Atlantic Ocean – April 18, 1944
U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo
On April 18, 1944, a flight of navy TBM-1C Avengers were taking part in a gunnery training flight a few miles south of Nantucket Island when two of the aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision and went down in the water.
The aircraft contained the following crews:
Bu. No. 45729
Pilot: Ensign Laurence D. Egan – rescued.
AMM3/c D. M. Sawyer – rescued.
ARM3/c Earlie L. Story, 20, of Groveland, Florida. Died when the plane sank. Missing.
Bu. No. 25617
Pilot: Ensign Claude J. DuVall, Jr., 20, of St. Louis Missouri. Died when the plane sank. Missing.
ARM3c Edward J. Rennert, 20, of Astoria, N. Y.. He parachuted safely, but drowned before rescued. Body recovered.
The aircraft and crews were assigned to VT-301.
Sources:
U. S. Navy Accident Report dated April 18, 1944.
The Waterbury Democrat, “Nantucket Crash Claims Three Lives”, April 21, 1944, page 16.
