LOST & FOUND - 2nd Lt. William O. Wisner
Chapter 11 - INGA COMES OUT SWINGING |
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By the end of the week, the inhabitants of the Sarn Valley must surely have become aware that a search was being conducted throughout their idyllic countryside. Paolo was very actively interviewing people and collecting all sorts of hardware relics that had any possibility of being a remnant of the three P-38's that fell into the area in 1944. Inga had recovered from her illness and had teamed up with Christoph to explore the valley and to contact potential witnesses to the event. February 26, 2000 Dear Diana, The following is only for you because Christoph and I made this research for you and for your mother - not for a newspaper reporter! Today I picked up Christoph after school - a beautiful "first spring day" in late February - and we went to his home valley, the inner Sarntal behind the village of Aberstückl. We visited Jakob Weger, an old but vivid man and very friendly and cooperative, at his farm named Pluner (a site named "Plunerbach", which means brook near Pluner farm, was mentioned in the German report, Mr. Grimminger had sent me). He told us to have seen one plane crash in front of him (the site is called Aberstückler Nock, and the pilot must have been), and one behind him but much closer in northerly direction. The plane was going down in a steep dive, he saw smoke and he heard it crash down between the trees. When reaching the place (about half an hour's walk above his farmhouse) he saw the wrecked plane and a totally burned body on the floor. And he saw, also on the floor near the corpse, a bracelet, black of smoke, but a name on it with two W, one of which he thought to be Werner. A neighbour has buried the corpse at this place, and he formed a wooden cross and put it into the earth. Later on, after the end of the war, some merchant came to get away the metal parts of the wreckage, and with him a Carabiniere to look after the body. And Jakob is sure the human remains buried there have never been taken away because the exact place of the grave could not be found. Maybe the cross had been lost in the meantime - or they did not look at the burial place itself. Then Jakob told us where to find one part of the wreckage. We went there (near to the farmhouse) and found a strangely shaped (but which ever part of a wreckage is not strangely shaped) rather complex, heavy piece formed by several metals with numbers on it. Christoph digged it out from the snow and carried it to the farmhouse. It is undoubtedly a part of the engine. (As I never thought to be able really to f i n d something I did not bring along a camera. But on Monday or so I'll go again (it's about 45 minutes by car, up and down and down and up from my home) and take some photographs. In the meantime I give you the numbers: W 8438920 FD C 8621 H H (or K) 8 There were other numbers on another place on the same piece, a kind of scale 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 with other numbers in between these numbers, each three lined off with an elliptic shape. Then Jakob brought an iron saw which he has made himself out of another piece of the wreckage (i.e. he fastened the blade on this piece). On a screw I found a gravure "Rockford S.P. Co". Jakob told us, all the pieces of the wreckage must consist by very good materials because there was never any rust on them. Out of another piece he has made an ashtray which he estimates very much. Well, Diana, that was it, and we were rather content, as you can imagine. Christoph and I (and as well Jakob and his wife) are sure that we found the place where your uncle's life had really come to an end, and where his remains had been buried. The scenery is most beautiful. If Christoph had been alive in 1944 he could have watched the crash like a movie scene from the opposite side of the valley where his home is. (I will take a photograph from there, too) If we are able to find the crash site (after the snow would have melted away totally, and Jakob will certainly join us and do his best), we could try to search with a metal detector (my husband's idea; he can get one)... at least we could form a new wooden cross, a better one this time, and leave it there as a sign of pity and remembrance. Next week I will send you a map and the photographs. Best regards Inga --------------------------------- Inga was sure she had located Bill Wisner's crash site---but Paolo was not convinced. The information was coming thick & fast and many hardware artifacts needed to be validated or rejected as meaningful to the search. The team in the U.S. was becoming saturated with names of the individuals and locations