1945 — March 10, USN PB4Y-1 plane lost, trng. flight NAS Jacksonville FL to Bahamas–14

–14  Aviation Safety Network. USN Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator missing near Bahamas.

–14  Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 10-11-2009 rev.

–14  Morning Herald, Hagerstown, MD.  “Fourteen Missing.” 3-13-1945, p. 8.

–14  Waukesha Freeman, WI.  “14 Were Lost in Training Flight.” 3-14-1945, p. 3.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 44. USN PB4Y-1:

“Date:                          Saturday 10 March 1945

“Type:                         Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator

“Owner/operator:        OTU VB-4 US Navy

“Registration:              38765

“MSN:                         44-40347

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 14

….

“Location:                   Atlantic Ocean in vicinity Bahamas

“Phase:                        En route

“Nature:                      Training

“Departure airport:      NAS Jacksonville, Florida

“Destination airport:

“Narrative:

“Missing on radar bombing training flight out of NAS Jacksonville over Bahamas, BWI . 14 missing. Last known position was 60 mi W of Paw Paw Rocks, Bahamas.”

Baugher: “Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator…. 38765 (VB-4, ex USAAF 44-40347) missing on radar bombing training flight out of NAS Jacksonville over Bahamas, BWI Mar 10, 1945. 14 missing. Last known position was 60 mi W of Paw Paw Rocks, Bahamas.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 10-11-2009 rev.)

Newspapers

March 12, Associated Press: “Jacksonville, Fla., March 12. (AP) – The Jacksonville Naval Air Station announced today that 14 officers and men are missing with a Navy Liberator plane somewhere in the area of the Bahamas Islands. The huge ship, on a routine training flight from the Jacksonville station, has been missing since Saturday night [March 10]. Search was continuing.”  (Morning Herald, Hagerstown, MD.  “Fourteen Missing.” 3-13-1945, p. 8.)

March 14, Waukesha Freeman: “A dispatch from Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday declared that 13 other enlisted men and officers presumably were lost along with AO 2/C George A. Martin, Waukesha, on a training flight Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. George H. Martin…were notified Sunday of the incident. Navy officials said Tuesday the crew of 14 was aboard a naval patrol bomber which was on a routine training flight in the Bahamas islands Saturday when it was apparently lost at sea….”  (Waukesha Freeman, WI. “14 Were Lost in Training Flight.” 3-14-1945, p. 3.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 44. USN Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator missing near Bahamas, 10 March 1945. Accessed 12-10-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450310-0

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 8-6-2012 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries4.html

Morning Herald, Hagerstown, MD. “Fourteen Missing [USN Plane, Bahamas].” 3-13-1945, p. 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=78375776

Waukesha Freeman, WI. “14 Were Lost in Training Flight.” 3-14-1945, p. 3. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=6052370