from author and historian Jim Ignasher
Quonset Point Naval Air Station – June 13, 1955
F9F Panther
U.S. Navy Photo
On the morning of June 13, 1955, a navy F9F-6 Panther fighter jet, (Bu. No. 130803), was taking off from the Quonset Point Naval Air station when the plane suddenly lost power and crashed into Narragansett Bay at the end of the runway. The plane sank, but the pilot escaped, and was rescued by a Quonset crash boat.
The pilot was attached to VF-703.
Source:
Evening Bulletin, “Quonset Jet Crash Dunks Pilot In Bay”, June 13, 1955, Pg. 39.
Greenwich Bay, Rhode Island – May 20, 1956
On the afternoon of May 20, 1956, two men were flying over the Greenwich Bay area in a small Ercoupe airplane when they allegedly decided to “buzz” pleasure boats. While doing so, the aircraft crashed into the water about 1,000 yards south of Warwick Light Both men escaped the plane before it sank and were transported by a patrol boat named “Gannett” to Rocky Point in Warwick. (The Gannett was described as a “state patrol boat” in the press.) It was reported that one of the men had to be rescued by a conservation officer aboard the Gannett.
The men told investigators that they had taken off from Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick and flown to Block Island. They were in the process of returning to Warwick when they thought they saw a boat belonging to a friend being operated below. According to the pilot, as the plane was circling down to see if it was their friend, “something snapped” and the plane crashed into the water.
However, the captain of the Gannett reported that the plane had been buzzing the area for about 20 minutes until a wingtip struck the water and the plane cartwheeled into the bay. Independent witnesses supported the captain’s version.
State and federal officials promised a full investigation.
Source:
Evening Bulletin, “Plane Crash In Greenwich Bay Probed”, May 21, 1956.
Narragansett Bay – April 8, 1951
On the afternoon of April 8, 1951, an instructor and student pilot took off in a small airplane from Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick. While fling over the Bristol, R. I., area the engine lost power, and the pilot attempted an emergency landing in an open field near Narragansett Bay. As the plane was making its approach, strong winds forced it out over the water where it crashed just off shore. The occupants escaped and swam to shore. The plane was later pulled from the water with a cable.
Source:
Evening Bulletin, “Plane Crashes In Bay; 2 Safe”, April 9, 1951.
Narragansett Bay – September 17, 1950
On September 17, 1950, two men took off in a small aircraft from Taunton, Massachusetts, bound for Martha’s Vineyard. Not long after reaching altitude, the controls of the aircraft stopped responding properly. The pilot discovered that he couldn’t turn the plane to the left without it wanting to roll over onto its back. He gained altitude and tried again and found the results to be the same. He was now over Narragansett Bay. He attempted a right turn, but then noticed that he was in the flight path of aircraft taking off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. Afterwards he discovered that the plane wouldn’t turn right either, and was beginning to loose altitude. He cut the throttle and made an emergency crash-landing in the water about 200 yards off Knowles Beach, and 1/4 mile north of Scarborough Beach. The plane sank almost immediately but both men managed to get out. Both were rescued by a passing boat and taken to a hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Source:
Evening Bulletin, “Board Checks Plane Crash – Inspectors Seek Reason For Accident At Scarborough Beach”, September 18, 1950, pg. 10
Narragansett Bay, R. I. – June 15, 1953
U.S. Navy Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On June 15, 1953, navy pilot, (Rank unknown), John Ruskin Noble, (24), of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was killed while taking off in a TBM Avenger, (Bu. No. 53730), at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. As he was becoming airborne the plane suddenly lost power and crashed into Narragansett Bay at the end of the runway.
He was assigned to VS-32.
Sources:
Info supplied by Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, Charlestown, R. I.
R. I. Department of Health death certificate #8059-26
Narragansett Bay, R. I. – June 20, 1957
Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo
On June 20, 1957, Lt. (J.g.) John G. Hughes III, (25) was killed when the Ad Skyraider he was piloting crashed into Narragansett Bay off the end of runway 34 at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. The details of the crash are not known.
He was survived by his wife.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2515963/john-grese-hughes
Sources:
Info supplied by Larry Webster, aviation historian, Charlestown, R. I.
