1942 – Jan 17, three USAAF crashes, Riverside CA, Pendleton Field OR, Curtis Field TX —      10

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 7-7-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

 — 10  Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…Vol. 1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 44.

—  1  0745, Vultee BT-15 landing approach crash, Curtis Field, TX

—  8  1130, Boeing B-17E crash just after takeoff, Pendleton Field, OR

—  1  1620, Curtis P-40 forced landing attempt crash 5 miles west of Riverside, CA.

Curtis Field, TX Crash, near Brady

Mireles: “….The student, being graded on 180-degree approaches, had undershot a prior attempt to land and he gunned the engine and went around for another attempt. The pilot was observed to make a left turn from the downwind leg to the base leg. About halfway through the turn the airplane whipped over to the right and spun to the ground.  The spin occurred at too low an altitude to allow recovery.”  (Mireles 2006 Vol. 1, p. 44.)

 

Jan 12: “By the Associated Press….Killed in the crash of a training plane near Brady was Houston Wilson Savage, 20, son of Mrs. Maude Savage of Port Lavaca.  He was an aviation student at Curtis Field.  The cause of the crash was not revealed.”  (Laredo Times, TX. “Plane Crashes Claim Lives of Texans.” 1-18-1942, p. 8.)

 

Pendleton Field, OR Crash

 

Baugher: “2490 (7th BG) crashed in field north of Pendleton Field Jan 17, 1942.”  (Baugher, Joseph F.  1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-1 to 41-6721). April 30, 2011 revision.)

 

Mireles: The “…Boeing B-17E crashed immediately after take-off from Pendleton Field….

 

“Investigators speculated that the white clouds and the white snow on the ground might have confused the pilots, causing them t lose the horizon.

 

“The brand new B-17, which was being ferried to MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida, had been flown to Pendleton Field from the Boeing factory airfield at Seattle Washington, on 1-1-42 and had a total of 23 hours of flying time. Investigation revealed that the pilot had only five hours of first-pilot/co-pilot time in B-17 type equipment….”  (Mireles 2006 Vol. 1, p. 44.)

 

Jan 18: “Fort George Wright, Wash. – (AP) – Eight men, three of them second lieutenants, were killed Saturday [Jan 18] in the crash of an Army air force bombing plane 2 1-2 miles north of the Pendleton, Ore., air base, the Second Air Force announced.  The dead:

 

Second Lt. A. J. Francisco, pilot [Kansas City, MO (Lima News, OH. 1-19-1942)]

Second Lt. R. C. Schows [or Shaws], co-pilot [Soso, MS (Lima News, OH. 1-19-1942)]

Second Lt. L. E. Grindle, navigator [Thurman, IA (Lima News, OH. 1-19-1942)]

Staff Sgt, A. D. Spiers [Sarson, VA (Lima News, OH. 1-19-1942)]

Sgt. D. [Donald] Clark [24, radio oper. (Lima News, OH. “Ada Youth…Bomber…” 1-19-1942)]

Copr. V. A. Learman [Baraboo, WS (Lima News, OH. 1-19-1942)]

Private G. T. Vrable [Ashley, PA (Lima News, OH. 1-19-1942)]

Private L. Fagan [Philadelphia, PA (Lima News, OH. 1-19-1942)]….

 

“The announcement gave the time of the crash as 11:30 a.m.”  (Valley Star-Monitor-Herald, Brownsville, TX. “Eight Fliers Killed in Pendleton Crash.” 1-18-1942, p. 4.)

 

Riverside, CA Crash

 

Mireles: “….Investigation revealed that the pilot entered a vertical power dive at a dangerously low altitude…and was unable to pull out before striking the found and exploding into flames….”  (Mireles. Fatal [AAF] Aviation Accidents...[US]…V1: 1941–June 1943. 2006, p. 44.)

 

Jan 18, Oakland Tribune: “Riverside, Jan. 17. – (UP) – Second Lieut. Herbert F. Soest, 24, was killed today when his Army pursuit plane crashed and burned during an attempted forced landing attempt in the Santa Ana River bottom five miles west of Riverside….”  (Oakland Tribune, CA.  “Army Flier Killed in Forced Landing.” 1-18-1942, p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

Baugher, Joseph F. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-1 to 41-6721). April 30, 2011 revision. Accessed 12-6-2011 at:  http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_1.html

 

Laredo Times, TX. “Plane Crashes Claim Lives of Texans.” 1-18-1942, 8. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=154659777

 

Mireles, Anthony J.  Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 1:  Introduction, January 1941 – June 1943).  Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.

 

Oakland Tribune, CA. “Army Flier Killed in Forced Landing.” 1-18-1942, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=34475947

 

Valley Star-Monitor-Herald, Brownsville, TX. “Eight Fliers Killed in Pendleton Crash.” 1-18-1942, 4. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=74496531