1945 – Jan 9, USAAF B-24J structural failure, crash, ~Chatham Field, Savannah GA– 11
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/ Last edit 12-15-2023.
–11 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, p.1015.
–11 Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. “11 Members of…B-24…Die in Crash at Savannah.” 1-10-1945, p1.
Narrative Information
Mireles: “At 1711 EWT, Consolidated B-24J suffered a catastrophic structural failure and crashed seven miles south of Chatham Field, Savannah, Georgia, killing 11 crewmembers. Gunner Cpl. Joseph S. Lanzi parachuted to safety and was uninjured. Investigators stated,
“B-24J AAF #42-50524 departed Chatham Field, Georgia, at 1507 EWT on a high-altitude formation gunnery mission. After taking off three routine radio position reports were received by the ground radio station. None of these reports gave any report of malfunctioning of the airplane. Cpl. Joseph S. Lanzi, the ball turret gunner, stated that his airplane joined the formation but the position of his plane in the formation and how long plane #524 stayed in the formation he did not know.
Plane #524 was in the number-three position of the lead flight. After starting to load the turret guns, the left waist gunner informed Cpl. Lanzi that the pilot was going down to 500 feet for splash gunnery. Cpl. Lanzi did not know why the mission was being changed. While letting down, Cpl. Lanzi stated that he did not know whether a cloud coverage was beneath them and did not know whether the plane let down through cloud coverage. After letting down for some time, Cpl. Lanzi stated the airplane made a violent steep left turn or a violent maneuver of a nature [that] resulted in the three men in the tail to be thrown about in the plane. This violent maneuvering continued, resulting in equipment and the men in the waist being thrown about in this section of the plane. Cpl. Lanzi stated that he attempted to get his parachute but it was tossed away by the violent maneuvering and finally after reaching a parachute bailed out through the right waist window in which the glass had broken during the maneuvering. After the parachute opened, Cpl. Lanzi stated that he was below the cloud level and could see the ground.
Witnesses near the crash stated that a very unusually loud roar was first noticed but none could see the airplane at the time due to the airplane being above the clouds. After breaking through the overcast, which was estimated to have been 2,000 feet by pilots’ reports, the airplane was diving almost vertically with part of the tail section off and falling free of the airplane. During the dive, witnesses also stated that a section of one of the wings ripped or broke off and the airplane immediately started into a spin to the left then crashing. The airplane appeared to have crashed nose first then to have fallen over on the back of the fuselage. All witnesses stated that parts and pieces of the airplane were falling while the airplane was spinning and continued to fall after the plane had crashed. The right wing broke off approximately 12 feet from the wing tip and was found approximately one and one-half miles from the crash proper. The right aileron and part of the tail section were found three- quarters of a mile from the crash proper. Pieces of metal were found over an area on one and one-quarter miles from the crash proper. Upon crashing the airplane exploded and burned completely.” (Mireles 2006, p. 1015.)
Newspaper
Jan 10, AP: “Savannah, Ga., Jan. 10 – (AP) – Eleven members of the crew of a B-24 bomber were killed Tuesday afternoon when their ship crashed and burned eight miles south of Chatham Field, the plane’s home base. One airman parachuted to safety. The army has not released the names of the victims.” (Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. “11 Members of Crew of B-24 Bomber Die in Crash at Savannah.” 1-10-1945, p.1.)
Sources
Mireles, Anthony J. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 3: August 1944 – December 1945). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.
Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. “11 Members of Crew of B-24 Bomber Die in Crash at Savannah.” 1-10-1945, p.1. Accessed 12-15-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-jan-10-1945-p-2/