North Kingstown death records #57-38
www.findagrave.com
Narragansett Bay, R. I. – September 9, 1956
Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo
On September 9, 1956, Ensign Paul Robert Steese, (21), was killed when the Ad Skyraider aircraft he was piloting crashed in Narragansett Bay off the end of runway 19 at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. The details of the crash are not known.
Ensign Steese was assigned to the 75th Attack Squadron.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129886319/paul-robert-steese
Sources:
Information supplied by Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, Charlestown, R. I.
North Kingstown death records #56-56
www.findagrave.com
Narragansett Bay, R. I. – June 13, 1954
U.S. Navy F2H-3 Banshee,
On the night of June 13, 1954, Ensign Henry John Schilling, (26), took off from the Cherry Point Air Station in North Carolina in an F2H Banshee fighter jet, (Bu. No. 126405). His destination was the Quonset Point, Naval Air Station in Rhode Island. As he approached Quonset Point, he was killed when his aircraft suddenly crashed into the waters of Narragansett Bay about 2.5 miles short of the runway.
Ensign Schilling was assigned to VF-71.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1157512/harry-john-schilling
Sources:
The Daily Record, “Quonset Point, R. I.”, June 14, 1954
Aviation Safety Network
www.findagrave.com
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – July 12, 1943
F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo
On July 12, 1943, a young Royal Navy lieutenant was piloting a British F4U Corsair, (Bu. No. JT-137), on a routing training flight over Narragansett Bay when he was forced to make an emergency landing in the water off Point Judith. The plane sank, but the pilot was rescued by a passing fishing boat.
Source: Quonset point Crash Log at the Providence College library archives.
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – July 21, 1943
F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo
On July 21, 1943, Sub Lieutenant Derek Charles Newton Lovely, (20), of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserves, was piloting an F4U Corsair, (Bu. No. JT-138), over the Tiverton area when his aircraft developed an unspecified problem forcing him to bail out. The plane crashed into the water off Tiverton in the area of the “old Stone Bridge”. Sub Lieutenant Lovely bailed out successfully, but his parachute failed to open and he was killed.
Hi was buried in Island Cemetery in Newport, R. I. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15037587/derek-charles_newton-lovely
Source:
Quonset Point Crash Log, Providence College Library
Narragansett Bay, November 10, 1952
On November 10, 1952, navy Lieutenant James McCarran, (31), was making a landing approach to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in a Grumman Guardian aircraft, (Bu. No. 126784), when his plane lost power and he crashed into the water about 75 feet from the runway. Lt. McCarran did not survive, and his body was later recovered.
McCarran was a decorated veteran of WWII, and had recently returned to active duty. He was survived by a wife and child.
Sources:
North Adams Transcript, (MA.), Body of Navy Flyer Recovered from Narragansett Bay”, November 13, 1952. Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.
Other info supplied by Larry Webster, aviation historian.
Narragansett Bay – May 22, 1944
P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo
On the morning of May 22, 1944, six P-47 fighter aircraft took off from the Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, for a ground target, gunnery training flight in Connecticut. Once in the air, the aircraft formed two formations, each with three aircraft.
The flight flew to the target range in Madison, Connecticut, where it encountered bad weather consisting of low clouds and fog. The flight radioed for weather reports at alternate ranges before heading towards Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. As the flight approached the area of the Quonset Point Naval Air Station it encountered a low lying cloud bank with a 700 foot ceiling. One of the aircraft, (Ser. No. 42-8201), piloted by Captain James H. Pound, Jr., of Benton Harbor, Michigan, flew into the cloudbank. His airplane was observed to drop out of the clouds and level off before suddenly diving into Narragansett Bay about a mile from Quonset Point. The cause of the crash was undetermined.
To see a photo of Lieutenant Pound click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27590631/james-h-pound
Sources:
Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.
The Ypsilanti Daily Press, “Flyer Killed”, May 23, 1944, page 5.
Detroit Evening Times, “Benton Harbor Flier Dies In Plane Crash”, May 23, 1944, page 2-C
www.findagrave.com.
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – February 23, 1944
P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo
On February 23, 1944, a flight of four army P-47 fighter aircraft took off from Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, R. I., for an aerial gunnery flight. One of the aircraft, (Ser. No. 43-25421), was piloted by 2nd Lt. Billy H. Stormont, of Eugene, Oregon.
