SAR Missions in aftermath of Tidalwave

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All:

On Aug 2, 43 the 98BG out of Libya  scrambled a B-24D  Nr 062-T  to fly to Bulgaria , descend to 500 ft AGL
over the estimated coordinates where Capt.James A Gunn III aircraft was last seen after being shot down
by a Bulgarian Avia while attempting to protect Julian Darlington flight on the leg back from Ploesti.

The pilot Capt Thomas Kenneth Jr stated on his debfriefing that he spent two and a half hour over Bulgarian teritory at 500 feet
over a Bulgarian mountenous area ( hard to believe ) making SAR patterns of 6 miles apart which means aprox 2 1/2
minutes or per leg ( equivalent to the today holding pattern)  which again is very hard to believe , due to the enemy aircraft
patrolling the area post Tidalwave .

He returned back to Benghazi without any sign of life of Jim Gunns crew . Does anyone have info related to similar SAR
missions performed out of Libya on aftermath of the Tidalwave by the 98th BG  ?

Many thanks in advance
Alex K

Rumania Campaigns Historian