Researchers recovered and identified the remains of an American airman shot down on July 10, 1943 during World War 2, according to a Wednesday press release by Cranfield University.
The team managed to identify the remains of 27-year-old Second Lieutenant Allan W. Knepper whose P-38 “Lightning” aircraft was shot over the skies of Sicily, the press release reads.
The P-38 is an iconic single-seat fighter-bomber plane that was used in a number of aerial combat roles, Heritage Daily reported.
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single seated, piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament. Circa 1939 (Photo by Camerique/Getty Images)
Knepper’s assignment was to obstruct enemy movement in order to permit the Allies enough time to land sufficient forces on Sicilian beaches, Cranfield University says. Knepper’s squadron came under intense anti-aircraft fire and his P-38 aircraft was sent plummeting to the ground due, according to another aviator. (RELATED: US Accounts For 7 Lost POWs, 9 Soldiers Killed In Two Wars)
There was no account of Knepper deploying a parachute and it was assumed he went down with his aircraft.
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and U.S. National Archives personnel obtained a July 10, 1943 German report claiming two P-38 aircraft were shot down to the west of Caltagirone, Sicily. This was vital for the search as pilots’ reports had indicated the plane went down in another location.
There were still difficulties in finding the lost aircraft. Dr. David Errickson, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology and Antrhopology at Cranfield University’s Forensic Institute and team lead, explained the process.
“We’ll start using methods like metal detection,” he said, adding that a plane that burns up on impact can leave traces discoverable “decades later.”
“Then once you’ve pinpointed the crash site you can start to open up the ground and see if you can find the wreckage,” Errickson continued, noting the importance of identifying the specific aircraft.
“Comparatively speaking, lots of P-38 Lightnings went down in mainland Italy and Sicily. That means you need to try and locate fragments like data plates or radio call plates to make sure that you’ve found the exact plane you’re looking for,” the team lead said.
He then added that researchers needed “to use the pattern of the wreckage to judge the location that the pilot will mostly likely be.” The researcher said identification can be easier if the plane contained single occupant.
Researchers invested eight years from beginning the recovery process to identifying Knepper’s remains. Knepper, following identification, was reburied in his hometown in Idaho on Aug. 2.
The university’s forensic institute collaborated in this project alongside the DPAA.
