1944 – Nov 30, two US military (USAAF B-24 and USN PBY-5) planes crash, ID & CA– 12
–4 USAAF B-24J Liberator pilot error crash near Mountain Home AFB, ID
–8 US Navy PBM-5 crash, night in poor weather, low visibility, Mt. Tamalpais, CA
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-24-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
USAAF crash near Mountain Home AFB, ID
— 4 Associated Press. “4 Killed in Idaho Bomber Crash.” Salt Lake Telegram, UT. 12-1-1944.
— 6 Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188). 10-28-2011 revision.
Associated Press. “4 Killed in Idaho Bomber Crash.” Salt Lake Telegram, UT. 12-1-1944:
“Mountain Home, Idaho, Dec. 1 (AP) – Four members of a nine-man Liberator bomber crew were killed in the crash of their heavy plane Thursday night 10 miles northwest of the Mountain Home army air field, Col. Curtis D. Shuman said Friday. Four others were injured and one escaped injury. The station commandant said the bomber was on a combat training flight at the time of the accident. He listed the dead as:
Corp. Joe Marlin, 505 2nd St., Antioch, Cal.;
Corp. Francis J. Cronesti, Morten, Pa.;
Flight Officer Anthony A. Bonchi, Sandusky, Ohio;
Pfc. Raymond A. Bonello, Atlantic City, N.J.”
Baugher: “Consolidated B-24J-65-CO Liberator….100056 (213rd Combat Command Training Squadron) pilot error led to crash landing 10 mi S of Mountain Home AFB, Idaho Nov 30, 1944. 4 onboard survived, 6 killed.” (Baugher. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188). 10-28-2011 revision)
US Navy PBM-5 Mariner crash, night in poor weather, low visibility, Mt. Tamalpais, CA
–8 Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner on Mt Tamalpais
–8 Oakland Tribune, CA. “8 Killed in Plane Crash On Tamalpais.” 12-2-1944, p. 1:
–8 PBM-5 Bu# 45415 Crash Report
Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives:
“Date & Time: Nov 30, 1944 at 2325 LT
“Type of aircraft: Martin PBM Mariner
“Operator: US Navy
“Registration: 45415
“Flight Phase: Flight
“Flight Type: Military
“Survivors: No
“Site: Mountains
“Schedule: Alameda – Honolulu
….
“Location: San Rafael, California
….
“Crew of board: 8
“Crew fatalities: 8
….
“Circumstances: Shortly after take-off from Alameda NAS, while approaching the Golden
Gate at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather
conditions and low visibility. The captain decided to return to his departure point and started a turn to the right while penetrating a cloudy area. By night, the seaplane hit the slope of Mt Tamalpais located some 5 miles southwest of San Rafael. The wreckage was spotted a day later and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Joseph L. Resley,
Lt Thomas W. Oliver,
Ens Chapin B. Miller,
ACMM Harry L. Holland,
AMM2 Rodney Jeffers,
ARM2 Thomas J. Joyce,
ARM3 John R. Kelly,
AOM2 Wayne D. Paxson.
“Probable Cause: According to investigations, the sky was broken at the time of the
accident, with scattered showers. Due to an insufficient visibility, it was
concluded that weather conditions were unsuitable for such transpacific
flight. The crew was unable to detect the mountain because it was
shrouded by clouds and the visibility was low due to night.”
(“Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner on Mt Tamalpais: 8 Killed.”)
Oakland Tribune, CA. “8 Killed in Plane Crash On Tamalpais.” 12-2-1944, p. 1:
“Search parties trudged up the rugged southern slope of Mount Tamalpais today to pick up the bodies of eight men believed to have been killed yesterday when a Navy patrol bomber crashed against the 2604-foot-high peak after taking off from the Alameda Naval Air Station. By a coincidence, the search was delayed by several hours because a crash and burst of flames thought by Mill Valley residents to be a crack-up was explained by the Navy to be merely another plane dropping its auxiliary gasoline tank so it could gain altitude to clear the mountain.
“Search parties did not start for the scene until it was learned that a group of five boys, hiking up Tamalpais yesterday, had come on the wreckage and found some of the bodies. The boys reported their discovery to the Marin County sheriff’s office, and deputies and soldiers from Hamilton Field were ordered into wooded area a mile above Mill Valley. They had recovered six of the bodies this morning and were searching for two more because the bomber carried eight men and no survivors have been reported.
“The plane apparently crashed against the slope without burning, but it was shattered and parts were scattered for yards in every direction down the mountainside.
“At the same time that authorities were investigating the crash here, C.A.A. board members in Southern California were probing the tragic crackup of a TWA plane near Burbank in which eight persons lost their lives….”
Sources
Associated Press. “4 Killed in Idaho Bomber Crash.” Salt Lake Telegram, UT. 12-1-1944. Accessed 3-24-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/salt-lake-city-telegram-dec-01-1944-p-7/
Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188). Oct 28, 2011 revision. Accessed 12-17-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_5.html
Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner on Mt Tamalpais: 8 Killed.” Accessed 3-24-2024 at: https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-martin-pbm-5-mariner-mt-tamalpais-8-killed
Oakland Tribune, CA. “8 Killed in Plane Crash On Tamalpais.” 12-2-1944, p. 1. Accessed 3-24-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune-dec-02-1944-p-1/
PBM-5 Bu# 45415 Crash Report