being identified by the search team in Italy---let alone correlating both with the hardware found. February 27, 2000 Bolzano, Sunday the 27th of February, 2000 Ciao a tutti/greatings all! The truth is very near, and not only a grain of it. Today for the first time I went to the crash-site in Garmisegg with some helpful locals. It was a challenging trek. Between the trees, ice, mud and snow we could find 20-30 different remains. Some quite big, some smaller. Even bolts and spiral springs. You will receive this pictures on Tuesday or Wednesday. I think, now is the time to re-read all our information, but the most important thing is that with my descriptions, pictures and identification numbers you should be able to determine if the remains I've found really come out of "your" P-38. In theory, it could be only Wisner's plane. In theory. Few hours ago, I've found a piece of iron with some inscriptions. One ends with "...tning". Do you think the same? LighTNING THE OFFICIAL SOURCES Now let's look at the information we gathered from the official sources. I will underline my opinion: - 20 October, 1944 at 11.20 AM (right, undirectly confirm by the Olson capture report), - 5 km NE of Bolzano (partially wrong, Sarntal is north of Bolzano) - the Olson letter of 1952 statues that: he parachuted himself, he survived, he was slightly enjured, he was captured, he didn't realise that Wisner was involved in the accident, too. In his letter he didn't mention Twedt, too. So, he didn't see nor Wisner or Twedt after the crash, nor in prison or in the Dulag-Luft of Wetzlar. In my opinion, it's realistic to think that if Wisner or Twedt survived the crash, too, they should have been captured and put together with Olson. I think it didn't happen. But many eyewitnesses remember of more than one parachute: this is still one of the most difficult points in our research. - Anderson report: no parachutes (wrong), two planes exploded in the air (possible, but still with no evidence), another one crashed (true) - Anderson report: the third plane (Wisner) went into a deep spin and crashed (true, according to "my" eyewitnesses) - Olson capture report: he was extracted from the plane (wrong, he said he parachuted himself) - Twedt and Wisner died by the explosions/crashes (could be or not, no corps was apparently discovered or buried in the valley, at the crash A no one saw a body or his remains) Now, the remains THE REMAINS OF THE CRASH/ES First of all, I will refer to three different crash-site in Sarntal: a) Garmisegg b) Aberstuekl/Sonvigo c) Pens/Pennes Most of the pictures I send to you come from a), the two rims/wheels and the two Patronen (bulltes) from a submachine gun are probably from c). CRASH A) Cylindrinc container (for oxygen?) PICTURES Ae6 - Ae12 Two different pieces, it seems that there was no "middle" piece: the original container was simply cut into two different pieces. Inscription at the top of the upper part of the container: T438585 (the first letter could be also F or even 7) Width: 30 cm High: 60 cm One man said he saw other THREE similar containers by the a) crash-site. The upper part has a circling black inscription with 8-10 letters. Impossible to read it. Other unidentified piece - PICTURES Ae10 - Ae11 Diameter: 15 cm no inscriptions ******************************** CRASH B) OR C) Two rims - PICTURES Ae7 - Ae8 - Ae9; Diameter: 50 cm; Width: 35 cm Inscription 1: GOODYEAR USA 36 SG - 1043 - 1083B MARSSLO LBS CAP 7500 DH - HT Inscription 2: (picture Ae9) GOODYEAR USA 36 SG - ASS??DW? G/43-5701B LBS CAP 7500 HEAT NO. 1096H Two bullets from a submachine gun (picture Ae9) ****************************** This is what I collected last Friday. All this objects were taken by locals from the places of the crashes. Yesterday I went for the first time at Garmisegg (crash-site A) with some locals; we could find 20-30 different remains. We have found a bone, too. Animal or human? I will let it analyse by a patologist. I found many other pieces with perfect inscription, like a piece of gum with this number: 32P1727-7 (...) GS277 (the first 3 could be also 8) - a bullet 14 cm long with the inscription LS4 - many gum-pipes with a "hole" of about 1,3 cm - a rectangular piece of iron with the inscription 43A19880-L, then Us Army and something which ends in "tning"... as "lightning" - another piece with many inscriptions like AIR FLOW, PAT NO. ???86 479 - FARP COMPANY TYPE 68AF-2, AN-F-30 etc. You will receive the pictures of this second part of remains in the next days. If I can do it without paying some billions, I'll give some pieces to a metal-restorer who could find out all the inscriptions, again. Eventually, yesterday I spoke with Cristoph Mair: he has found a piece of