1954 — Jan 4, USN P2V Neptune bomber engine trouble/crash, Yellow Sea, off S. Korea– 10

— 10 Aviation Safety Network. USN Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune crash off S. Korea 4 Jan 1954.
— 10 Lednicer. “Intrusions, Overflights, Shootdowns and Defections…Cold War…” 4-16-2011.
— 10 San Mateo Times, CA. “Big Navy Bomber, 10 Aboard, Missing.” 1-7-1954, p. 4.
— 10 Whidbey Patrol Squadron Memorial, Veterans Memorial Park, Oak Harbor, WA.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network Database:
“Date: Monday 4 January 1954
“Type: Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune
“Operator: United States Navy
“Registration: 127752
“MSN: 426-5089
….
“Crew: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
“Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
“Total: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
….
“Location: NW off Jeju Island (South Korea)
“Phase: En route (ENR)
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Iwakuni MCAS, Japan
“Destination airport: Iwakuni MCAS, Japan
“Narrative: Ditched off Chojudo, Korea due to engine failure. The bodies of two crew
members were later recovered.”

(10 Aviation Safety Network. USN Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune crash off S. Korea 4 Jan 1954.)

Lednicer: “4 January 1954 A US Navy P2V-5 Neptune (BuNo 127752) of VP-2 departed NAS Iwakuni in Japan and headed toward the west coast of Korea. The flight continued north across the Korean DMZ, then along the North Korean coast to the coast of China before turning south. After reporting engine difficulties, the aircraft head towards the K-13 base at Suwan. The engine difficulties might have been a result of a hostile attack on the Neptune. The aircraft reached the vicinity of K-13 before crashing, possibly the result of an additional attack by a US Navy AD-4B Skyraider on night patrol. The crew of Jesse Beasley, Fredric Prael, Rex Claussen, Gordon Spicklemier, Lloyd Rensink, Bruce Berger, James Hand, Robert Archbold, Stanley Mulford and Paul Morelli were all killed.” (Lednicer. “Intrusions, Overflights, Shootdowns and Defections… Cold War…” 4-16-2011 rev.)

Whidbey Patrol Squadron Memorial: “VP-2. 4 Jan 1954: LT Jesse Beasley and his crew of nine were lost in a crash in the Yellow Sea on a mission from NAS Iwakuni, Japan to patrol the coast of North Korea/China. The P2V crew reported an engine failure and their intention to return to base, but were lost on radar as the plane descended. After a final transmission indicating their lone remaining engine was running rough, nothing further was heard from the crew.” (Whidbey Patrol Squadron Memorial, Veterans Memorial Park, Oak Harbor, WA.)

Newspaper

Jan 7, UP: “Tokyo (UP) – A United States Navy P2V Neptune patrol bomber with 10 men aboard has been missing for three days off the south coast of Korea, the navy announced today. The twin-engine plane was on a routine patrol mission from the naval air base at Iwakuni, western Japan, Monday, when it disappeared. Its last radio report was made at 7:35 p. m. Monday near Maemui Suido island. A navy sea and air search was started immediately.” (San Mateo Times, CA. “Big Navy Bomber, 10 Aboard, Missing.” 1-7-1954, p. 4.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network Database, Flight Safety Foundation. USN Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune crash off S. Korea 4 Jan 1954. Accessed 5-3-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19540104-0

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

San Mateo Times, CA. “Big Navy Bomber, 10 Aboard, Missing.” 1-7-1954, p. 4. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=48116395

Whidbey Patrol Squadron Memorial, Veterans Memorial Park, Oak Harbor, WA. “Historical Background.” Accessed 11-13-2011 at: http://patron2.com/files/wpsm_files/wpsm_22.html