Bowerman's letter to General Kolbus (text to follow)

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL Lt.-Col Kolbus, U.S.A.A.F., Wheelus Air Base, Tripoli

F.G.Bowerman, D’Arcy Exploration Co. Ltd. P.O.Box 325, Tripoli 2-4-59

Dear Sir,

During a recent survey trip in the desert north of the Kufra Oasis, my friends and I found a United States Liberator bomber that is almost complete and would appear to have crashed without any members of the crew being aboard. As the plane is so far from any operational airfield that was being used during March/April 1943 period, we would be very interested to know whether there are any records to show whether the crew were saved, or not.

From the maintennance inspection records (form 41-B) the details of the plane are: Squadron Airplane No. 64; Organisation: 514 Sq. Bomb Gp.; last (indecipherable): 3rd April 1943; A.C. Airplane No.: R-1830-43; Serial No.: 24301.

Also there are a few of the crew names that were on pieces of personal and other equipment:

Lt. HATTON
Lt. WORAVKA
Lt. D.P. HAYES (COMPUTER)
M/Sgt. SHEA
Lt. TONER
RIPSLINGER

I had hoped to see you personally when I was last in TRIPOLI, but my leave was curtailed and you were not at home on the occassions (sic) that I did call.

If any information can be found we would be very interested in it, for this is the most complete plane we saw and the absence of evidence of the crew landing with it makes it very strange that a plane should be that distance from the coast.

If there is any other information you would like, I may be able to assist you, but apart from giving you the Maintenace Log (41-B) and a few of the navigators (sic) jottings, I cannot see that I have any useful information to disclose. Should you wish to contact me, please write to the address above, and I will reply as soon as possible; but owing to the post being weekly there may be a long delay. The post for me has to be in D’Arcy Office by Wednesday lunch-time to be put on the aircraft.

I hope you, your wife and daughter are all well, and have had a very happy and Blessed Easter.

Yours sincerely,

Gordon Bowerman.