1945 — June 14, USAAF B-24 Liberator crash, Fairy Lochs near Gairloch, Scotland  –all 15

–15  Baugher, Joe. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188). 8-7-2023 revision.

–15  Scots Roots. “USAAF Liberator Crash Memorial, Gairloch.” 11-12-2015.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “42-95023/95288 Ford B-24H-25-FO Liberator….95095 (44^th BG, 66^th BS) crashed at Sidhean Mor, near Gairloch, Scotland, Scotland Jun 13, 1945 while en route from Prestwick to Meeks Field, Iceland. 9 crew, 6 passengers killed. There is a memorial at the crash site.”

Scots Roots: “The Fairy Lochs are a group of small lochs in the hills to the south of Badachro near Gairloch in Wester Ross. Although they make for a fine walk, they are also known for the war memorial to a crashed USAAF Liberator bomber which came down here in 1945 killing all 15 of the men on board.

“It’s a tragic story, not least because the war in Europe had ended and these young men were on their way home to the United States. Just weeks before, all of them had been assigned to slow surface transport back to the USA, but orders were changed when this B-24 that had just been repaired became available for a faster trip home.

“On 13^th June 1945, they left Prestwick Airfield in Scotland heading first for Keflavik in Iceland, a route that should have taken them across Stornoway in the Western Isles. It’s not clear how they ended up inland over Gairloch but something went wrong, perhaps bad weather, perhaps mechanical failure.

“All fifteen of the men perished – nine crewmen and six passengers from Air Transport Command. The bodies were all recovered for burial so this is not a war grave as such but most of the wreckage still litters the hillside over a large area and some can be seen in the lochs. A memorial plaque has been placed on a cliff-face beside some of the wreckage. Those who perished were:

Flight Crew

1st/Lt Jack B Ketchum (22), Pilot.

1st/Lt J H Spencer (22), Co-Pilot.

2nd/Lt R J Robak (20), Navigator.

Technical Sgt H L Cheek (21), Flight Engineer.

Technical Sgt J C Stammer (23), Wireless Op.

Staff Sgt E J Gilles (24), Air Gunner.

Staff Sgt A L Natkin (20), Air Gunner.

Staff Sgt R E Davis (26), Air Gunner.

Staff Sgt H Riefen (25), Air Gunner.

Air Transport Command

Staff Sgt J B Ellis Jr. (24), 314th T.C.G.

Staff Sgt J D Harvey (30), 314th T.C.G.

Staff Sgt A W Hastings (23), 314th T.C.G.

Staff Sgt E Einarsen (48), 314th T.C.G

Staff Sgt J H Hallissey (27), 93rd B.G. (H)

Staff Sgt R J Francis (20), 323rd B.G. (H).

Sources

Baugher, Joe. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188). 8-7-2023 revision. Accessed 11-30-2023 at: https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_5.html

Scots Roots. “USAAF Liberator Crash Memorial, Gairloch.” 11-12-2015. Accessed 11-30-2023 at: https://scotsroots.wordpress.com/2015/11/12/usaaf-liberator-crash-memorial-gairloch/