The following includes information from a conversation between Boyd Fallwell and Lt. Michael Mauritz, the pilot of the downed P-40, and information from the Missing Air Crew Report from the U.S. Air Force restricted confidential war files which are no longer restricted and are public domain if requested.
Lt. Michael Mauritz is age 77 and lives in the good ole USA, his country which he defended with honor and heroic actions.
Pilot Michael Mauritz was serving with the USAF XII ASC, XII Air Force 79th Fighter Group 86th Fighter Squadron located at Capodichino L.G. (Landing Ground) Italy.
Pilot Michael Mauritz was flying Lt. E.E. Parsons "Skipper" plane as the planes were reassigned for some reason he did not know. Pilot Michael Mauritz departed Capodichino L.G. Italy; course 290 degrees; Intended destination Anzio-Nettuno Area; Type of mission, Fighter Patrol; Weather conditions and visibility at the time of crash or when last reported were: 10/10ths at 1500' - Visibility very poor. Date: 31 Jan 44 Time: 0955 Location: Pin point G-068111 of last known whereabouts of missing aircraft. Aircraft was forced down due to engine failure as the coolant temperature rose to 150 degrees centigrade. Aircraft type P-40L, A.A.F. Serial number 42-10857, Engine Y-1650-1 A.A.F. 41-49185, Installed weapons were Six (6) Caliber 50 Machine Guns, Browning. Number of persons aboard the aircraft were One (1) pilot. Pilot 2nd Lt. Michael Mauritz serial number 0-687390 was listed as a battle casualty.
The aircraft was on patrol of a scheduled route from Naples to Anzio flying an altitude of 800 feet with a target of the Anzio Beach Head. Aircraft left the formation South of Anzio one mile south of the fighting front. Aircraft was engaged in the battle of Anzio protecting U.S. ground forces from enemy air attack. With British Spitfires patroling at 20,000 feet and the P-40 patroling at 10,000 feet they turned back some hostile German flown British Spitfires that the Germans had captured in the North Africa campaign.
Lt. Michael Mauritz P-40 aircraft number X-39 engine overheated to 150 degrees centigrade. Lt. Michael Maruitz says he was not shot down however aircraft had previous damage but was still air worthy. Aircraft was forced down due to overheating engine failure and fuel tank was dropped as a safety measure before aircraft made a successful dead stick belly landing in the shallow water near the beach.
STATEMENT OF WITNESS: 79th Fighter Group 86th Fighter Squadron from Air Corps Major Melvin Nielson dated February 3, 1944
31 January, 1944, Lt. Mauritz made an emergency landing in the water near
the beach at G-068110 after reporting his coolant temperature to be 150
degrees centigrade. In response to a radio call to forward fighter control,
a rescue launch arrived at the beach just as low gasoline compelled
covering aircraft, one of which was flown by the undersigned, to leave the area.
Meanwhile Lt. Mauritz had got out of his airplane which was almost
completely submerged, had waded to the beach and taken cover in the nearby
bushes. I saw a man wearing a helmet moving cautiously through the bushes
near where Lt. Maruitz had hidden.
Signed by Melvin J. Nielson - Major, Air Corps
DESCRIPTION OF SEARCH:
79th Fighter Group 86th Fighter Squadron, from George W. Ewing Jr. Captain, Air Corps, Operations Officer - dated February 3, 1944
Capt. Ewing and Flight Officer Wall arrived over the launch at 1145. At
this time the launch approached shore and two men went ashore, and conducted an extensive search of the vicinity, going inland as far as and across the
road nearest the shore line at that point. When they reboarded the launch,
forward observer Wall established radio contact with the launch which
reported that the two men who had searched ashore had yelled and whistled
to no avail, had found a "Mae West" (A life jacket that ties in the middle giving the shape of Mae West) an an uninflated dinghy, that the Mae West
had no blood on it and that further instructions were desired.
F/O Wall then requested a search of four houses at a road junction northwest of the point where Lt. Mauritz had gone down. The launch approached shore, then reported it was being fired upon. F/O Wall strafed the houses, dismissed the launch and aircraft and launch left the area 1315 hours.
Signed by George W. Ewing Jr. Captain, Air Corps Operations Officer.
CONCLUSION:
Lt. Michael Mauritz was captured by the Germans and moved about
to different POW Camps including Arusso and was held with 760 Army Rangers
that were captured in the battle of Anzio. He was paraded through the
streets of Rome for a propaganda show.
With the fighting Spirit of "76 alive and well, Lt. Mauritz and another Captain escaped confinement. Lt Mauritz was only held nine days as he escaped on February 9, 1944. Both officers eluded their captors as they hid out and traveled over two mountain ranges for five months to rejoin American forces on June 25, 1944.
Hey! These are American Fighting Men. What so proudly they hailed...
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