Operation: Weather Reconnaissance, Germany.

Date: 7th July 1944 (Friday)

Unit No: 8th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (L), 802nd Reconnaissance Group (Special) (Provisional), 8th Air Force

Type: Mosquito PR.XVI

Serial No: NS537

Code: N

Location: English Channel east of Southwold, England

Base: Watton (Station #376), Norfolk, England

Pilot: 1st Lt. John Joseph Mann O-745438 AAF Age 27. MiA

Navigator: 2nd Lt. William Leroy Davis O-865431 AAF Age 22. MiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

In the early morning of 7th July 1944 NS537 took off from Watton on a weather scouting mission for the 1st Bombardment Division.

The intended destination was Lat/Long: 51 23N, 12 24E which is Leipzig in Germany.

The following was the information received by the Flying Control Officers at the RAF 11 Group Air Sea Rescue (ASR) Stations RAF Bradwell Bay and RAF Manston:

At 08:25 hrs the aircraft gave a distress call and said that the Navigator would bale out. The altitude given at this time was 1000 ft.

At 08:30 hrs, the pilot gave a call saying that the navigator was gone and the altitude was 600 ft.

Two ASR boats were immediately dispatched and sighted a form in the sea. This form was motionless and was supported by a Mae West only. Two P-47 Thunderbolts also spotted the man in the sea and radioed back his position. However, before the ASR boats could reach the man he disappeared and was not seen again. The last time the man was seen in the sea was 09:31 hrs and his position was 35 miles, 100 degrees east of Southwold. The search continued until 17:00 hrs, but the only evidence seen was some wreckage 7 or 8 miles east of Southwold, This could not be positively identified as the remains of the aircraft because there was also a lot of wreckage scattered about the sea in this area.

Burial Details:

Above: Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery.

1st Lt. John Joseph Mann. Air Medal, Purple Heart. Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery. Born on the 23rd May 1917 in New York City. Son of Francis Patrick and Mary Magdalene (née Burke) Mann of New York, New York, USA.

Listed as from the 6th Combat Crew Replacement Center Group

Above: Courtesy of The Boston Globe, dated 27th July 1944.

2nd Lt. William Leroy Davis. Purple Heart. Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery. Born on the 11th July 1921 in Natick, Massachusetts. Son of Leroy and Anna G. Davis of Natick, Massachusetts, USA.

Listed as from Headquarters Squadron of the 802nd Reconnaissance Group

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew.

Other sources listed below:

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt