NEWS RELEASE

Airman Missing From World War II Accounted For Collins 15-045

June 11, 2015

The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, has been identified and is being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Air Force 2nd Lt. Jimmie D. Collins III, 22, of Sylacauga, Ala., will be buried June 29, in his hometown. On June 21, 1944, Collins was the co-pilot of a B-24H Liberator that crashed near Hoofddorp, Netherlands, while returning from a bombing mission against German forces near Berlin. Also aboard the aircraft were nine other servicemen. During the crash one of the servicemen was able to parachute from the Liberator, was captured by German forces, and later returned to U.S. custody. All other servicemen, including Collins, were reported as killed in action.

Son of Jimmie D Collins II and Mary (Silverman) Collins

Second Lieutenant

Co-Pilot

8th Air Force

707th Bomber Squadron

446th Bomber Group, Heavy

Serialnumber: 41-29124

Nickname: Connie

Type: B-24H

Destination: Genshagen, Germany

Mission: Bombing

MACR: 6159

Place of Death: 3 Km SW of Zwanenburg-Hoofddorp, The Netherlands

In the target area the pilot called to other members of his formation and stated that he was low on gasoline. It appears, however, that the ship continued on the return trip with the formation but at 53´55´N 06´17 E, they dropped out of the formation evidently to proceed on its own. One hour after passing afore designated point the ship was again heard on the radio with the pilot of the missing aircraft reporting that he was on a 260 degrees heading and asking for a ´QDM´. While the pilot was attempting to get this navigational aid, the use of the channel he was on by ships of the 448th Bomb Group prohibited his message from being received by a ground station or else prohibited or hindered receipt or requested ´QDM´. When one aircraft was some 25 minutes flying time east of the North sea, it heard via radio the missing ship asking someone for traffic directions. This was the last word heard from the aircraft.

The Liberator was shot down about 3 km South West of Zwanenburg, 13 km SW of Amsterdam at about 1255 hrs.

Jimmie D Collins, III