1954 — Feb 5, USAF C-47 explodes in-flight, Susitna Valley, 20M from Curry, AK — 10

–10 Aviation Safety Network. USAF Douglas C-47D crash 20M N or Curry AK, 5 Feb 1954.
–10 Baugher. 1945 USAAF Serial Numbers. Sep 21, 2011 rev.
–10 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Bush Pilots Save 6 Men From Ill-Fated Plane…” 2-8-54, p. 1.
–2 known dead
–8 missing and presumed dead
— 10 Historical Marker Database. “1954 C-47 Alaskan Crash Memorial.” Accessed 5-2-2023.
— 10 Planecrashinfo.com. “1954…Accident Details…USAF…Susitna Valley AK, 5 Feb 1954.”

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: Friday 5 February 1954
“Type: Douglas C-47D (DC-3)
“Operator: United States Air Force – USAF
“Registration: 45-895
“MSN: 34155/ 16898
“First flight: 1945
“Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: 3
“Passengers: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 13
“Total: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 16
….
“Location: 32 km (20 mls) N of Curry, AK
“Phase: En route (ENR)
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Fairbanks-Fort Wainwright Airport, AK
“Destination airport: Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK
“Narrative: The C-47D transport plane crashed on a snow covered hillside in Alaska.
Six men were rescued by bush pilots.”

Baugher: “Douglas C-47B-45-DK Skytrain….895 (c/n 16898/34155) encountered severe downdraft and crashed 20 mi N of Curry, AK Feb 5, 1954. 10 killed, 6 survived.” (Baugher. 1945 USAAF Serial Numbers. Sep 21, 2011 revision.)

Historical Marker Database: “Inscription.

In Honor Of the crewmembers and passengers who lost their lives in a C-47 crash in the mountains of Alaska on 5 February 1954

Capt. Earl L Betscher
Lt. Col Edward L Burge
Capt. James M Hill
A/3c Edward J Knapp
A/2c Richard L Knickerbocker
A/3c Donald R McDonough
A/1c Edmund S McMahon
S/Sgt Alvi R Raymer
T/Sgt Jacob Siplivy
Lt Col W Wes Watson

Erected on this site by the surviving family members and six survivors of the crash:

A/1d Edward J Fox
A/2c Eli R LaDuke
A/2c Huey T Montgomrey
A/2C Edward W Olson
A/3c Rupert C Pratt
A/1c Bobby G Sallis

Planecrashinfo.com: “The plane broke apart over the Susitna Valley of South Central Alaska and the scattered parts fell onto Kesugi Ridge, which is now within Denali State Park. Six servicemen wearing parachutes escaped by being thrown from the disintegrating aircraft.”
(Planecrashinfo.com.)

Newspaper

Feb 8, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK: “Two veteran bush pilots have been credited with saving the lives of six men who parachuted into snow-covered mountains near Curry after the air force plane in which they were riding exploded. Two of the other 16 men aboard the ill-fated plane are known to be dead. Eight are missing, and pilots Don Sheldon and Cliff Hudson, who rescued the six men, said it would be a miracle if any of the missing eight are still alive, the Associated Press reported from Anchorage today. The air force said that Sheldon and Hudson saved the lives of the six who spent two nights and most of two days in subfreezing temperatures awaiting rescue after their transport exploded and crashed on a flight from Elmendorf air base at Anchorage to Ladd AFB at Fairbanks.

“Hudson spotted the wreckage late Friday 15 miles northeast of Curry on the ARR line. The following day Sheldon located the first three survivors huddled in the snow 15 miles from the wreckage where they had floated down in their ‘chutes. Sheldon, Hudson and an air force doctor flew to the spot in a blinding snowstorm Saturday, and were grounded overnight when the weather worsened. Hudson struck off then on the arduous trek thru 3½ foot deep snow to reach the crash scene. Sheldon, meanwhile, flew his trio of survivors yesterday to Anchorage, 75 miles southeast of Curry. The others were picked up by helicopter and taken to Anchorage.

“Hudson said the survivors told him the plane exploded as it was flying between air force bases at Anchorage and Fairbanks. There was no warning, he quoted the survivors. They were ‘riding along smoothly one minute and the next thing they knew they were floating down to earth.’ All the men were wearing parachutes, he said. None of the survivors were seriously injured.

“Air force headquarters at Elmendorf early today identified seven of the ten victims listed officially as ‘missing.’….The seven identified were:

1st Lt. Earl L. Betscher, the pilot…
Airman 2c Richard L. Knickerbocker, flight engineer…
Airman 1c Edward J. Knapp;
Airman 1c Alvin K. Raymer;
Tech. Sgt. Siplivy, and
Airman 1c Edmund S. McMahon, Butte, Mont.,
Airman 3c Donald R. McDonough….”

(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Bush Pilots Save 6 Men From Ill-Fated Plane. Two Known Dead, 8 Missing After C-47 Explodes in Flight.” 2-8-1954, p. 1.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF Douglas C-47D crash 20M N or Curry AK, 5 Feb 1954. Accessed 5-2-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19540205-1

Baugher, Joseph F. 1945 USAAF Serial Numbers. 9-21-2011 revision. Accessed 1-1-2012 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1945.html

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Bush Pilots Save 6 Men From Ill-Fated Plane. Two Known Dead, 8 Missing After C-47 Explodes in Flight.” 2-8-1954, p. 1. Accessed 5-2-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fairbanks-daily-news-miner-feb-08-1954-p-1/

Historical Marker Database. “1954 C-47 Alaskan Crash Memorial.” Posted 3-18-2016 by William Fischer Jr, revised 9-5-2022. Accessed 5-2-2023 at: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=93129

Planecrashinfo.com. “1954…Accident Details…USAF…Susitna Valley AK, 5 Feb 1954.” Accessed at: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1954/1954-11.htm