1942 – Nov 11, USN PBM-1 Mariner crash off Banana River NAS, 5M ~Melbourne FL-9-11
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 5-30-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–11 Baugher. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Second Series (0001 to 5029). 9-26-2011.
–11 Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Martin PBM-1 Mariner Near Banana…”
— 9 Oakland Tribune, CA. “Bomber Crashes; 9 Die, 3 Saved.” 11-16-1942, 1.
— 9 Salt Lake Tribune. “Nine U.S. Navy Fliers Lose Lives in Bomber Crash.” 11-17-1942, 2.
Narrative Information
Baugher: “….Martin PBM-1 Mariner 1256 (TTS) fire in air and crashed 11/11/42 NAS Banana River, F. 11 killed.” (Baugher. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Second Series (0001 to 5029). 9-26-2011.)
Newspaper
Nov 16, Associated Press: “Melbourne, Fla., Nov. 16. – (AP) – Nine Navy men, including four officers, were killed and three petty officers were slightly injured last Wednesday when a Navy patrol bomber crashed into the Atlantic off the Banana River Naval Air Station within sight of shore. Those lost were:
The pilot. Lieut. (JG) Glen D. Shroeder [Rochester, MN];
the second pilot, Ensign Charles W. Hanna [Algona, IA];
Ensign James Littlehales Jr., a son-in-law of Admiral Vickery [Bethesda, MD];
Ensign Howard Sage [NY, NY];
John Melvin Wages, aviation machinist’s mate, third class [Willow Springs, MO];
Francis William Cole, aviation machinist’s mate, third class [West Cornwall, CT];
Walter Harlem Smith, aircraft radioman, third class [Kodiak, TN];
Louis Arthur Rivard, seaman second class [Chelmsford, MA];
George Robert Wheeler, apprentice seaman, a passenger-observer from thee Banana
River station [Miami, FL]….[1]
“The crash occurred in heavy weather while the bomber, a Martin Mariner, was on a routine training flight from the Atlantic fleet squadron base at Banana River.
“The three petty officers who reached land, wore life jackets and were able to inflate a rubber liferaft. They battled their way through the surf and landed. Early Thursday, 12 hours after the accident.” (Oakland Tribune, CA. “Bomber Crashes; 9 Die, 3 Saved.” 11-16-1942, p. 1.)
Nov 16: “Melbourne, Fla., Nov. 16 (AP) – A navy patrol bomber, attached to the Atlantic fleet squadron at near-by Banana River air station, crashed in heavy weather five days ago with a loss of nine lives, the navy revealed Monday.
“Eyewitnesses on shore saw the big Martin mariner lose altitude and crash into the choppy Atlantic in late afternoon of last Wednesday, about five miles off Melbourne beach.
“Four officers, including the two pilots, and five enlisted men were killed.
“Rescue efforts were hindered by low visibility and high winds. Fishermen from the Canaveral pier and the Cape Fish company were first on the scene and for two days and nights aided coast guard and navy crash boats in searching for wreckage. Bits of the plane were recovered.
“Three petty officers escaped from the wrecked plane before it sank. They inflated their life jackets, then inflated a rubber raft. Planes located but could not help them. They battled the waves 12 hours, then made their way through the surf to safety ashore. A shore patrol governing 30 miles of coastline found them…” (Salt Lake Tribune. “Nine U.S. Navy Fliers Lose Lives in Bomber Crash.” 11-17-1942, p. 2.)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Second Series (0001 to 5029). Sep 26, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/secondseries1.html
Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Martin PBM-1 Mariner Near Banana Near Banana River NAS: 11 Killed.” Accessed 5-30-2024 at:
https://baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-martin-pbm-1-mariner-near-banana-river-nas-11-killed
Oakland Tribune, CA. “Bomber Crashes; 9 Die, 3 Saved. Navy Patrol Craft…” 11-16-1942, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=34494442
Salt Lake Tribune, UT. “Nine U.S. Navy Fliers Lose Lives in Bomber Crash.” 11-17-1942, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=89922040
[1] The city and state listings are from the Salt Lake Tribune article noted herein.