1945 – April 11, USAAF B-24J plane goes missing, Atlantic, off Charleston, SC         –all 11

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/  Last edit 12-10-2023.

–11  Aviation Safety Network. USAAF Consolidated B-24J Liberator, missing off Charleston SC.

–11  Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1075.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 67 (42-95611):

“Date:                          Wednesday 11 April 1945

“Time:                         11:15

“Type:                         Consolidated B-24J Liberator

“Owner/operator         United States Army Air Forces (USAAF)

“Registration:              42-95611

….

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11

“Aircraft damage:       Aircraft missing

“Location:                   68M SE Charleston, SC – USA [last seen (Mireles)]

“Phase:                        En route

“Nature:                      Military

“Departure airport:      Charleston Army Airfield

“Destination airport:   return to same

“Narrative:

“Crashed. B-24J Liberator #42-95611, with the 113th Base Unit, Charleston Army Airfield, South Carolina, went missing over the Atlantic Ocean during a routine training mission. Sometime after 11:15 EWT and 68 miles southeast of Charleston, the last known time and position, the aircraft was presumed to have crashed into the ocean. When the bomber failed to return to base, a search was conducted, but no trace of the ship or the crew were ever found.

“Missing and presumed lost at sea were (11) crewmembers:

1st Lt. Edward L. Madell, O-813539, IL, Instructor Pilot
Flt. Off. Charles S. Pitt, T-132452, LA, Pilot
Flt. Off. Eugene S. Moore, T-065629, KY, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Allan I. Klarfaen, O2081491, MA, Navigator
Flt. Off. Richard A. Goff, T-134204, OH, Bombardier
Sgt. Hector A. Glotfelter, 33836742, PA, Radio Operator
Sgt. Jack J. Jones, 35049709, NY, Gunner
Sgt. James H. Ressler, 38542743, TX, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Harold R. Luke, 42026881, NY, Gunner
Cpl. Clifford L. Meeks, 36242860, WI, Gunner
Cpl. Anthony F. Souza, 31356617, MA, Gunner.”

Mireles: “At an un­known time after 1115 EWT, a Consolidated B-24J dis­appeared and is presumed to have crashed into the At­lantic Ocean. Eleven crewmembers were missing and presumed lost at sea. The airplane was part of a five-ship flight that took off at 0709 EWT from Charleston Army Air Field, Charleston, South Carolina, on a rou­tine training flight. At 1045 EWT, the formation broke up because of poor weather. The subject airplane was last seen 68 miles southeast of Charleston Army Air Field at about 1115 EWT. The airplane failed to re­turn to base and was declared missing.”  (Mireles 2006, 1075.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 67. USAAF Consolidated B-24J Liberator, missing off Charleston SC, 11 April 1945. Accessed 12-9-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/101438

Mireles, Anthony J.  Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 3:  August 1944 – December 1945). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.