1953 — July 10, USAF B29 airport approach crash, 7M ~Hunter AFB, Savannah GA–all 10

–10 Aviation Safety Network. USAF B-29 explosion/crash ~Hunter AFB Savannah GA 7-10-1953.
–10 United Press. “Ten Die In Crash of B-29.” Oelwein Daly Register, IA. 7-10-1953, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Database:
“Date: 10-Jul-1953
“Time: 09:25 [9:25 pm or 21:25]
“Type: Boeing B-29 Superfortress
“Owner/Operator: United States Air Force (USAF)
“Registration: 44-83985
….
“Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
“Other fatalities: 0
….
“Location: near Hunter AFB, Savannah, Georgia – USA
“Phase: En Route
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Hunter AFB, Savannah, Georgia
“Destination airport: Hunter AFB, Savannah, Georgia
“Confidence rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
“Narrative: The plane crashed after an explosion. All ten occupants died in the crash.”

Newspaper

July 10, UP: “Savannah, Ga. – UP – The wreckage of a missing B-29 bomber which crashed in a swampy wilderness near here with 10 men aboard was located today by a searching helicopter, and the Air Force said there was ‘no indication of any survivors.’

“Crew members included: Capt. Leonard E. Fiser…Savannah, home town, Marengo, IA.

“Two men were lowered by winch from the helicopter to examine the wreckage. The location, about seven and a half miles from Hunter Air Force Base, home of the huge bomber, was inaccessible to boat.

“Lt. Edward Tibby, base public information officer, said no radio contact had been established with the two men at the wreck scene. The helicopter reported only that there was ‘general wreckage with no indication of any survivors.’ Additional rescue crews were ordered to the crash location in wild brushland between the Big Ogeechee and Little Ogeechee rivers. Ground search parties, Navy blimps and Air Force and Navy planes had been scouring the marshland area from which the sound of an explosion was reported heard Friday night. Hunter Air Force Base said the huge bomber had been overdue since 10 p.m. est. on a training flight from the base field. The state highway patrol said it received reports that ‘a noise was heard’ at about that time in the marsh and brush land about 10 miles southwest of the base.”

July 11, AP: “Savannah, Ga. (AP) – The wreckage of a B-29 bomber missing from nearby Hunter Air Force Base with 10 men aboard was sighted early today in the mucky marshland along Rock Fish Creek. There was no sign of any survivors. Discovery of the wreck, the base’s sixth in less than a year, was reported by a Navy blimp and a Navy helicopter engaged in a massive search expedition. The Rock Fish Creek location was about two and half miles from Grove Point at the mouth of the big turgid, slow-flowing, Ogeechee River. It was enclosed on all sides by marshes and tangled swamp growth…..Lt. Edward Tibby, Hunter information officer, said the early report indicated the wreckage was accessible only by air.

“The bomber, out on training mission, was due back at the base at 9:45 p.m. EST last night. When it failed to return Col. Henry J. Amen, base commander, quickly dispatched search parties….

“James Bisson, Savannah Evening Press photographer was among the first to fly over the scene of the crash and reported the big ship torn to bits and no signs of life anywhere in or around the scattered wreckage. ‘It looked as if it had been coming in fast for a landing and just ripped into the swamp, he said….Bisson said it appears impossible to reach the wreckage on foot yet there isn’t water to support boats of any size, either….

“Names of the missing crewmen were announced by Lt. Tibby as their survivors were notifies. They included:

Airman First Class Courtney O. Furnberg, Fargo, N.D.
Airman First Class Walter F. Olsen, Santa Clara, Calif.
Airman 2nd Class Howard K. Ahlgrim, Vermillion, S.D.
S-Sgt. Donald F. Malone, Bennington, Vt.
Airman 2nd Class George J. Gassaway, Henryetta, Okla.
Maj. Robert W. Stoddard, Decatur, Ill.
Capt. Leonard E. Fiser, Marengo, Iowa.
First Lt. Ralph R. Baurichter, Clarksville, Ark.
First Lt. Wilburt E. Glantz, Cleveland, Ohio.
Airman 2nd Class Joseph R. Shipman…Tampa Fla.

“….Tibby said all the men were members of the 2nd Bomber Wing based on Hunter and were on a training mission….

“Previously, five Hunter-based bombers had crashed since last October with a loss of 30 lives. Two crashes at or near the base in January took 13 lives. Six did when a bomber fell in the…[word not clear] in March and 11 in a crash in England last November. A crash at the base Jan. 26 was…[word not clear].” (Associated Press. “Wreckage of Bomber from Hunter Sighted in Marsh.” Times-Enterprise, Thomasville, GA. 7-11-1953, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Wreckage of Bomber from Hunter Sighted in Marsh.” Times-Enterprise, Thomasville, GA. 7-11-1953, p. 1. Accessed 7-1-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-jul-11-1953-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Database. USAF B-29 Superfortress explosion and crash near Hunter AFB, Savannah GA, 7-10-1953. Accessed 7-1-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/204171

United Press. “Ten Die In Crash of B-29.” Oelwein Daly Register, IA. 7-10-1953, p. 1. Accessed 7-1-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oelwein-daily-register-jul-10-1953-p-9/