2 Jul 44: Lost with the Smith Crew 906

On approach to the target, they were hit directly by a flak shell. It entered through the ball turret, killing the gunner inside, and then bounced around inside the plane but failed to detonate. The damage began an oxygen fire on board, disabled some of the hydraulics and knocked out communications. 

Heavily damaged, Smith tried to make it to Switzerland. They didn't have any maps with them to navigate to Switzerland by. Using what they could, they found the Alps poking through the heavy cloud layer. They found a break in the clouds over what they thought was Switzerland but it turned out to be the Italian Alps instead.

Luftwaffe pilot Ewald Schummer, flying with 5/JG 77, was given credit for forcing down the Smith Crew at Ghedi Airfield, Italy. 

1 KIA, 10 POW, MACR 7563

Two days later, 14 Jul 44, the 15th Air Force dispatched 13 P-38s from the 82nd FG with an escort by the 14 FG to destroy the plane. At 1830 hours they demolished it with 12,500 pounds of bombs.

Aircraft was replace with 44-10496 PURITANICAL BITCH from the replacement depot.