Boston Harbor – August 18, 1941
On August 18, 1941, a O-47A observation aircraft, (Ser. No. 38-306), was pulling anti-aircraft targets over the waters of Boston Harbor when the pilot needed to land for refueling. After flying for two hours, the fuel in the two main tanks was exhausted, so the pilot switched to the reserve tank, which according to the fuel gauge in the cockpit held 50 gallons, and began to approach the field. As he was making the approach the engine suddenly quit, forcing the pilot to ditch in the water. The plane sank, but the three crewmen aboard were able to climb out and be rescued.
The crewmen were identified as:
(Pilot) 1st Lt. J. F. Barrett
Pvt. Melvyn A. Cady
Pvt. Harold E. Sutcliffe
The men were assigned to the 152nd Observation Squadron based at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.
Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Air Craft Accident dated August 27, 1941