Compiled 12-21-2023 by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–10 Aviation Safety Network. USAAF B-29 ferry to US Crash upon takeoff, Kwajalein Atoll.

–10 Baugher, Joe. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-10960 to 42-30031). 9-8-2023 revision.

–10 Memphis-belle.com. “B-29 Dauntless Dotty.” Accessed 12-21-2023.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 92:

“Date: Wednesday 6 June 1945

“Time: 03:06 LT [local time]

“Type: Boeing B-29A Superfortress

“Owner/operator: 869^th BSqn / 497^th BGp USAAF

“Registration: 42-24592

“MSN: 4253

“Fatalities: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 13

“Aircraft damage: Written off

“Location: off Kwajalein Atoll – Marshall Islands

“Phase: En route

“Nature: Military

“Departure airport: Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands

“Destination airport: Hickam AAF, Hawaii

“Narrative:

“Boeing B-29 42-24592: Delivered to the USAAF 17 July 1944. Assigned to 869th Bomb Squadron, 497th Bomb Group, Led the first B-29 raid on Tokyo on 24 November 1944, the first bombing attack of the Japanese capital since the Doolittle Raid on 18 April 1942. The aircraft also participated in another significant Tokyo raid on 9/10 March 1945, when it flew the first night, low level altitude, fire-bombing (Operation Meetinghouse) raid. Re-assigned to 497th BG, and named ‘Dauntless Dotty’. [To be] Returned to CONUS (Continental US) after 53 missions in June 1945.

“Written off when crashed while being flown home by the first 497th Bomb Group crew to complete 30 missions. Dauntless Dotty, departed Kwajalein at 03:06 hours on June 7, 1945 for the second leg of a ferry flight back to the United States, commanded by Captain William A. Kelley, of Tifton, Georgia. Forty seconds after takeoff, the aircraft struck the Pacific Ocean and sank, killing 10 of 13 on board instantly. (MACR #14530)

“Co-pilot 1st Lt. John Neville, of Bradley, Illinois, tailgunner S/Sgt. Glenn F. Gregory, of Waldron, Indiana, and left gunner S/Sgt. Charles McMurray of Memphis, Tennessee, were thrown from the wreckage and were recovered by a rescue boat after some 45 minutes in the water.

“The wreckage of the Dotty and the remains of the ten men who were trapped inside her when she sank have never been located. The wreckage is believed to be at a depth of approximately 6,000 feet. A search for the lost airframe by the National Underwater and Marine Agency Australia has been proposed.

“Crew of B-29 #42-24592:

1st Lt William Kelley of Tifton, Georgia (Airplane Commander) – killed
1st Lt Roy Shanklin of Radford, Virginia (Bombardier) – killed
2nd Lt William Kovack of Detroit, Michigan (navigator) – killed
Carl Stammerjohn of Chicago, Illinois (Flight Engineer) – killed
S/Sgt Albert DeSimone of Schenectady, NY (Radio Operator) – killed
T/Sgt Glenn Jones of Salt Lake City, Utah (Central Fire Control) – killed
S/Sgt Thurman Walling of Wichita, Kansas (Right Gunner) – killed
S/Sgt C.B. Pence of Conway, Arkansas (Radar Operator) – killed.
1st Lt John Neville of Joliet, Illinois (Co Pilot) – survived
S/Sgt Charles McMurry of Memphis, Tennessee (Left Gunner) – survived
S/Sgt Glenn Gregory of Waldron, Indiana (Tail gunner) – survived
Pfc Lowell Spivey of Windsor, North Carolina (passenger) – killed,”

(Aviation Safety Network. USAAF B-29 ferry to US Crash upon takeoff, Kwajalein Atoll, 6-6-1945.)

Baugher: “….Boeing B-29-40-BW Superfortress….24592 Delivered to USAAF 17Jul44. Assigned to 869th Bomb Squadron, 497th Bomb Group. Led the first B-29 raid on Tokyo on 24 November 1944, the first bombing attack of the Japanese capital since the Doolittle Raid on 18 April 1942. The aircraft also participated in another significant Tokyo raid on 9/10 March 1945, when it flew the first night, low level altitude, fire-bombing (Operation Meetinghouse) raid. Returned to CONUS – 53 missions. Being flown home by the first 497th BG crew to complete 30 missions. (497th BG, ‘Dauntless Dotty’) lost on takeoff at night from Kwajalein, Marshall Islands Jun 6, 1945 on ferry flight back to USA. 10 KIA, 3 rescued. MACR 14530.”

Memphis-belle.com: “….They [crew of 42-24592] departed Saipan in the twilight hours and reached Kwajalein just before midnight. There was a snack at the mess hall, then the crew to a man voted to refuel and press on to Hawaii. At 0306 they were airborne and 40 seconds later “Dauntless Dotty” plunged into the Pacific Ocean never to be seen again. Ten of the 13 men on board perished instantly…..

“Perhaps the answer for the crash is that for the past six months every time this crew had taken a B-29 off , it had been from Saipan where the runway ends at the top of a cliff about 300 feet above the ocean. Habitually, they would drop to near sea level to help cool off the notoriously hot engines the Superfortress would generate on takeoff. The end of the runway at Kwajalein is 5 feet above sea level; the ocean depth is 6,000 feet.” (Memphis-belle.com. “B-29 Dauntless Dotty.” Accessed 12-21-2023.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 92. USAAF B-29 ferry to US Crash upon takeoff, Kwajalein Atoll, 6-6-1945. Accessed 12-21-2023 at:

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/98611

Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-10960 to 42-30031). 9-8-2023 revision. Accessed 12-21-2023 at: https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_1a.html

Memphis-belle.com. “B-29 Dauntless Dotty.” Accessed 12-21-2023 at: 12-21-2023 at: http://www.memphis-belle.com/dotty_story.htm

1945 — June 06, USAAF B-29 ferry to US crash after takeoff from Kwajalein Atoll — 10