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This is page two of a letter from Tony Mininni to Rose and Oscar Dobler, the parents of John Dobler, pilot of a B-24 from 828th Bombardment Squadron, 485th Bombardment Group of the 15th Air Force that had been forced to ditch near Vis island on the Croatian coast, while returning from a mission to bomb Linz, Austria on 20 January 1945. John hadn't survived the crash, but his parents struggled to accept this, and asked for more details from Tony, one of four survivors from the aircraft.
See or get to anybody. I saw the air-
craft sink before my eyes. The
area was thoroughly searched and we
were unable to rescue? Anyone. You
now ask be a very difficult question
for me to answer but is wrong
that I should build false hope, so I’ll
tell it to you straight. I firmly believe
that John lost his life along with the
five other boys. Though no one actually
saw John go down the circumstances
involved leave no doubt that he
lost his life. The plane had been
hit by flak but not seriously and
John was not wounded before the
crash. Yes, Steve, Lt. Vanderpool,
Vaughan, Robertson Elliot were
also lost. I know you must
realise how hard it is for me
to write this letter. I want you
to know that John was one of the
best pilots in the airforce and that
is not my own opinion alone. It is the
opinion of all who had the
Many thanks to Julie Harrison, John Dobler's niece, for sending us this letter.