1953 — March 18, USAF B-29 crash searching for lost plane, St. George’s Bay, NFL, CA–10

–10 Aviation Safety Week. USAF B-29 missing off St. George’s Bay NL, Canada, 18May1953.
–10 Baugher. 1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-40049 to 44-70254). Oct 28, 2011 rev.
–10 Charleston Daily Mail, WV. “2 Bombers Fall, Believe 33 Dead,” Mar 19, 1953, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Week:
“Date: 18-Mar-1953
“Time: 18:51 LT
“Type: Boeing SB-29-70-BW Superfortress
“Owner/operator: 52nd ARSqn / 6th ARGp USAF…United States Air Force
“Registration: 44-69982
“MSN: 10814
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
“Other fatalities: 0
“Location: missing off St. George’s Bay NL – Canada
“Phase: Approach
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Harmon AFB, Stephenville, Newfoundland
“Destination airport: Harmon AFB, Stephenville, Newfoundland
….
“Narrative:

“On March 18 1953, a Boeing SB-29-70-BW Superfortress, 44-69982, a search and rescue plane of the 52nd Air Rescue Squadron, 6th Air Rescue Group, USAF, based at Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, was sent out to assist in search efforts after Convair B-36H 51-13721 which had gone missing. The B-36H was located at Burgoyne’s Cove, on Random Island, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, having crashed into a hillside killing all on board.

“The B-29 was returning to Harmon AFB in Stephenville, but disappeared shortly before landing. It is believed to have crashed into St. Georges Bay, a few miles from the runway, killing all ten on board. Wreckage was never found, no cause for the crash was ever identified.
….
“The victims are: [From Associated Press. “Air Force Lists Victims of Bomber Crash.” 3-21-1953.]

Capt. FRANCIS XAVIER QUINN, Dorchester, Mass.
Capt. WILLIAM A ROY, San Antonio, Tex.
First Lt. RODGER D. NULL, Venice, Cal.
First Lt. ROBERT W. ERRICO, Bronx, N.Y.
S/Sgt. DAVID E. KIMBROUGH, Roswell, N.M.
Cpl. DAVID E. RASH, Beaverton, Ore.
A/1C ROBERT J. MONTGOMERY, Mountain Grove, Mo.
A/3C MICHAEL KERR, JR., Chisholm, Minn.
A/3C SAMMY O. JONES, Akron, Ohio.
A/3C JAMES E. COGGINS, Allston, Mass.

(Aviation Safety Week. USAF Boeing SB-29-70-BW Superfortress missing off St. George’s Bay NL, Canada, 18May1953.

Baugher: “Boeing B-29-70-BW Superfortress….69982 (SB-29) disappeared March 18, 1953 while searching in Newfoundland for RB-36H 51-13721 that General Ellsworth was lost on. None of the crew of 10 were ever found.” (Baugher. 1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-40049 to 44-70254). Oct 28, 2011 revision.)

Newspaper

March 19: “St. John’s Newfoundland (AP)–….A U.S. Superfortress with a crew of 10 crashed in St. George’s Bay…The plane was from Harmon Field on the west coast. Searchers found only wreckage and no survivors in the bay…” (Charleston Daily Mail (WV).)

Sources

Aviation Safety Week, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF Boeing SB-29-70-BW Superfortress missing off St. George’s Bay NL, Canada, 18May1953. Accessed 5-22-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/28727

Baugher, Joseph F. 1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-40049 to 44-70254). Oct 28, 2011 revision. Accessed 12-25-2011 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html

Charleston Daily Mail, WV. “2 Bombers Fall, Believe 33 Dead,” 3-19-1953, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=39293805