Lost in P-38J CL-P 42-67816 "Princess Pat" (Capt. Patterson's a/c)

Not Known

Not Known

0-0-0

0-0

2/Lt. Robert K. Fruh reported: "While over the target area, and just before rendezvousing with the bombers, I saw Lt. Foster feather his right engine and drop down, heading for the bombers;  the remainder of his flight and our flight, while weaving over him, saw him join the bombers and fly with them.  I believed at that time that he had a good opportunity of getting home unless further mechanical trouble developed.  This was the last I saw of Lt. Foster and it is undetermined as to when or where he went down, if he went down at all."
Missing Air Crew Member Report # 02148, stated that Lt. Foster was last sighted at 1131, near Brunswick, Germany.  Suspect, shot down.

German J 542 reported capture of Lt. Foster, 10 February 1944 and went into considerable detail about the crashed airplane.  The report stated that the Lightning was downed by a German fighter at 1200, 10 February 1944, at Ettenbostel.  The plane had CL-P, (338th Ftr. Sqdn.) on the side.  Painted on fuselage: Cowboy with 2 pistols and "Princess Pat".  Also painted on one side of cockpit the following inscription: "This ship is a Fighting Memorial to Roy Dixon Stone, Tool Crib Attendant, Dpt. 23, Lockheed Aircraft Corp, May 1940 to September 1940.  Killed while serving with the United States Armed Forces."
Lt. Foster was imprisoned at Stalag Luft I.

(reproduced with kind permission from Robert M. Littlefield's book, 'Double Nickel - Double Trouble'.)