My name is Dominique Taddei, I live in Corsica, France. Since 1996 I have tried to learn more about the US Army Air Corps presence in the Island of Corsica.
Today I am an associate life member of the 57th Bomb Wing Association (B-25 Mitchell) involving four Medium Bomber Groups, 310th BG, 319th BG, 321st BG and 340th BG. All assigned in Corsica in 1944/45.
Four years ago researching some information at the NARA College Park in Maryland about four Tuskegee Airmen pilots from the 332nd FG 100th FS who according to 15th AF records was a fighter sweep from Airasca ~ Turin (and not near their base) on June 22 1944. The four pilots were Earl Silvester Sherrard, Samuel Jefferson (MIA), Charles B Johnson MIA, Robert Tresville (MIA)
The archives give two MACR for Samuel Jefferson 6078 and Robert Tresville 6079 with their Tail Serial number but no accident report for Sherrard who had been rescued by a British PT Boat and no MACR for Charles B Johnson who drowned in his P-47.
This summer an American French divers’ team was working on a P-47 thunderbolt piloted by James Lord. (57th FG 66th FS) They found his remains and brought them back to the US. I informed these divers about the Charles B Johnson position but to confirm the facts, I need to have the tail serial number of the Charles B Johnson P-47 Thunderbolt. As you know these numbers are inscribed in the cockpit.
I wrote to the NARA, they are unable to help me, my last hope is to know if the 332nd FG has war diaries of each squadron like it was done in the Bomber squadrons. To date no one has been able to confirm this information.
Source: NARA via Dominique Taddei USS Corsica
Additional information sent by Dave Gansz author of the “Fifteenth Air Force War Diary”
The four missing P-47’s were: 42-26709 (2Lt Samuel Jefferson), 42-75798 (Capt Robert B Tresville), 42-26812 (2Lt Charles B Johnson), 42-75759 (2Lt Earl S Sherrard) (the numbers are confirmed with the aircraft cards and loss date).
Note: Jefferson’s P-47 serial number is different than the MACR – the boards are from the S-3 division and are updated during the day (in 1944). Should also be noted that the 332nd FG aborted the mission due to weather; group was unable to penetrate the coast.
The 332nd FG also lost 2 other P-47’s on 22 June 44:
42-27658 (2Lt Richard C Pullman) and 42-85772 (2Lt Gyynne W Pierson) both crashing.
Finally, we also have the location of two of the wrecks 42°55’59″N 9°33’0″E (location where Sherrard was rescued and near Jefferson circled and crashed)
22 June strike map
