The long-standing mystery of the disappearance of a P-38 Lightning fighter plane during a daring raid on Italian airfields in 1943 has finally been resolved.
US airman Warren Singer vanished along with his P-38 Lightning on August 25, 1943, near Foggia, Italy, as part of a mission to disrupt Italy’s aerial response to the anticipated Allied landings.
Singer, a 22-year-old at the time, never reached his target and was last sighted flying near Manfredonia, a town located 22 miles east of Foggia, according to Air Force records.
After eighty years, divers have discovered the wreckage of Singer’s plane resting at a depth of 12 meters (40 feet) below the Gulf of Manfredonia.
This find brings closure to Singer’s family, including his wife Margaret, whom he married just five months before his disappearance, and their daughter Peggy, born in January 1944. Expressing the family’s sentiments, grandson Dave Clark conveyed their admiration for Singer as a hero, expressing their love and acknowledging his youth, aspirations, and dreams.
Diver Fabio Bisciotti, leading an underwater study group at the Italian Naval League, reported that despite the years, the plane was remarkably well-preserved, suggesting it might have encountered mechanical failure and landed in the water.
Bisciotti speculates that Singer might have escaped the wreckage but potentially drowned later.
Documentation reveals that Singer’s P-38 was the sole aircraft lost at sea in that area, confirming the identification. However, despite extensive efforts, no remains of Singer were recovered.
Historian Steve Blake recounted the circumstances of Singer’s disappearance, highlighting that he was never found, and his name is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing in Tunisia.
Although Singer’s demise occurred during the conflict between Italy and the US, Dr. Bisciotti stressed the significance of identifying Singer’s plane, underscoring the importance of honoring individuals regardless of their national affiliations.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is presently investigating the case subsequent to the discovery reported by the Italian Naval League.
