SGT. Paul A. Basso was a Radio Operator and Aerial Gunner with the 12th Air Force; 57th Bombardment Wing; 310th Bombardment Group; 379th Bombardment Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO).

His Hometown was Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

18 January 1945;
Depart Ghisonaccia, Corsica for Combat Bombing Mission
to create a Landslide at San Ambrogio, Italy;

Shot down by Flak;
B-25J; Serial#: 43-27649; Plane Nicknamed:"Stud"; MACR#: 11392;

*Pilot: McKanna, Ellis J., Captain; O-753386~MIA~KIA~Newton, KS
*Co-Pilot: Phillips, Edward I., Captain; O-660003~MIA~KIA~Abington, PA
*Navigator: Rath, Walter J., Captain; O-669108~MIA~KIA~Denton, IO
*Bombardier: Watts, George S., 1LT.; O-662322~MIA~KIA~Wakefield, MA
*Radio-Gunner: Basso, Paul A., Sgt.; 16079852~MIA~KIA~Chicago, IL
*Gunner: Stewart, Robert E., Sgt.; 15108500~MIA~KIA~Terre Haute, IN
Tail Gunner: Nelson, James D.; Sgt.; 36668487~MIA~KIA~Chicago, IL

(Six of the Seven Crew Members are Interred Together at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky)

Eyewitnesses:
Last Sighted Plane: 1LT. Wilson O. Barnes, O-697618

Saw Crash: SSgt. Howard L. Case; 19093481

Saw Crash: SSgt. Herman E. White; 15074080

Due to the fact that for a short period of time, aircraft was not visible to eye-witnesses because it disappeared behind a cloud, it is possible that parachutes were used and were not seen by any of the eye-witnesses. Photographs of airplane shot down which accompanies this report confirms that for a short period of time the airplane was not visible.

I hereby certify that the following is a true statement of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the crew of A/C #43-27649 who were reported Missing In Action on 18 January 1945.

About a minute after dropping our bombs, turning off the target headed South West, A/C #43-27649 sustained a direct flak hit in the right engine. It slid off on its right wing and dropped about 4,000 feet with right engine burning and right wheel dropped. At about 8,000 feet the airplane leveled out and turned West. The last I saw of it, it was flying level at 8,000 with Landing Gear down and trailing blue smoke. I saw no parachutes and did not see the airplane crash. I was Pilot of the next to last airplane to leave the area as I circled at 8,000 feet before leaving.

Wilson O. Barnes, 1LT., Air Corps

I hereby certify that the following is a true statement of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the crew of A/C #43-27649 who were reported Missing In Action on 18 January 1945.

Our Pilot called back that A/C 43-27649 had been hit by flak and to watch for it. I saw it going down with one engine smoking. It had leveled off for a minute or so at about 7,000 feet, then it fell off again in a dive. It seemed out of control and tended to turn in a large arc. I was flying as Radio Gunner and had a camera. I lost sight of it for awhile as I took some pictures but could follow its smoke trail. When it came into sight again I saw it go into a dive from about 1,000 feet, hit the ground and burst into flames. I saw no parachutes.

Howard L. Case; SSgt., 19093481

I hereby certify that the following is a true statement of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the crew of A/C #43-27649 who were reported Missing In Action on 18 January 1945.

Our Pilot called through the interphone that A/C# 43-27649 was going down and told us to keep our eyes on it. At first my view was blocked by the Stabilizer, but I could see the smoke trail. When I first saw it, it was in a dive and smoking from one engine. It kept on going down steadily and tending to make a long 360 degree turn. Before completing a circle, it went into a vertical dive and hit the ground bursting into flames. A big red ball of fire with black smike on top came up. I saw no parachutes or signs of life from it.

Herman E. White; SSgt.; 15074080

I hereby certify that the following is a true statement of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the crew of A/C #43-27649 who were reported Missing In Action on 18 January 1945.

The lead box of planes came off the target doing violent evasive action. We followed behind and to the right of them. The Anti-aircraft Batteries kept following us well over Lake Garda. A/C 43-27649 was hit in the left engine when approximately over the center of the lake. The left engine was afire. The plane then went into a steep dive which extinguished the flames, although it continued smoking. The Pilot made several efforts to bring plane under control and it would level off for a few seconds at a time. I observed the plane as it levelled off three times before crashing about 300 yards inland from the East Shore of Lake Garda. It burst into flames and when last seen it was still burning. I saw no parachutes.

Joseph Althouse, 1LT., Air Corps

Paul A Basso