1956 — Sep 10, Yokota AB USAF RB50 lost tracking Typhoon Emma, Sea of Japan — 16

–16 European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt. “Hunt Pressed for Lost B50.” 9-13-1956, p. 24.
–16 Lednicer. “Intrusions, Overflights, Shootdowns and Defections…Cold War…” 4-16-2011.
–16 Lowell Sun, MA. “Find Life Rafts from Missing Plane.” 9-12-1956, p. 1.
–16 UP. “No Trace…US Plane Missing…16 Aboard.” Daily Register, Harrisburg, IL. 9-11-1956, 1.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Boeing B-50B-45-BO Superfortress….133 modified as RB-50G with additional radar and B-50D-type nose. (RB-50G, 6091st Recon Squadron) disappeared over Sea of Japan Sep 10, 1956 out of Yokota AB, Japan. Probably went down in Typhoon Emma.” (Baugher. 1946-1948 USAAF Serial Numbers. 10-15-2011 rev.)

Lednicer: “10 September 1956 A US Air Force RB-50G Superfortress was lost over the Sea of Japan. The crew of 16, Lorin C. Disbrow, Raymond D. Johnson, Rodger A. Fees, Paul W. Swinehart, William J. McLauglin, Theodorus J. Trias, Pat P. Taylor, John E. Beisty, Peter J. Rahaniotes, William H. Ellis, Richard T. Kobayashi, Wayne J. Fair, Palmer D. Arrowood, Harry S. Maxwell Jr., Bobby R. Davis and Leo J. Sloan, were all presumed to be killed. It is suspected that the aircraft was lost due to a powerful storm, Typhoon Emma, which was in the area.” (Lednicer. “Intrusions, Overflights, Shootdowns and Defections…Cold War…” 4-16-2011.)

Newspapers

Sep 11: Tokyo (AP) — American planes and Japanese ships failed today to find a trace of a U. S. Air Force weather plane missing since Monday when it flew into typhoon Emma to track the course of the dangerous storm. Sixteen men were aboard the aircraft, a B50 reconnaissance bomber. The Air Force discounted the possibility the B50 had been shot down or strayed over Soviet territory. A spokesman blamed only the typhoon.

“Thirty-eight U. S. Air Force planes and ten Japanese maritime safety ships criss-crossed a 70,000 square mile area midway between Japan and Siberia during daylight hours and B29s were ordered out tonight to look for lights. But rising seas dimmed hopes of finding the Americans since high waves can conceal a floating man on a life raft….” (Daily Register, Harrisburg, IL. “No Trace of U.S. Plane Missing with 16 Aboard.” 9-11-1956, 1.)

Sep 12: “Tokyo, Sept. 12 (UP) – The Japanese coast guard said today it had found five or six life rafts in the Japan Sea thought to be from a U. S. Air Force B-50 weather plane which disappeared in Typhoon Emma Monday with 16 men aboard. The coast .guard said it found the rafts drifting in the Japan Sea between Japan and Korea about 125 miles east of the Korean coast and 160 miles due south of Vladivostok, Russia. It said no survivors were found aboard the rafts and that no wreckage of the plane had been sighted.

“Twenty-seven American aircraft took off at dawn today to look for survivors and wreckage of the missing plane. An Air Force spokesman said the search would continue “as long as any hope remains.” Japanese ships and a U. B. Navy destroyer joined the search today.” (Lowell Sun, MA. “Find Life Rafts from Missing Plane.” 9-12-1956, p. 1.)

Sep 12: “Tokyo, Sept. 12 (AP) – Twenty-seven Air Force planes, Japanese surface craft and a U.S. destroyer fanned out over new areas of the choppy Sea of Japan today in a continuing hunt for a missing U.S. weather plane with 16 aboard….

“The Defense Department in Washington today announced the names of 14 of the missing crew members the United Press reported. (Two names were withheld-pending notification of relatives.)

Capt. William J. McLaughlin, Greenville, S.C.;
Lt. Richard T. Konayashi [unclear], Cape May, N.J.;
Capt. Radner A. Gees, Chandlar, Ariz.’
Capt. Pat P. Taylor, Great Falls, Mont.;
Lt. Peter J. Ranaseles [unclear], Corona [unclear], N.Y.;
T. Sgt. Palmer D. Arrowood, San Antonio, Tex.;
T. Sgt. Bobby R. Davis, Gridley, Ill.;
A/3C John E. Bolsty [unclear], Cassell [unclear], Ohio;
A/1C Harry S. Maxwell, Jr., San Lorenzo, Calif.;
S. Sgt. [unclear] J. Trias, Wantagh, N.Y.;
A/1C William H. Ellis, [unclear], Mich.;
A/1C Wayne J. Fair, Red Cloud, Neb.;
S. Sgt Raymond D. Johnson, Elsinore, Calif.; and
S. Sgt. Paul. W. Swinehart [unclear, Stillwater, Okla.”

(European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt. “Hunt Pressed for Lost B50.” 9-13-1956, p. 24.)

Sources

Baugher, Joseph F. 1946-1948 USAAF Serial Numbers. Oct 15, 2011 revision. Accessed 1-3-2012 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1946.html

European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt, Germany. “Hunt Pressed for Lost B50.” 9-13-1956, 24. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=133719070

Lednicer, David. “Intrusions, Over-flights, Shoot-downs and Defections During the Cold War and Thereafter.” 4-16-2011 revision. Accessed 2-20-2012: http://myplace.frontier.com/~anneled/ColdWar.html

Lowell Sun, MA. “Find Life Rafts from Missing Plane.” 9-12-1956, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=55251975

United Press. “No Trace of U.S. Plane Missing With 16 Aboard.” Daily Register, Harrisburg, IL. 9-11-1956, p.1. Accessed 3-22-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/harrisburg-daily-register-sep-11-1956-p-1/