Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-4-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

— 18 Marion Sentinel, IA. “Former Manager…Theatre…Reported Plane Crash Victim.” 6-8-’44

— 18 Mason City Globe-Gazette, IA. “Gets Word Nephew…Killed in Action.” 6-8-1944, 9.

— 18 Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “18 Killed as Navy Bomber Crashes into 2 Buildings.” 6-7-1944, 1.

— 17 CA State Mil. Dept. The Cal. State Mil. Museum. “Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar.”

— 17 Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Casa Grande Navy Man Killed in Bomber Crash.” 6-9-1944, 1.

— 17 VPNavy.org. U.S. Navy Patrol Squadrons. “VP—116 Mishap.” 9-9-2000.

— 11 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 10-11-2009 rev.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator….32073 (ex USAAF B-24D 42-40711, VB-117) crashed into building during takeoff from Camp Kearney 6/6/1944. 11 killed.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 10-11-2009 rev.)

California State Military Department: “On January 20, 1944, Camp Kearny lost its first PB4Y when an aircraft of VB-101 crashed after takeoff killing its 13-man crew. On May 25, 1944, the Transition Liberator Unit’s name changed to Headquarters Squadron 2 Fleet Air Wing 14 (HEDRON 2 FAW 14). In the fall of 1944, the designation of PB4Y squadrons changed from VB to VPB. In less than two weeks in mid-1944, the station reeled from the loss of three PB4Ys and their crews. On May 27, seven crewmen were killed when a PB4Y crashed on approach. Three days later, a PB4Y of VB-102 had a midair collision with an F4F claiming 12 lives. The worst was yet to come. One week later, a PB4Y crashed into a building on the base killing a total of 17 men from the aircraft and on the ground. Thirty six men from Camp Kearny lost their lives in ten days!” (California State Military Department. The California State Military Museum. “Historic California Posts. Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar.”)

California State Military Department: “Camp Kearny was established July 18, 1917, named in honor of Brigadier General Stephen Watts Kearny who led the Army of the West to San Diego in 1846. It was one of 32 new camps created in May 1917, each designed to house 40,000 troops with 1200 buildings and tents on 10,000 acres. Most of Camp Kearny’s soldiers lived in tents, as more than 65,000 men trooped through the camp on their way to World War I battlegrounds. After the war, the camp was used as a demobilization center…. The site of Camp Kearny is now Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.” (Cal. State Mil. Dept. The California State Military Museum. “Camp Kearny.”)

VPNavy.org. U.S. Navy Patrol Squadrons. “VP—116 Mishap.” 9-9-2000:

“06 JUN 44 A/C: PB4Y-1

“Location: NAAS Camp Kearny, California

“Strike: Yes BUNO: 32073

“Cause:

“Authorized scheduled flight. Weather conditions: Instrument. The flight was given a special I.F.R. clearance without the knowledge of the Squadron Commander and without any authorization from Bombing Squadron 117 to operations, U. S. Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Camp Kearney, Ca. That this flight was cleared with Lt(jg) Royce C. Timmons A-V(N) USNR, as senior pilot, and neither Kearney Field nor Fleet Air Wing 4 were cognizant of the change in pilot’s clearance until after the crash. The pilot did not carry out existing instructions for Special I.F.R. clearance, having entered the overcast immediately after take-off at the west end of the field on a course of zero-zero-zero magnetic. It is believed after entering the overcast in a left turn, it changed to a northerly direction, and broke out on top of the overcast, reentered and came out below between Camp Miramar and Camp Kearney, headed in a southeasterly direction. The plane again reentered the overcast over Camp Kearney Field and came out in a steep dive to wanting 100-ft or less of the ground over Camp Linda Vista. A sharp recovery was made from this dive and it again re-entered the overcast in a forty-five degree climb on a northwesterly heading. Very shortly thereafter, it appeared for the final time, headed south. The plane rocked from side to side in a progressive power stall, the left wing contacted the ground after which it continued through trees and buildings in its path. A gasoline explosion occurred one or two seconds after final impact. The fuselage broke just aft of the after bomb bay. The after section, in which three of the survivors were located, was thrown over the remainder of the aircraft to a position of approximately one-hundred feet beyond the remainder of the plane.

“Plane crew & passengers:

Pilot Lt(jg) John Golden A-V(N) USNR/Killed,

Ens Hugo Cloyce Cloud USN/Killed,

Aom2c Theodore Raymond Nixon USNR/Killed,

Amm2c Glen Martin Harris USN/Killed,

Sea1c George Leroy Smith USN/Killed,

Rm3c Lewis Leon Lutler USNR/Killed,

Amm2c Robert Luther Fowler USNR/Killed,

Sea1c Ulie Steve Spangler USN/Killed,

Rm2c Frank Liska USN/Killed,

Amm3c Donald Crawford USN/Killed,

Rm3c Samuel Robert Cusumano USN/Killed,

Sea1c Joseph Ferreira USNR/Killed,

Amm3c Walter P. Gorton/Seriously Inj,

Aom3c James M. Worthington/Seriously inj, and Sea1c Cleo E. Jarrett/Seriously inj.

