REASON FOR LOSS:

Shot down by flak during Fighter Sweep on Ecka Airfield.

Report by Harold M Wilson. Captain, Air Corps. 325th FG.

On the mission at 1000 hours we hit the target. At about 10.05 hours I went across the field following my flight leader,
Capt. Duskin, I was flying his element. When I crossed the west side of the field I observed another P-51 pull up and at
about 400-500 feet it rolled over and what appeared to be the pilot bailed out.
The P-51 came on straight down into the ground. I was on the deck and so looked forward and after going over a tree looked
back but did not see the pilot or chute. The plane went in about a half mile from the west side of the field, right over
the river.

Report by Harry G Schmaltz, 1st. Lt. Air Corps. 325th FG:

I was flying No.3 position in No. 2 flight on a strafing mission over Ecka Airdrome, Yugoslavia, on 8th Sept. F/O Rogers
was flying my wing. We flew to the east of the target and made a pass toward the west across the north end of the field.
I saw F/O Rogers behind me and to the right just after I started firing. I was hit with 20mm.Shell during my pass and
continued away from the field on a course of approximately 2800. About 6 miles from the field I looked behind and saw a
P-51 spin in from approximately 600 feet and explode on hitting the ground. I did not see a chute. I did not fly over the
crashed airplane as I had a fair sized hole in my wing and had set course for home. It is my belief that F/O Rogers was
hit by 20mm. Ground fire during the pass on the field, as he was following me and I was hit with 20mm.Fire.

cc
F/O Thomas E Rogers. (Vladimir Agoston/Rogers)


Reconnaissance photo of Ecka taken 8th October, one month after Thomas was shot down, the remains of his P-51 have been
circled top left. (Vladimir Agoston/Rogers)


F/O. Thomas E Rogers Citation of Honour (Vladimir Agoston/Rogers)


This is John Rogers family by the mural painted on the side of the VFW in Emporium, PA. of his Uncle Thomas E. Rogers (Rogers)

BURIAL DETAILS:


F/O. Thomas E Rogers U.S.A.A.F. T-124899. was taken home to the United States, he now rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

Page constructed and researched by David King A.R. Society, for relatives of F/O. Thomas E Rogers, and Vladimir Agoston.

Acknowledgments: With special thanks for research and photos to Vladimir Agoston and the family of Thomas E Rogers.

The British Library is preserving this site for the future in the UK Web Archive at www.webarchive.org.uk All Aircrew Remembered on our Remembrance pages, are therefor not just remembered here, but also subsequently remembered and recorded as part of our nation’s history
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