Atlantic Ocean -March 23, 1951
In the early morning hours of March 22, 1951, a U.S. Air Force C-124 transport (49-0244) left Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana bound for Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine. The aircraft arrived safely at 12:30 p.m. the same day. After refueling, the plane left for Mildenhall, Royal Air Force Base in England.
At 1:00 a.m. on March 23, the pilot reported a fire on board in the cargo area, and ditched the plane in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 800 miles off the southwest coast of Ireland. The aircraft landed intact, and all 52 servicemen aboard managed to get out safely wearing life jackets. The men were able to climb into life rafts equipped with survival provisions and emergency radios.
A U.S. Air Force B-29 was sent from England to search for survivors and found the men alive floating in the life rafts. The aircraft circled the area waiting for other rescue craft, but was forced to leave due to being low on fuel before any additional help arrived. Apparently no other aircraft had been sent to relieve the B-29.
It was hours later before the first ship arrived in the area on March 25th, but the only thing found were some charred crates and a partially deflated life raft. All 52 men had simply vanished and were never seen again. Speculation as to their fate focused on the Soviets. At the time, the United States and the Soviet Union were immersed in what was called “The Cold War” , a nuclear game of cat-and-mouse with each side vying for superiority. It was noted that many of the men aboard were involved with the U.S. nuclear weapons program, which would indicate they may have possessed valuable intelligence information.
A massive air-and-sea search was conducted over the next several days, but nothing more was found. As stated, the men were wearing life jackets, but no bodies were ever recovered.
Those aboard the C-124 aircraft were: (In alphabetical order.)
SSG Glenn E. Adler
Capt. Phillip B. Adrean
Sgt. George W. Ambrose
Cpl. Sterling L. Ambrose
SSG Robert D. Amsden
2Lt. Karl R. Armstrong Jr.
Major Robert Bell
S/Sgt. Bartin C. Bemis
Pvt. Dwight A. Berenberg
Sgt. Robert R. Bristow
Sgt. Joseph D. Broussard
Cpl. Arthur F. Chute
Capt. Emmette E. Collins
Capt. John E. Counsell
Cpl. Jack R. Crow
Brig. Gen. Paul T. Cullen
Capt. Francis N. Davis
Capt. Mark O. Dubach
Capt. Dudek Miezslaw
S/Sgt. Gene D. Dughman
1Lt. Jack R. Fife
2Lt. William E. Fisher Jr.
Col. Kenneth N. Gray
T/Sgt. Charles E. Green
S/Sgt. Thomas E. Green
Lt. Col. James I. Hopkins
S/Sgt. Homer Jones Jr.
Capt. Robert F. Kampert
Capt. Thomas R. Kelly
Capt. Carl N. Krawiec
2Lt. Max D. Lee
S/Sgt. Nicolo A. Lengua
Samuel P. Lutjeans
2lt. Howard P. Mathers
Sgt. Ronald D. McGee
Lt. Col. Edwin A. McKoy
Sgt. Frank A. Meckler
Capt. Walter T. Paterson
Capt. Calvin Porter
Lawrence E. Rafferty (rank unknown.)
M/Sgt. Everett D. Scarbrough
Major Gordon H. Stoddard
Cpl. Clarence G. Swisher
Cpl. Bobby G. Thomas
M/Sgt. Taylor H. Vangilder
Capt. Roger S. Vincent
Capt. Walter A. Wagner Jr.
M/Sgt. H. C. Williamson
Raymond L. Witkowski (rank unknown.)
Capt. Edwon D. Zabawa
Capt. Frank B. Zalac
Capt. John C. Zweygarti
Sources:
Article by Don Wagner, “Last Flight Of The Missing Airmen, March 1951”, Walker Aviation Museum, Roswell, New Mexico (Don is the son of Captain Walter A. Wagner Jr.)
Air Force Times, “Plane’s 1951 Disappearance Still A Mystery”, by John Andrew Prime