Weather conditions had begun to deteriorate, and shortly after take off the flight was ordered back to Hillsgrove. A low cloud system had moved in, with a 100 foot ceiling, extending up to 1,500 feet. As the flight let down through the scud the planes became separated. It was while letting down through the clouds that Lt. Stormont’s aircraft crashed in Narragansett Bay off Coddington Point in Middletown.
Lt. Stormont was assigned to the 442nd Fighter Squadron.
To see a photo of Lt. Stormont click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/225177451/billy-h-stormont
Sources:
Roseburg News Review, (Ore.), “Army Plane Piloted By Eugenean Is Missing”, February 25, 1944, page 1.
Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, By Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.
www.findagrave.com.
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – July 12, 1978
On July 12, 1978, a single engine civilian aircraft with two men aboard was attempting to land at the former Quonset Point Naval Air Station when the plane was struck by a strong gust of wind. The wind gust caused the aircraft to strike a seawall and then careen back out over the water where it crashed. Fortunately neither man was injured, and both were able to swim to shore before the plane sank in six feet of water. The aircraft was later recovered by a crane.
Source: The Standard Times, “Wind Blamed For Crash”, July 13, 1978
Quonset Point, Rhode Island – January 25, 1966
A-4 Skyhawk
U.S. Navy Photo
On January 25, 1966, navy Lieutenant Phillip G. Richardson, (30), was killed when the A4B Skyhawk he was piloting crashed in the water of Narragansett Bay just short Runway 34 while making a landing approach to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station.
Source: Hartford Courant, “Jet Crash kills Pilot”, January 26, 1966
Narragansett Bay – November 16, 1993
At about 9:30 a.m. on the morning of November 16, 1993, a 51-year-old man took off from Runway 34 at the Quonset State Airport in a home-built ultralight aircraft. Shortly after becoming airborne the engine failed, and the aircraft went down in Narragansett Bay about 1,000 feet off the runway. The man was rescued by a nearby boater and transported to a medical facility where he was treated and released. The wreckage was recovered and examined by state crash investigators.
Source: Providence Journal, “Pilot Survives Crash Off Quonset”, November 17, 1993, page D-5.
Narragansett Bay – July 30, 1988
In the early morning hours of July 30, 1988, a Cessna 172 with a man and two women aboard left Wilmington, Delaware, bound for Block Island for a weekend visit with friends. When the aircraft reached Block Island the pilot was unable to land due to darkness and heavy fog. He was then directed by FAA controllers to go to Groton Airport in Connecticut, but when he arrived there he was unable to land due to darkness and heavy fog. He also tried without success to land at Westerly Airport. He was then directed to go to Green State Airport in Warwick, R.I., and ran out of fuel in-route.
When the plane ran out of gas around 5 a.m., the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing the waters of Narragansett Bay, in an area between Wickford and Jamestown. All three aboard donned life jackets and were able to get out of the airplane before it sank.
The three floated in the water until a fisherman happened upon them and took them to Wickford Harbor where they were met by the North Kingstown Fire Department and transported to a medical facility where they were examined and released.
Source: Providence Journal, “3 Rescued In Bay Plane Crash”, July 31, 1988, page C-1
Quonset Point, Rhode Island – May 6, 1948
On May 6, 1948, a flight of U. S. Navy Phantom fighter-jets left the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a training flight to the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Saipan operating fifty miles off the coast of New England. All aircraft were part of Fighter Squadron 17, (VF-17), stationed at Quonset Point.
Later in the day the aircraft took off from the Saipan and returned to Quonset. As the aircraft were passing over Narragansett Bay approaching Quonset Point, one of the jets, (Bu. No. 111787), was seen to suddenly turn upside down as its tail section broke away. The aircraft then dove into the water about 500 feet off the Quonset runway. The pilot, Commander Ralph A. Fuoss, (33), did not survive.
When the tail section to Commander Fuoss’ aircraft broke away, it struck the wing of another jet, Bu. No. 111796. That aircraft landed safely.
Commander Fuoss was a combat veteran of World War II, and had been stationed at Quonset Point since September of 1947. He’s buried in Logan Valley Cemetery in Bellwood, Penn. To view a photo of Commander Fuoss click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9911747/ralph-albert-fuoss
Sources:
The Nashua Telegraph, “Jet Plane Pilot Loses Life When Plane Hits Water”, May 7, 1948, page 10.
www.findagrave.com
Narragansett Bay – November 17, 1955
Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo
On November 17, 1955, an AD-5W Skyraider, (Bu. No. 132729), was approaching runway 23 at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station when it crashed into Narragansett Bay 900 feet short of the runway. The pilot was reportedly uninjured.
