1944 — Nov 19, USAAF C-47A plane crash near Brighton and Lewes, England –24 US/25
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-13-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 26 Paris News, TX. “26 U.S. Soldiers Killed in C-47 Crash En Route to France.” 11-20-1944
— 25 Aircrew Remembrance Society. “Mission: Returning to France (A-35) Chateaudun.”
— 25 ASN. Accident description. USAAF Douglas C-47-80-DL, 1944, Nov 19, NE of Brighton
— 25 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 29.
Aircrew Remembrance Society: “Mission: Returning to France (A-35) Chateaudun
Date: 19th November 1944
Unit:: 439th Troop Carrier Group. 92nd Squadron. U.S.A.A.F.
Type: C-47. Dakota.
Serial: 43 -15046.
Coded: J8. Tail letter “Y”
Location: Near Falmer Village, North of Brighton, Sussex.
Pilot: 1st Lt. Donald Q Reid. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Navigator: T/Sgt. Walter J James. U.S.A.A.F. Severe burns.
Sgt. Bryce D Hacking. U.S.A.A.F. Burns and other injuries.
Sgt. Orazio R Toglia. U.S.A.A.F. Burns and other injuries.
Cpl. Eric Ackerman. U.S.A.A.F. Burns and other injuries.
Passengers:
Pilot: 1st Lt. Roy L Gritz. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Navigator: 1st Lt. Stanley E Lis. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Pilot: 2nd Lt. Russell W Barron. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Crew Chief: T/Sgt. John H Young. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Crew Chief: T/Sgt. Howard F White. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Glider Mech. S/Sgt. Donald S Horstick. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Instr. Specialist: S/Sgt. James H Holly. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Crew Chief: S/Sgt. Arthur M Hackett. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Cook: Sgt. Barbato C D’Andrea. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Engineer: Sgt. Joseph H Alba. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Glider Mech.: Sgt. Jake E Hesser. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Baker: Sgt. Felix R Sobkowiak. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Engineer: Sgt. William Hickson. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Glider Mech.: Sgt. Sherman W Miller. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Glider Mech.: Sgt. Harold F Mills. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Transport: Cpl. Richard M Jones. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Engineer: Cpl. Paul A Kokko. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Engineer: Cpl. Charles W Evenick. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Refuel. Unit: Pfc. Byron G Peacock. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Transport: Pvt. Roland P Lariviere. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Engineer: Pvt. Frank R Mixer. U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Unidentified Group Headquarters U.S.A.A.F. Killed.
Unidentified Frenchman. Killed.
Unidentified Frenchman. Badly injured.
“Reason for loss: This aircraft crashed killing not only the pilot 1st/Lt. Reid, but 21 other members of the 92nd Transport Squadron. In addition 6 were injured, 2 of whom died the same day, at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton. A Frenchman was also killed in the crash, another Frenchman who was badly injured managed to reach Falmer Village and give the alarm. Also amongst the dead was a man from Group Headquarters who was not named.
“The C -47 was returning to airfield A – 35 (Chateaudun, France) taking personnel on board back to France having had leave in England.
“The aircraft burst into flames after crashing, and wreckage was strewn over a wide area. A.R.P. workers ran 2 miles to the scene of the crash and rendered what assistance they could. The disaster was investigated and it appears that the aircraft was flying at a minimum altitude with minimum visibility, and in attempting to descend after clearing a 645ft. hill, the aircraft was probably forced into the ground by turbulent weather. The aircraft also carried 13 Type B-4 bags and personal equipment. The aircraft was believed not to have been overloaded….” (Aircrew Remembrance Society. “Mission: Returning to France (A-35) Chateaudun.”)
Aviation Forum: “The report of the USAAF states the pilot to be Lt Donald Q Reid. Aircraft was flying in minimum vis and at minimum altitude when it struck a 645ft high hill. It was thought possible that a strong downdraft on the downward side of the hill may have contributed.” (Aviation Forum. “USAAF C-47 Crash Near Brighton.” Tangmere1940. 2-28-2008. )
Aviation Forum: “On the 19th of November 1944, Aircraft 43-15046 crashed on a hillside in England. The ship was coming back to A39 carrying military personnel back from leaves. In the accident twenty-three (23) of our own squadron personnel perished and four (4) were injured. One Frenchman was killed and one injured and a Group Headquarters man was also killed in the crash. The disaster was investigated and it appears that the aircraft was flying at a minimum altitude with minimum visibility and that in attempting to descend after clearing a 645ft hill the aircraft was probably forced into the ground by the turbulent weather. The clearance showed that the aircraft had 30 personnel aboard including crew, 13 type B-4 bags and all personal equipment. Aircraft was not believed overloaded. List of men killed is included in history….Men of the squadron who were hospitalized:
Walter J. James, T/Sgt…Severe burns
Bryce D. Hacking, Sgt…Burns, Other injuries
Orazio R. Toglia, Sgt…
Eric Ackerman, Cpl….
