Memorial

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The airplane departed from Marseille with destination Athens at 0815. On board were five crew members and seventeen passengers, all members of the Army Air Force Base Units.

During the last contact, they reported icing and requested permission to land at Rome. It wasn't possible to contact the airplane with the reply that permission to land was granted, and it was assumed that the landing had already taken place.

Search operations were conducted by the 92nd, 384th, and 2nd Bomber Groups from 12 November to 1 December 1945. In addition, on 13 November, an air-sea rescue mission was dispatched from Istres to Rome. During none of these rescue missions could the airplane be found.

The aircraft was located by two Italian shepherds on 27 May 1946, on top of the mountain Monte della Meta at an elevation of approximately 7,500 feet at coordinates 40 degrees 44 minutes north and 13 degrees 57 minutes east. The aircraft had struck the mountain about 75 feet from the summit, exploded, and partially burned.

The pilot had evidently turned from his course and was heading back to Rome. The plane struck with such an impact that it scattered over a distance of a quarter mile.

The entire crew and all passengers were killed.

The 2161st Grave Registration Unit was able to identify a number of casualties, but local Italians had removed most of the personal effects from the remains. Therefore, the majority of the remains couldn't be identified at that time. Later identification processes made the identification of all remains possible. Graves Registration was also able to identify and bury the remains of Wittmayer, Chester F., who was believed to be an unauthorized passenger. His name did not appear on the passenger list.

2nd Lt Phenow was first buried at the Allied Cemetery of Naples and later reburied at Ardennes Cemetery, next to his brother, Sgt Earl F. Phenow.