Fighter plane missing since WWII found 80 years later

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of a P-38 Lightning fighter plane during a daring raid on Italian airfields in 1943 has finally been solved.

Warren Singer, a US airman, disappeared with his P-38 Lightning on August 25, 1943, near Foggia, Italy, while participating in a mission aimed at disrupting Italy’s aerial response to the impending Allied landings.

But 2nd Lt Singer never reached his target, and Air Force records show he was last seen flying near Manfredonia, a town 22 miles east of Foggia.

Eighty years later, divers have located the wreckage of Singer’s plane beneath the Gulf of Manfredonia at a depth of 12 meters (40 feet).

Singer, only 22 at the time, left behind a wife, Margaret, whom he had married just five months earlier. Their daughter, Peggy, was born in January 1944. Expressing the family’s sentiments, grandson Dave Clark stated, “Warren is a hero to us all, and we love him. He was a very young man with love, hope, and dreams.”

According to MailOnline on Thursday, the diver who identified the wreckage, Fabio Bisciotti, reported that the plane was in surprisingly good condition, indicating it likely experienced a mechanical failure and ditched in the water. Bisciotti, leading the underwater study group at the Italian Naval League, believes Singer may have escaped the wreck but drowned later.

Records show that Singer’s P-38 was the only one lost at sea in the area, confirming the identification. Despite the diver’s efforts, no trace of Singer’s body was found. Historian Steve Blake recounted the circumstances of Singer’s disappearance, noting that he was never found, and his name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing in Tunisia.

While Italy and the US were at war when Singer died, Dr. Bisciotti emphasized that it was a “big honour” to identify his plane, highlighting the importance of honouring individuals irrespective of their affiliation. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is currently investigating the case following the discovery reported by the Italian Naval League