Apulia

The four engine aircraft christened 'Roermond' left Cairo Airport at 0508LT bound for Amsterdam with an ETA at 1445LT. While cruising along the east Italian coast at an altitude of 5,000 meters, the airplane went out of control and entered into a dive. During the near vertical descent, the tail broke off, the aircraft came upside down and eventually crashed into the Adriatic Sea, some 1,5 to 2 km off shore, near Bari. The wreckage sank by 35 meters deep and only few debris were found. All 33 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Johan Cornelis (Hans) Plesman, pilot (son of Albert Plesman, Director of KLM),
Jacobus Tuyt, pilot,
Jan van Kuyk, pilot,
Albert George Modard, pilot,
Leendert Post, radio operator,
Jacques Marinus Willem Hout, radio operator,
Dirk Martinus Grandia, flight engineer,
Johan Albert van der Meer, flight engineer,
Pieter Jelles Overbeek, steward,
Cornelia Antoinette Timmermans, stewardess,
Jan Hendrik Ross, cooker.

During the takeoff roll, the airplane failed to gain sufficient height, overran and hit an embankment, nosed down and crashed about 150 metres past the runway end, coming to rest on its nose. Six crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew (740th Bombardment Squadron, 455th Bombardment Group):
Lt James T. Harris, pilot, †
2nd Lt Wilbur D. Blackwell, copilot, †
2nd Lt Samuel H. Slawett, navigator, †
F/O Charles R. Shelton, bomber, †
Cpl Delker L. Krumey, flight engineer and air gunner, †
Cpl William C. Edghill, radio operator, †
Cpl Peter W. Armato,
Cpl Donald F. Behkamp,
Cpl Robert Smith,
Cpl Thomas C. Roberts.

A premature retraction of the landing gear during the takeoff roll caused the aircraft to crash on the runway. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Shortly after takeoff from Venosa AAF, while climbing, a life raft deployed accidentally in the cabin, went through the left door intentionally let opened and hit the port stabilizer. The captain ordered his crew to bail out and three of them were able to abandon the aircraft before it crashed in a field located 13 km northeast of Spinazzola, about 25 km east of Venosa. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and seven other crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Erwin W. Bussick, navigator, †
T/Sgt Richard H. Callaham Jr., flight engineer, †
1st Lt William Craven Jr., †
Maj Philip Edward Cummings, pilot, †
S/Sgt Aloysius F. Gasiorek, †
1st Lt Glenn Wilson Jones, copilot, †
S/Sgt Mike J. Kovich, air gunner, †
T/Sgt George Kavanaugh, radio operator,
S/Sgt Richard Peath Ball, air gunner,
Lt Argie Simmons, bombardier

The crew started the descent to Castellucio AFB when the four engine aircraft hit a hill located in Rochetta Sant’Antonio, some 10 km south of the airbase. All 16 occupants were killed.

Shortly after take off from Gioia del Colle AFB, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames 2 km southwest of Mottola. All ten occupants were killed.
Crew:
Norman E. Apking,
Robert T. Leslie,
Murray Hershkowitz,
James E. Gibbs,
Forrest F. Shorey,
Harry K. Chamberlain,
Clayton J. Lund,
Earl B. Hubert,
John P. Horrigan,
Lyle H. Ervin.

Crashed on takeoff for unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown.

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Foggia, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Hptm Franz Hass, pilot,
Lt Horst Berkefeld, observer,
Ofw Herbert Kaden, radio operator,
Uffz Simon Merdes, air gunner.

The airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed near Grottaglie Airport. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Ernst-Alfred Domanski, pilot,
Gefr Ferdinand Dworak, radio operator,
Fw HAns Fiedler, mechanic,
Fw Otto Syfus, air gunner,
Uffz Gerhard Uhrig, air gunner.

The three engine airplane was used by the Regia Aeronautica to transfer troops in the Mediterranean area. Shortly after takeoff from Brindisi, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed. All 27 occupants, three crew members and 24 soldiers, were killed.