the crash-site c) but he didn't take any picture. I know that you, Diane, has already received an e-mail from him. EYEWITNESSES REPORTS I could tell you a lot about eyewitnesses, but I think we'd better wait for the results of my investigations, that means photos and ID numbers. Now that's your turn... For now, I can tell you that I've found 4-5 eyewitnesses between 60 and 95 (!) years. As always, there are some "perfect" informations and some new problems. No one saw an explosion in the air, for instance. Everyone believes that the P-38 of a) crashed without a pilot; no one saw his remains and the fighter went down complete out of control. It was a very impressive crash, with an explosion and a fire which destroyed about 400 square metre of wooded hills at about 1300 metres, cutting into two pieces many trees. Now it's snowy and icy. One eyewitness told me that there were 13-14 planes in group of 4 or 5: almost perfect, in fact there were 15! They were hit by the FLAK at Penserjoch/Passo Pennes, north of Sarentino. Someone believes to have seen 4-5-6 parachutes, in different places. Two old men said to me, there were WHITE parachutes. According to the Olson letter of 1952, it's impossibile that Olson and Wisner were captured together. What else? I think, that's enough. I concentrated my reasearch in crash a), while Cristoph Mair believes the "right place" was crash-site c). Both possibilities could be right. Waiting for your answer (Jim, please, come back home!!!) I'll send you the other pictures between Tuesday and Wednesday. According to your investigations, I'll go further. ciao Paolo Ps: is the Pulitzer-prize only for Americans?!? ------------------------------------------------------------ Diana had her hands full answering the flurry of very substantive inputs from her agents in Italy. Both hardware and witnesses were being located and analytical validation needed to be done. Diana, performed like a professional diplomat, treading water, as she responded to Inga first, then to Paolo. February 28, 2000 Dear Inga, Your findings are incredible, indeed. I am forwarding your email to all my contacts who can research the numbers and see if they match my uncle's plane. I wasn't able to get my home email working this weekend, and all my files are there, so I can't look them up and compare. I just wish I could be there to go with you when you take the metal detector. Does Jakob remember what happened to the bracelet? Did someone "official" come and take it away when they took the metal after the war? I am still wondering how the bracelet came back to the U.S. mortuary affairs. If the serial numbers match my uncle's plane, do you think we could find his gravesite? Paolo Cagnan spent last Friday checking out a crash site at Garmisegg, one at Aberstuekl/Sonvigo (is that the same as yours?) and at Pens/Pennes. He took pictures and wrote down serial numbers, too, so we will undoubtedly find out whose planes were whose. I will forward his email to you and will copy yours to him (but I will respect your wishes and not include your email address). He has worked long and hard, too, and even though he's a reporter, he does want to get to the truth. I don't mind if he does a story, as long as we get the right answers, and it sounds like both of you have found them. Did you get my email about your trip to the U.S.? I got a message back about one of my emails, but it was in German, and I didn't know what it meant. It could very well have been telling me that my message was not delivered. I will most certainly come to see you in San Francisco, if your schedule will permit it. My husband does a lot of business there, and we can arrange a business/pleasure trip for the time you'll be there. I owe you at least a dinner, but mostly I want to meet you. I will await the results of our serial number search and write you as soon as I know something. I would also like to write to Mr. Weger and thank him for his help. I think I may start sleeping again soon. All my best, Diana -------------------------------------- February 28, 2000 Paolo, this is great work. You and Inga Hosp have both found some remarkable evidence. I'm excited to compare the serial numbers to those on my uncle's plane and on Olson's and Twedt's. I know some of them will match, most certainly, and I will await confirmation. The photos came through very clearly, but none of it means anything to me. I couldn't get my home email set up over the weekend, so all my files are at home, and I can't check them for any matches until I get home tonight. I need to look at some photos of P-38s to see if the wheels look like what you found. I am going to send you a copy of Inga's email to me. She and Christoph visited