1950 — Sep 19, USN PB4Y-2 Privateer Plane Crash, Puget Sound, Saratoga Passage, WA-7

–7 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (50360 to 60009). 10-27-2011 rev.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer….59840 (PB4Y-2S, VP-931) went into vertical flat spin from 4000 feet and crashed into Saratoga Passage, WA Sept 19, 1950. Crew of 7 killed.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (50360 to 60009). 10-27-2011 revision.)

Newspaper

Sep 20, AP: “A navy transport plummeted into the Pacific Tuesday [Sep 19] off Kwajalein, killing all 26 men aboard, and four hours later a navy bomber went down in Washington state’s Puget Sound, bringing death to seven more….

“The plane that plunged into Puget Sound was a navy Privateer 4-engined bomber carrying a crew of seven on a training mission. It crashed soon after radioing its Seattle base at 2:08 p.m. that it was climbing from 3,000 to 6,000 feet. It had reported no trouble. An accompanying plane saw it go into a spin and crash into the sound. Boats searching the area found a wreckage strewn oil slick but no survivors. The crew members, none of whom was identified, were from patrol squadron 931, recently reactivated from the naval reserve at Willow Grove, Pa….” (AP. “Navy Bomber Crashes Take Lives of 33.” Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA. 9-20-1950, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Navy Bomber Crashes Take Lives of 33.” Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA. 9-20-1950, p. 1. Accessed 8-15-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/walla-walla-union-bulletin-sep-20-1950-p-1/

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (50360 to 60009). Oct 27, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries6.html