from author and historian Jim Ignasher
Cape Cod Bay – October 3, 1944
OS2U Kingfisher
U. S. Navy Photo
On October 3, 1944, a U. S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft was flying 700 feet over Cape Cod Bay when a muffled thud was heard from the motor followed by an immediate loss of power. The pilot made an emergency landing in the water and awaited rescue from a nearby Coast Guard boat. The aircraft was towed to shore by the Coast Guard.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated October 3, 1944.
Off Cape Cod, Massachusetts – September 15, 1948
F4U Corsair
National Archives Photo
On September 15, 1948, Lieutenant Commander Willard T. Gove, 29, was piloting an FG-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 88072), over the Atlantic Ocean 12 miles to the east of Cape Cod when the plane developed engine trouble. (The FG-1D was similar to the F4U Corsair.) He attempted to make it back to Cape Cod, but was forced to make a water landing about five miles from the coast. The plane hit the water at an estimated speed of 85-90 knots, causing back and head injuries.
Lt. Cmdr. Willard was able to get out of the plane before it sank, but due to his injuries was unable to remove the life raft from the cockpit. He inflated his life vest and floated in the 50 degree water for about one hour before being rescued by a Coast Guard rescue plane.
The life vest was credited with saving the pilot’s life, as the rescue plane had dropped a life raft, but the pilot was unable to climb inside due to his injuries.
Source: U.S. Navy crash brief, serial #28-48
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