Personnel in building that was hit:

Acom Edward Ralph Lamberton (PA) USN/Killed,

Aomt2c Lawrence Earl Dodge USN/Killed,

Amm2c William Jesse Harrison (GA) USNR/Seriously inj,

Arv3c Vincent Paul Hornlack USNR/Seriously inj,

Rm3c Edward Guy Woodward USNR/Killed,

Amm3c John Daniel Fuller USNR/Killed, and

Rm3c Henry Ignatius Ladowski USN/Killed.”

Newspaper

June 6: “San Diego, June 6, (UP) — An undetermined number of naval fliers were killed and injured today when a Liberator bomber crashed and exploded at the Camp Kearney Air Base, 15 miles northeast of here, the Eleventh Naval District announced.” (Bakersfield Californian. “Navy Fliers Killed.” 6-6-1944, p. 1.)

June 6: “San Diego, June 6. – (UP)….The plane, which was on a routine flight, crashed into two buildings, completely demolishing them…” (San Mateo Times, CA. “Navy Bomber Hits 2 Buildings.” 6-6-1944, p. 6.)

June 7: “San Diego, Cal., June 7 (UP) – Navy authorities today investigated the crash of a Navy Liberator bomber yesterday at Camp Kearney auxiliary air station in which 18 men – nine of them crew members were killed. Twelve men were injured. Nine others, station personnel, were killed when the bomber ripped through two buildings on the field and exploded.

“Two of the plane’s 12-man crew escaped with serious injuries and one suffered minor injuries.

“The crash was the second at Camp Kearney within 10 days. Seven crew members were killed May 27 when a Liberator bomber crashed while making a night landing.” (Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “18 Killed as Navy Bomber Crashes into 2 Buildings.” 6-7-1944, 1.)

June 8: “According to word received late Wednesday by Gilbert Rathman, manager of the Marion theatre, Lieut. Ed Lorenz, an army air force pilot, who was one of the owners and the first manager of the local theatre, was killed in a plane crash in California Tuesday….According to available information the plane exploded and burned as it hit the ground, killing 18 men and injuring 12 others. It was believed the plane was returning from the South Pacific area with ferry pilots, duty in which Lorenz was known to have participated for a time. Local friends, however, had information disclosing that he had been an instrument instructor late in March….” (Marion Sentinel, IA. “Former Manager of Theatre is Reported Plane Crash Victim.” 6-8-1944, p. 1.)

June 8: “Mrs. Mae Elward…has received word that her nephew, Edward Guy Woodward, ARM 3/c, of the U. S. navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Woodward of Austin, Minn., was killed Tuesday when a navy Liberator bomber crashed into a building at Camp Kearney, San Diego, Cal.

“Eighteen men were killed and 12 were injured in the crash which demolished 2 buildings on the

auxiliary air station at Camp Kearney.

“Woodward, a naval radio man had just been transferred from Jacksonville, Fla., and had expected to go overseas soon. He was 20 years old and was graduated from the Austin high school in 1942. A football star, playing both fullback and guard, he was selected as an all-conference guard in 1939 and was captain of the Austin high school team in 1941…” (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IA. “Gets Word Nephew, Edward G. Woodward…Killed.” 6-8-1944, p. 9.)

June 9: “San Diego, Calif., June 9. (AP) – Seaman George L. Smith, of Casa Grande, Ariz., was one of 17 men killed when a Navy Liberator bomber crashed into structures at Camp Kearney auxiliary air station on Kearny Mesa Tuesday, the llth naval district announced today. Twelve Navy men also were injured in the crash.” (Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Casa Grande Navy Man Killed in Bomber Crash.” 6-9-1944, 1.)

Sources

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 8-6-2012 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries4.html

California State Military Department. The California State Military Museum. “Camp Kearny.” Accessed 11-29-2011 at: http://www.militarymuseum.org/cpKearney2.html

California State Military Department. The California State Military Museum. “Historic California Posts. Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar.” Accessed 11-29-2011 at: http://www.militarymuseum.org/MCASMiramar.html

Marion Sentinel, IA. “Former Manager of Theatre is Reported Plane Crash Victim.” 6-8-1944, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=157315105

Mason City Globe-Gazette, IA. “Gets Word Nephew, Edward G. Woodward…Killed.” 6-8-1944, 9. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=99249635

San Mateo Times, CA. “Navy Bomber Hits 2 Buildings.” 6-6-1944, p. 6. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=37339747

Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Casa Grande Navy Man Killed in Bomber Crash.” 6-9-1944, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=85129284

VPNavy.org. U.S. Navy Patrol Squadrons. “VP—116 Mishap.” 9-9-2000. Accessed 4-4-2024 at: https://www.vpnavy.com/vp117_mishap.html

Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “18 Killed as Navy Bomber Crashes into 2 Buildings.” 6-7-1944, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=54234363

1944 — June 6, USN PB4Y-1 crash after takeoff into building, NAAS Camp Kearny, CA-17