In 1944, a U.S. WWII pilot crashed in England during a secret mission. A search for his remains has revealed new clues.

[Christopher Hitchens]

CBS News Article except:

‘Metal detectors beeped across a quiet, five-acre plot of forest and field on England's eastern Suffolk coast as dozens of American and British service members sifted clumpy, wet soil from a deep impact crater. The tiniest of remains of U.S. Air Force pilot Lt. John Fisher might be here. Exactly 80 years ago Sunday - August 4, 1944 - his B-17 bomber crashed while on a secret mission targeting Nazi rocket sites in Europe during World War II.



"It can make you feel emotional, you know? They've found some personal artifacts that are very endearing," said Garret Browning, a U.S. air repair specialist from Colorado with the U.S. 100th Maintenance Squadron, currently stationed in England.

Experienced in crash damage recovery, Browning is one of about 150 American and British active duty and retired military volunteers looking for a fallen fellow soldier. At 26 years old, Browning is already older than the pilot he was looking for.

"I could only imagine if I was in an airplane during that time, there's a lot going through your head and there's a lot of responsibility," he said. ‘



Full article: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/downed-us-wwii-pilot-john-fisher-england-new-clues-unearthed-may-lead-to-remains/

 

[tonyninetoes]

Any sheet metal would of been scavenged in hut building near by

 

[D.O.A.]

Surely there wouldn't be much left of him to salvage after 80 odd years exposed or in the dirt. Couple bones maybe.

 

[Christopher Hitchens]

Surely there wouldn't be much left of him to salvage after 80 odd years exposed or in the dirt. Couple bones maybe.

For sure, it depends on the environmental conditions though.

 

[wiggins]

For sure, it depends on the environmental conditions though.

When aircraft go in deep the fuel slops in with the other bits and can act as a preservative. I read a case of a B24 being dug up after 70 years or so and bits of skin and hair were found with the bone parts.