John Stein                Photo: AS 25 MAY 2015   Updated:  18 JUN 2015

Airman: e556005.htm Surname: Stein Init: J Rank: 1stLt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 862

P_link: p419.htm Plane: P51 4412152 Operation: Other Crash_site: Gamborg Fjord

Crash_d: d030445 Buried_d: e556a C_link: e556a.htm At_Next: Ardennes, BELGIUM

Den 3. april 1945 kl. 1640 styrtede P51 44-12152 i Gamborg Indsø 6 km SE for Middelfart, måske omkring her. (Kilde: Kort på Middelfart Museum)
Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver:
"Flyet styrtede ned i et moseagtigt område. Halepartiet stak op over vandoverfladen, men brækkede af under et bjærgningsforsøg umiddelbart efter befrielsen.
I maj 1948 blev stedet undersøgt af en amerikansk kommision, og i september og oktober 1948 blev motor og ligrester bjærget fra 3-4 meter mudder og 2 meter vand."  (FT 85-80-45)
"Efter intensiv korrespondance med USAAF er det lykkedes at identificere flyet ved Gamborg Indsø. Den 3. april 1945 opererede Mustang fra 3rd Scouting Force vejrreccoflyvning nord for målområdet ved Kiel. En flight tilknyttet 862 BS, 493 BG blev kl. 1645 angrebet af en flight amerikanske mustangs. Mustang  P-51K-10NT (44-12152) med 1st Lt John Stein som pilot
blev ramt og gik i et fladt spin i en højde af ca. 14000 feet. Den højre vinge brækkede af umiddelbart før flyet gik ind i et skylag i ca. 11000 feet. I oktober 1948 foretog en amerikansk kommission udgravninger i Gamborg Indsø, og de fundne vragdele og ligrester blev transporteret
til Bremen til yderligere identifikation. Her blev det konstateret at der var tale om Lt. Stein, og
han blev senere begravet på US Military Cemetery, Neuville-en-Condroz, Ardennerne, Belgien.
På Middelfart Museum findes flyets halehjul, »gun bay door« og ca. 100 patroner af kaliber 12.7 mm." (FT 86-67-45) Se fotos. 

First Lieutenant John Stein Jr. blev begravet på Ardennes American Cemetery Plot C Row 6 Grave 38. Han kom i tjeneste fra Californien. Hæderstegn: Air Medal med 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart. (Kilde: ABMC) 1 flyver.

On 3 April 1945 at 16.40 hours P51 44-12152 crashed into the Gamborg Inlet 6 km SE of Middelfart, maybe about here. (Source: Map at Middelfart Museum)
(Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes:
"The plane crashed into a kind of bog area. The tail section was above the surface of the water,
but it broke off during a failed salvage operation just after the liberation.
In May 1948 the site was searched by an American commission, and in September and October 1948 the engine and parts of human remains were salvaged from
3-4 m of mud in water about 2 m deep." (FT 85-80-45)
"After an intensive correspondence with the USAAF the identity of the plane at Gamborg Inlet was established. On 3 April 1945 Mustang from 3rd Scouting Force
was on a weather reconnaissance flight north of the target area at Kiel. At 16.45 hours a flight attached to 862 BS, 493 BG was attacked by a flight of American Mustangs. Mustang  P-51K-10NT (44-12152) with Pilot, 1st Lt John Stein was hit. It went into a flat spin at an altitude of app. 14,000 feet. Its right wing broke off just before the plane flew into a layer of clouds at about 11,000 feet. In October 1948 an American commission carried out excavations in the Gamborg Inlet.
The wreckage parts found and the parts of a body were taken to Bremen for further identification. Here the identity of Lt Stein was established.
Later he was buried in Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Neuville-en-Condroz in Belgium.
The tail wheel, the gun bay door and about 100 cartridges caliber 12.7 mm are to be found at the Middelfart Museum." (FT 86-67-45) See Photos.

First Lieutenant John Stein Jr. was buried at Ardennes American Cemetery Plot C Row 6 Grave 38.
He entered the Service from California. Awards: Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart. (Source: ABMC)

This P-51 Mustang was from the 862nd BS, 493rd Bomber Group, Heavy. It took off from RAF Wormingford - USAAF Station 159. See P-51 Mustang Photos. 1 airman.