one of the sites on Saturday (the names are a little different, but I think it's your site B). I am still respecting her wishes and not giving you her email address, but her message will be of interest to you. I think she is very suspicious of your motives in searching this story, so it may be difficult to make friends with her. However, I think you may have to join forces with her, and it will require the highest diplomacy. I want to stay friends with both of you, so I have to be like Switzerland in this case and stay completely neutral. I am grateful to both of you for your work, and I truly believe we wouldn't have come this far without two viewpoints. When I write my book about this incredible search, you both will play big parts. Here is her letter: <Inga's letter of Feb. 28 > Paolo, we're not there yet, but we're so close. I guess I'll start making plans to come to Italy soon. I'd like to see the place once we know for sure. Who knows? We might even be able to bring him home. I don't know if I'll ever be able to thank you enough. Diana ------------------------------------------ Diana called for her support forces. February 28, 2000 Dick, Jim, and Bill, this is getting too exciting for words. I sent you Inga Hosp's message, and it looks like both she and Paolo are zeroing in. What happens if/when we match the serial numbers to the wreckage? How do we go about finding the remains and identifying them for sure? I remember CIL getting involved in the Hoenshell search; do we get them involved once we have concrete evidence of the crash site? Does the government foot the bill to bring him home, if we can find the grave? If the bracelet was separated from the body, that would explain the failure to identify any remains. I've asked Inga to find out from Jakob what happened to the bracelet -- was it taken away after the war, and if so, by whom? What happens next? Should I be arranging to take some vacation time? This all seems like a dream. I guess I shouldn't get too excited until we have confirmed serial numbers, but I have a feeling this is it. Tell me, tell me, tell me! What do we do now? Diana ---------------------------- More from Inga. February 28, 2000 Gentlemen, Because I don't have my email hooked up at home yet (we're missing some vital piece, and my husband has to chase it down), Inga was worried that I might not be getting her emails. I forwarded you Saturday's major find, but today she faxed me a follow-up from her trip this morning. She didn't email this one, only faxed it. I will scan the drawing and email it to you tomorrow. Perhaps its shape will tell you more. It looks like a big (1 meter) hair dryer to me. Today's letter is short, so I'll transcribe it here: (Diana)
Inga was exchanging frequent messages with Diana and indicated that the Hosp family was planning a vacation trip to Canada and the west coast of the U.S. February 28, 2000 Dear Diana, Thanks for your message. - And thank you, too, for offering to come to San Francisco next summer. But please don't feel disturbed (perhaps our travelling period during holiday time does not match very well with your husband's working period), and you don't owe me nothing at all. San Francisco is scheduled between Aug. 31 and Sept. 4. From there we will return to Europe. But I would certainly like very much to meet you. - Yes, Jakob mentioned that the Carabiniere who came to look after the remains, accompanied by that Italian merchant of used metals, took away the bracelet. So it could very well had been sent to American officials - and gathered at the U.S. mausoleum in Germany. But I don't want so speculate too much. I cling to the facts, and I only give to you what I was told. By now you should also have my second message (by Fax) about what I did today. And this is at least a confirmation for the Lightning crash above Jakob's farm. As I told you, we could try to find the gravesite after the snow will have melted away. I would really propose not to give my last results to Cagnan at once. He should do his research by his own - this should enforce our chance to find the truth; I mean results, which are confirmed by independent research! I know that he was at Garmisegg (it is the home of Christoph's grandmother), but Garmisegg (also called Urstettberg) is mentioned as crash site of a bomber! At Aberstückl I was today, as I wrote you. (Aberstückl is the native name, Sonvigo is the same village, only the Italian translation, invented - like thousands - during the Twenties, to make a historic marginalia.). As soon we have confirmation by the numbers or something else, I will give you Jakob's address. Good night, Diana, and best regards! Inga
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