#fork tailed devil

[nocternalrandomness]

A rare formation of Fork Tailed Devils shot by Aviation Photographer Lyle Jansma @ AeroCapture Images

[usafphantom2]

After more than 80 years, the remains of Second Lieutenant Allan W. Knepper, a U.S. Air Force pilot who went missing during World War II, have finally been recovered and identified. This significant discovery was made near Caltagirone, a town in Sicily, Italy, where his plane crashed during the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943—a major operation aimed at liberating Italy from Axis control.

Knepper’s aircraft went down in combat, and he had long been listed as missing in action. The site of the crash remained unexplored for decades until a team from the Cranfield Forensic Institute, working with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), began investigating and recovering remains from the area. Their work involved careful excavation, forensic analysis, and comparison of DNA samples to positively identify Knepper’s remains.

This recovery brings closure not only to the historical record but also to the family and descendants of Lieutenant Knepper, who had spent generations without answers. It is a reminder of the lasting impact of war and the ongoing efforts to honor and remember those who sacrificed their lives. The discovery also shows how modern science and international cooperation can help solve decades-old mysteries and give long-lost heroes a proper return home.

@VoicesofWW2 via X

[p38lightning]

Pulled from the ice to take flight decades later. 

[usafphantom2]

Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

@ron_eisele via X

[nocternalrandomness]

P-38 Demo Flight

[lowlandsshaman]

Tried my first nose art on a army green jacket from H&M. Pretty pleased with the result.