1951 — Mar 22, USAF C-124A Globemaster lost (after ditching) No. Atlantic, off Ire.–all 53

–53 Aviation Safety Network. Database. USAF C-124A Globemaster II, 23 March 1951.
–53 Baugher. 1949 USAF Serial Numbers. 8-17-2011 revision.
–53 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999.
–53 Planecrashinfo.com. “1951…Accident Details…Military-USAF…March 22, 1951…”
–53 Walker Aviation Museum, Roswell, NM. Last Flight, The Missing Airmen, March 1951.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Douglas C-124A Globemaster II….244 (c/n 43173, 2nd Strategic Support Squadron) exploded in flight over North Atlantic near Ireland Mar 22/23, 1951. 53 killed, including Gen Paul Cullen and his command staff. Newspapers at the time claim that the plane actually managed to ditch intact and all persons egressed safely. A B-29 that found them and circled the scene saw rafts and got signals from the rescue radios that all were safe. However, when rescuers reached the scene 19 hours later, there were no survivors and all that could be recovered was a burned briefcase and a partially deflated life raft. Intelligence released in the decades that followed suggests there was some serious Soviet submarine activity in that area and speculated the Cullen and the other survivors were captured and taken to the Soviet Union for questioning. The disappearance of the survivors remains a great mystery of the Cold War.” (Baugher. 1949 USAF Serial Numbers. 8-17-2011 revision.)

Gero:
“Date: 22 March 1951 (c.23:50)
“Location: North Atlantic Ocean
“Operator: US Air Force
“Aircraft type: Douglas C-124A (49-244)

“Although the exact circumstances of this disaster could not be determined, a mid-air explosion or catastrophic structural failure was suspected in the loss of the four-engine transport, which in its last position report had been 750 miles (1,200km) west of Limerick, Ireland. Searchers recovered pieces of floating wreckage from the aircraft approximately 600 miles (965km) off Ireland’s south-western coast. Of the 53 American service¬men aboard (40 passengers and a crew of 13), no survivors were found. Operated by the Strategic Air Command, the C-124 had last stopped at Loring Air Force Base, near Limestone, Maine, during a transatlantic flight originating at Walker Air Force Base, near Roswell, New Mexico. Its ultimate desti¬nation was Mildenhall Air Force Base, Suffolk, England. The aircraft had been flying in darkness, and the weather along the route consisted of exten¬sive formations of cumulus clouds, with bases of 2,500 to 3,000ft (750-1,000m) and tops generally at 7,000 to 8,000ft (2,000-2,500m), with scattered build-ups to 13,000ft (4,000m), the latter being accompanied by showers. Examination of the recov¬ered debris revealed that a post-crash blaze had occurred, although no further conclusions could be made.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999.)

Planecrashinfo.com: Crew of 13 with 40 passengers, out of Loring AFB for Lakenheath AFB, UK “The aircraft suffered a catastrophic explosion and crashed into the sea approximately 750 miles west of Limerick, Ireland. Cause unknown.” (Planecrashinfo.com.)

Walker Aviation Museum, Roswell, NM: “At 1915 Zulu, on Wednesday, the 21st of March, 1951, the C-124 commanded by Major Robert J. Bell of the 2nd Strategic Support Squadron departed Walker AFB, loaded with aircrews and equipment of the 509th Bomber Group, final destination was RAFB Lakenheath, England. At 2212 Zulu, they touched down at Barksdale AFB, Shreveport, Louisiana where they remained overnight. On Thursday, the 22nd of March Brigadier General Paul T. Cullen and his staff joined the other passengers and boarded the aircraft. BG Cullen was the commander of the newly established 7th Air Group assigned to England. The flight took off at 0425 Zulu, destination Loring AFB, Limestone, Maine. Following an uneventful eight hour flight, the C-124 touched down at Loring, time: 1230 Zulu. While the aircraft was being refueled, the pilots and navigators went to base ops where they received an updated weather briefing. They filed the flight plan for the final leg: Limestone direct Gander, great circle (rumb line) to Mildenhall RAFB, U.K.

“The flight route was over the weather ships that linked the American continent to the British Isles. Along the route, they checked in with each ship, giving a position report, status onboard, and receiving updated weather.

“At 0100 Zulu, Friday the 23rd of March, 1951, they checked in with the British weather ship 4YJ stationed at 52 degrees north latitude, 20 degrees west longitude. The C-124 radio operator gave their position report (appx 800 miles southwest of Ireland). Shortly thereafter, the C-124 gave out a Mayday call, reporting a fire in the cargo crates. They began jettisoning the crates and announced they were ditching. The C-124 ditched at the approximate grid 50 degrees 45 minutes North, 24 degrees 03 minutes West. The aircraft was intact when it touched down on the ocean. All hands exited the aircraft wearing life preservers and climbed into the inflated 5 man life rafts. The rafts were equipped with cold weather gear, food, water, flares, and Gibson Girl hand crank emergency radios.

“The USAF 509th element stationed in England launched a B-29 to search for the survivors. Captain Muller was the pilot in command. He located the men when they fired several flares. The B-29 was not carrying any rescue equipment that could be dropped to the survivors. Captain Muller radioed back that he had located the men and would remain on station until bingo fuel. They continued circling and hoping for rescue aircraft to arrive but to no avail. Reaching critical fuel, Captain Muller was forced to abandon his fellow airmen and return to base.

“Not one ship or a single aircraft returned to the position given by Captain Muller until Sunday, the 25th of March, 1951. When the ships arrived all they found were some charred crates and a partially deflated life raft. Ships and planes continued searching for the next several days but not a single body was found. The men of C-124 #49-0244 had quite simply disappeared.

“It is a fact that Soviet submarines and surface vessels were active in this area and that the Soviets had no qualms about capturing and holding American servicemen, particularly aviators. We do not know what fate befell these men.” [A listing of the missing airmen can be found at the Walker Museum website address noted below.]

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Database. USAF C-124A Globemaster II, 23 March 1951. Accessed 6-26-2023 at:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19510323-0

Baugher, Joseph F. 1949 USAF Serial Numbers. Aug 17 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1949.html

Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.

Planecrashinfo.com. “1951…Accident Details…Military-USAF…March 22, 1951…” Accessed at: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1951/1951-14.htm

Walker Aviation Museum, Roswell, NM. Last Flight, The Missing Airmen, March 1951. Accessed 6-26-2023 at: http://www.wafbmuseum.org/alumni-stories/last-flight-the-missing-airmen-march-1951/