Two destroyed SOMUA S35s being inspected by German soldiers.

Battle of Hannut

Bari airfield, Italy, August 4, 1944: an USAAF’s rescue team pulling out the serious wounded crew’s member from the B-24H Liberator “Big Dog’s?” crash landed while returning from a practice mission. The airplane, completely destroyed, was in strength to 739th Bomb Squadron, 454th Bombardment Group, 304th Bombardment Wing, 15th Air Force, at this time based at San Giovanni airfield, Foggia Airfield Complex, Southern Italy. Notice under the cockpit’s window the sign of the missions accomplished. Victor Sierra

Serious accident at Bari

Grosseto, Italy, February 1945: the tragic result of a not well accomplished de-icing operation. The pilot of this P-47D Thunderbolt of 57th Fighter Group’s 65th Fighter Squadron “Fighting Cocks”, 12th Air Force, USAAF, Fl. Lt. Harold P."Skitch" Bonnici, took off early in the morning for a war mission at full combat load without remove the ice accretion over the wings caused by the extremely frigid temperatures of the night (the 1944-1945 winter was one of most cold of the Twentieth-Century). The aircraft barely made it off the end of Grosseto’s 5,000 foot runway and unable to gain sufficient altitude struck an earthen embankment approximately 10 feet high off the runway threshold. The aircraft exploded and the pilot was killed instantly. Victor Sierra