ATTENTION

[EN] Coordinates of Stage 1 were changed on May 3 2015, you have to play the game again ... :-)

MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) is U.S. army report which was used during 1941 -1948. MACR #14206 belongs to 2nd Lt. Herbert F. Koenig who did not return from reconnaissance mission in April 1945. Starting coordinates of this cache are located on place of last landing of P-47D Thunderbolt, serial no 42-26826. The pilot of this plane, Herbert F. Koenig, lost his life in April 17 1945 approximately 15:15.

Twenty two years old pilot was member of 397th Fighter Squadron "Jabo Angels" which was a part of the 368th Fighter Group. The squadron was equipped with P-47 Thunderbolt. They provided air cover for the First and Third Army. You can see some missions on video. Squadron was providing sweep in April 17 1945. Operation officer Captain Harris F. Krause described in his report: "Lt. Koenig made a strafing pass at an enemy MT, perpendicular to the road on which the MT was parked. Upon firing he endeavored to pull up, but crushed into a utility pole. His plane burst into flames almost immediately, hitting the ground about one hundred yards from the road and scattering approximately one other hundred yards before comming to rest, still burning."

The pilot was temporarily buried at near cemetery in village Mlekojedy. His body was exhumed in august 1946 by American Graves Registration Service (no. X-7286) and transfered to military cemetery St. Avold, France to grave no 4K-5-110. The last grave of Koenig is in St. Stephen's cemetery, Hamilton, Ohio. The tragical incident at the end of WW2 was very quickly forgotten. Local historicians connected it often with attack of railway station in Lovosice (Lobositz) in April 26, 1945, the name of a pilot was generaly not known. But they fortunately registered small piece of information which helped me localize the place where the plane hit the ground. Many thanks to Milan L. who found with metal detector small rests of plane there.

If you are interested in military aircraft you can find the technical data about P-47 on Wikipedia.

The geocache is not hidden at starting coordinates. If you want to find final coordinates you have to be like pilot of fighter - have good reflexes, have good eyesight and also be able to work between ground and sky. Please consider the terrain hardness (T4*). You can start here.

 
 

Date : 13 maart 2015
Place : Ustecky kraj
Country : Tsjechië
Waypoint nr. : 109
Cache name : MACR 14206