Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

I hope you can help me with some information. Major William Neely Mallory, U.S. Army Air Corps, was in the 12th Air Force during WWII.

He was on a plane headed for home via London. Upon leaving southern Italy on February 19, 1945, the plane crashed into a mountain (we believe on take-off). He is buried in the Florence American Cemetery, Florence,
Italy.

His son, W. N. Mallory, Jr., is planning a trip to Italy this summer. He has previously visited his father's gravesite in Florence, but is trying to locate the site of the actual plane crash in southern Italy on that fateful day, February 19, 1945. Mr. Mallory Jr. is in his 70s now and would very much like to visit the site of the plane crash. If you can help me locate it, I would be most grateful.

Thank you.
Barbara J. McNamara

Barbara,

I am sorry but I cannot turn up any details about Major Mallory's plane crash site.

Here are some random notes that may be useful.

Note about the 12th. Airforce on Monday 19th. February 1945. Note the comment about bad weather, that may
have caused the crash in which Major Mallory died.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Brigadier General Edward M Morris takes command of the XII Air Force Services Command (until 1 Jan 44 designated the III Air Service Area Command). In Italy, bad weather grounds the medium bombers; fighter-bombers, some bombing by radar-control because of
heavy clouds, attack-communications and dumps in the W Po Valley and NE Italy, and claim several rail line cuts in the Brenner area.

Here is the address for USAF pesonnel records.

U.S. Air Force Personnel Records Center
550 C Street West, Suite 50
Randolph AFB TX 78150-4752
Tel: (210) 565 2479

This book may be worth while chasing up.
     Book: Air Force Combat Units of World War II
     Author: Maurer, Maurer
     Affiliation: USAF
     Date: 1986

     Overview of Air Force Combat Units of World War II - Part 1

Regards,
Mackenzie Gregory.