PBY crash near Guadalcanal on 1 January 1943

[Laurent Rizzotti]

According to several sources, the first rescue during an official Dumbo mission was on 1 January 1943, with the aircraft (the PBY Buno 04502 of VP-72) crashing on return to Guadalcanal.

Fatalities in the crash are reported as between 3 and 5 according to the sources:
3 (no names): https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/cras...ocean-3-killed
4 (Lt. Roger S. Norton (pilot), AP1c. Edward G. Dennis, Jr, Rm3c. George J. Crossman, Amm2c. Benjamine H. Wist, Jr): https://www.vpnavy.net/vp72_mishap.html
4 (Lt. Roger Stanton Norton (pilot), AP1c. Edward G. Dennis, Jr, Rm3c. George J. Crossman, Amm2c. Benjamine H. Wist, Jr): book "VPNavy! USN, USMC, USCG and NATS Patrol Aircraft Lost or Damaged During World War II", who by the way says the crash occured on 11 January
5 (no names): https://www.vpnavy.net/vp72_1930.html

I have found three in the US roster of war dead (Norton, Dennis and "Wist", actually Benjamin Harrison West) and also found their graves (Norton in Manila US War cemetery and the other two in USA). All have 1 January 1943 as date of death.

There is no trace of a George J Crossman in the US roster of war dead, in AMBC or in findagrave. There is a George Grossmann, but he died in December 1943 aboard a US destroyer.

My guess is that there were only 3 dead in this crash, and Crossman either survived or was not there, but I would like confirmation by some official source (VP-72 diary for the period is not available on fold3).

All source agree that the rescued man was an Army fighter pilot. I will be interested to know his name too. I have not been able to identify him, and I wonder if he was not actually an USMC pilot, Capt David C Andre of VMO-251, who crashed on 23 December 1942 and was picked up by a US rescue plane at a date not known by me (see https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/f4f/03534.html).

If someone has the answer of one of these two questions i will be interested. Thanks in advance

[twocee]

According to the accident report there were four fatalities, Norton, Dennis, Crossman and West. An unnamed Army pilot, presumably the rescued man, was among the survivors.

Andre was a VMF211 replacement pilot whose F4F was hit in the oil cooler by a Zeke, near Munda. Forced to ditch, he was rescued by natives, picked up by a PBY early in the new year, and flown back safely to Henderson Field.

[RSwank]

Newspaper article on Crossman:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...ter/133337721/


Crossman's funeral was in 1948, when body was returned from overseas:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/a...ess/133338302/

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks to both of you.

I have searched today a war diary on fold3 covering this crash, but no success so far.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Originally Posted by RSwank

Newspaper article on Crossman:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...ter/133337721/


Crossman's funeral was in 1948, when body was returned from overseas:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/a...ess/133338302/

Thanks, you allowed me to find the guy in US Navy casualties list. I searched for Neptune, New Jersey and this man is written Crosman George John in https://www.fold3.com/image/311040723 and
Crosman George G III in https://www.fold3.com/image/712940052.

[RSwank]

Once you realize how badly his name was screwed up in the various reports and newspapers, you can find more info. These are from 1948:

https://www.newspapers.com/article/a...ess/133426690/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/f...ews/133429490/

The second story mentions they were picking up "ill" personnel from remote islands.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks again

Can you please tell me how you search newspapers ? Pay account or free ? I will be interested to investigate other US casualties. Thanks in advance

[RSwank]

I have an account with newspapers.com (not free). I also have a subscription with fold.com and there is discount deal as newspapers.com is part? of fold3 (and also I think ancestry.com).