B-25C ACCIDENTS USA

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Seeking crew names of two B-25C a/c that were involved in accidents other 22nd March 1943 in the USA.

One in Alaska - bound for the USSR - 42-32253.

The other - At Tyndall Field, Florida, 42-53379.

Thanks
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,
Best way to find names in accidents still is airforcehistoryindex.org

42-32253: WAGNER, STANLEY P.; RAY, CHARLES W.; DRENT, LLOYD E.

42-53379: PORTER, RALPH R (no further names mentioned).

Regards,
Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Thank you , appreciate your help.

[paulmcmillan]

Leendert how did you search airforcehistoryindex.org to find those ? I put in aircraft number and nothing thanks

[Leendert]

Indeed, forgot to add to look for accident on websites like aviationarchaeology which usually provides the name of the pilot. With that name (last name only will do) you can search in airforcehistoryindex within a specific time frame. This will often lead you to "Accident Reports" and a page full of names. With ctrl f you can find name of pilot and occupants/other crew. Regards, Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
The man we have is in a collective grave at Fort Scott, Bourbon, Kansas.
The 5 Americans are -
Capt. Albert GOUGH.
Capt.Virgil (nmi)INGRAM.
1Lt. Raymond G, MUNSON.
2Lt. Edward H, PHELAN.
S/Sgt. William E, GUSTAFSON.

Date is 22nd March 1943.
Aircraft said to have been a B-25C.
But not 42-32253 or 42-53379 as far as I can find.
I have looked at the other accidents, for the date,
Fatal ones were -
AT11 - 42-36904;
A-24A - 42-60809.
AT-6 - 41-32285.
L-2A - 42-35897.
AT-18 - 42-55595.
BT-13A - 41-22298.
F-4A - 41-2211.
None of the names I listed above were connected to these fatal accidents as far as I could find.
So what B-25 could ìt have been ?
The only one that is on line is 42-53379, but seems to only have had one man aboard. His name is not one of the five.

Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hello Paul,

Either put in the date 03/22/1943 or a Name.
None have come up trumps for me as yet with this search.

[Leendert]

Alex, the names you're after were of a B-25 crew KIA on a bombing mission to Palermo, Sicily. Therefore not on AAIR. Regards, Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Thanks for the guidance Leendert,
I took a look in vol 2 of HMAW and found details of the a/c loss. Problem now is to discover if a/c "93" refers to part of a serial number or if it was the a/c in Squadron number.

But that too is a bit of a problem.

12th BG.
81st BS numbers - 1 to 25.
82nd BS numbers - 26 to 50.
83rd BS numbers - 51 to 75.
434th BS numbers - 76 to 99.

Tha a/c in question is "93" but Squadron was 83rd.

Getting closer.
Thanks
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,
Please note that RCAF Pilot Officer Henry Thompson Rennie (J/17126) was also member of this B-25 crew. He's buried in the same collective grave.

From RAF Commands (2018) discussing P/O Rennie:
On the afternoon on March 22nd, 1943, Captain Ingram and his crew led our American bomber formation to an enemy target. Immediately after accurately dropping its bombs, the airplane received a direct burst of anti-aircraft fire. The bomber dropped out of formation, very much under control, and crossed back into friendly territory, headed for an advanced landing ground. Just a few miles short of it destination, the airplane went into a spin and crashed. The entire crew died instantly.

Also see https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2000...es-medal-1943/

Regards,
Leendert