“92nd Squadron Personnel Killed in Air Crash of ship 43-15046, 19th Nov, 1944.
1st Lt., Roy L. Gritz Pilot
1st Lt., Donald O. Reid Pilot
1st Lt., Stanley E. Lis Navigator
2nd Lt., Russell W. Barron Pilot
T/Sgt. John H. Young Crew Chief
T/Sgt. Howard F. White Crew Chief
S/Sgt. Donald S. Horstick Glider Mechanic
S/Sgt. James H. Holley Instrument Specialist
S/Sgt. Arthur M. Hackett Crew Chief
Sgt. Barbato C. D’Andrea Cook
Sgt. Joseph H. Alba Engineer
Sgt. Jake E. Hesser Glider Mechanic
Sgt. Felix R. Sobkowiak Baker
Sgt. William Hickson Engineer
Sgt. Sherman W. Miller Glider Mechanic
Sgt. Harold F. Mills Glider Mechanic
Cpl. Richard M. Jones Transportation Dispatcher
Cpl. Paul A. Kokko Engineer
Pfc. Charles W. Evanick Engineer
Pfc. Byron G. Peacock Refueling Unit
Pvt. Roland P. LaRiviere Transportation
Pvt. Frank R. Mixner Engineer [22]
(Aviation Forum. “USAAF C-47 Crash Near Brighton.” Tom W. 2-28-2008. )
Aviation Forum: According to a relative of a survivor, in relation to a question about why the plane was flying so low, “he said that the electricity had gone out and although there were electricians on board they were not able to get it fixed. They did not have their lights to see the hill nor the equipment to know their height or direction. I don’t know if there is any mention of this in any of the reports but that was about all he told us about it, that if they could have gotten it fixed the crash may not have happened.” (Aviation Forum. “USAAF C-47 Crash Near Brighton.” Bad Day 8-25-2010.)
Aviation Safety Network: “….C/n /msn: 19512
“First flight: 1944
“Crew: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
“Passengers: Fatalities: 20 / Occupants: 25
“Total: Fatalities: 25 / Occupants: 30….
“Location: 5 km (3.1 mls NE of Brighton
“Crashed into a cloud-shrouded hill in at a height of 600 feet (180 m).”[1] (Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United States Army Air Force, Douglas C-47-80-DL, 1944, Nov 19, NE of Brighton (United Kingdom).)
Gero: “….15:10….43-15046…The crash of the twin-engine transport, which occurred approximately 3 miles (51(m) northeast of Brighton, claimed the lives of 25 servicemen aboard the aircraft, including its entire crew of five. All the occupants were American except for two Frenchman, one of whom was among the five injured survivors. After it had flown into a low overcast, the C-47 struck the east slope of a hill at an approximate elevation of 600ft (180m), exploding on impact. Ten miles (15km) from the scene of the accident, the weather was characterized by a ceiling of only 300 to 400ft (100-120m), a visibility of about half-a-mile (0.8km), heavy, intermittent rain and a south-south-westerly wind of approximately 15 knots. The cause of the accident was not disclosed by US military officials.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 29.)
Newspaper
Nov 20: “London – (AP) — Twenty-six American soldiers were killed and four injured in the crash Sunday night of a C-47 Skytrain troop carrier enroute from England to France, Air Force Headquarters announced Monday….The Skytrain, a transport type that has carried thousands of men to battle, crashed near an 800-foot peak north of Brighton, in Southern England. Six victims were taken to a nearby hospital, where two died and the others remained in serious condition. ‘No cause has been fixed for the plane going out of control’ Air Force Headquarters stated’.” (Paris News, TX. “26 U.S. Soldiers Killed in C-47 Crash En Route to France.” 11-20-1944, 1.)
Sources
Aircrew Remembrance Society. “Mission: Returning to France (A-35) Chateaudun.” Accessed 3-17-2012 at: http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com/usaaf1944/Reid.html
Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United States Army Air Force, Douglas C-47-80-DL, 1944, Nov 19, NE of Brighton (United Kingdom). Accessed 3-17-2012 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19441119-0
Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.
Paris News, TX. “26 U.S. Soldiers Killed in C-47 Crash En Route to France.” 11-20-1944, 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=113098811
[1] Cites Baugher and Gero.