Fighter Squadron is seen here in his earlier P-38 (details currently unknown) showing the cockpit to cadets from a local ATC Squadron. (courtesy David Kusel)

Burial details:

1Lt. Heinz W DetlefsenAmerican War Cemetery Margraten Plot H, Row 6, Grave 11. Next of kin details not available as yet.

Researched by Michel Beckers with thanks to Des Philippet for grave photograph, photo of the pilot Heinz Detlefsen to David Kusel.

Acknowledgments: Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives and Fred Paradie - Paradie Archive (both on this site), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.

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