RAF Atcham, Station 342 , Shropshire a USAAF fighter Training
base used mainly Spitfires and P-47s but also had a few P-38s one was lost in a
quiet field not many miles from the base and I visited the site last year.
42-67701 Code DQ-Q a P38J flying with the 552nd FTS, 495th
FTG lifted off on the afternoon of the 16 September 1944 for a local training
flight. At the controls young pilot 2 Lt. A.S.Green, his mission was to take
place in the company of another P38 piloted by Sqn fellow 2 Lt. J.W.Mahoney.
The flight went without any problems and the pilots set
for home, nearing Bayston Hill just south of Shrewsbury Lt Green’s starboard
engine cut out, Contacting his wingman by radio to inform him of his problem an
instructor also on the same frequency advised 2 Lt. Green to climb before
attempting to attempt a restart, but as the young pilot pulled the fighters
nose up his other engine shut down and at only 2,000ft 2 Lt. Green had no
choice but to force land ahead.
The now silent fighter headed for a field at Lyth Hill but sadly the field has a sharp rise up to a hedge, the p38 hit the rise and stopped instantly, the force broke the pilot’s seat loose and 2 Lt Green hit the instrument Panel and sadly lost his life.
A inquiry came to the conclusion the 2 Lt Green had mistakenly left his fuel cross feed drawing off the planes empty tank, not switching to the tank with fuel in it. Given the high workload the young man was under in formation flying in this challenging but excellent fighter, it is all too easy for a momentary error to become a major problem.
2 Lt Alan. Stewart. Green is buried at the US cemetery Madingley , Cambridge
2 Lt Alan. Stewart. Green is buried at the US cemetery Madingley , Cambridge
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