The pilot was assigned to VC-12 Squadron.
Source:
Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “Naval Pilot Rescued From Crash In Bay”, November 18, 1955, page A-22.
Narragansett Bay – November 15, 1951
Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo
On November 15, 1951, a navy AD-4 Skyraider, (Bu. No. 124077), took off from Runway 23 at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a routine training flight. Shortly after becoming airborne the engine lost power and the aircraft went down in the waters of Narragansett Bay about a mile from the end of the runway. The pilot was rescued and the aircraft recovered.
The aircraft was assigned to VC-12 stationed at Quonset Point.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated November 15, 1951
Narragansett Bay, R. I. – December 29, 1951
Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo
Just before 6 p.m. on the evening of December 29, 1951, Ensign Roy C. Pickler took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in an AD-3 Skyraider aircraft, (Bu. No. 122844), for a night training flight that would involve night touch-and-go landings at the Quonset airfield. Once airborne, Pickler was directed to join three other aircraft already in the air, and all four aircraft were put in a holding pattern to await further instructions. About fifteen minutes later the aircraft were directed to a lower altitude, and shortly afterward it was noted that one aircraft had disappeared.
A red emergency flare was then spotted in the water and two crash-rescue boats were dispatched. Ensign Pickler was recovered from the water unconscious, about a half-mile southeast of the Quonset pier. All efforts to revive him failed.
Ensign Pickler was assigned to VC-12 stationed at Quonset Point.
Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report dated December 29, 1951.
Narragansett Bay – November 15, 1948
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On November 15, 1948, a navy TBM-3E, (Bu. No. 86282), was making practice touch-and-go landings at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. After making a successful landing the pilot took off again, but as the aircraft was gaining altitude the engine lost power and the plane went down in Narragansett Bay. The pilot was rescued, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
The aircraft was assigned to VC-12.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated November 15, 1948.
Narragansett Bay – August 12, 1948
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On August 12, 1948, a pilot was to take part in a practice take-offs and landings training exercise at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. The pilot took of in a TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 53502), and went out over Narragansett Bay. At an altitude of 600 feet he began a slow right turn and as he was doing so lost visibility and went to instruments. Before corrections could be made the aircraft crashed into the bay. The pilot was rescued, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
The aircraft was assigned to VA-75.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated August 12, 1948.
Narragansett Bay – August 9, 1948
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On August 9, 1948, a navy TBM-3E, (Bu. No. 63795), was engaged in making practice touch-and-go landings at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station, when the aircraft lost power and went down in Narragansett Bay. The aircraft sank and was later determined to be damaged beyond repair. The pilot escaped, and was rescued by a Quonset crash boat. Nobody else was aboard the aircraft at the time of the accident.
The aircraft was assigned to VA-75.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated August 9, 1948.
Narragansett Bay – January 10, 1946
U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo
On January 10, 1946, Ensign John F. Grady took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in a TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 53798), for a test flight of the aircraft. The flight was normal and without incident until Ensign Grady was making his final approach to land. As he was approaching the runway from the direction of Narragansett Bay the aircraft suddenly lost all power. Grady attempted to restore power by using the primer and emergency fuel pump, but was unsuccessful, and was forced to make an emergency water landing in Narragansett Bay. The plane sank within two minutes, but Grady was uninjured, and was quickly rescued by a crash boat.
The aircraft was later recovered.
The cause of the accident was determined to be mechanical, with no blame assessed to the pilot.
Source:
U. S. Navy Accident report dated January 10, 1946.
Quonset Point, R. I. – February 2, 1951
F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo
On February 2, 1951, a navy F4U-4 Corsair, (Bu. No. 97163), took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a test flight after having received a major overhaul. Fifty-four minutes into the flight, while at 4,000 feet over Newport, R.I., the engine began to run erratically, and the pilot radioed that he had and emergency and requested clearance back to Quonset. The aircraft then began losing altitude. The pilot had hoped to make an emergency landing on Runway 34, but was forced down into the waters of Narragansett Bay 300 yards short of the runway. The pilot escaped without injury and was rescued a short time later. The aircraft was recovered, but was not put back into service.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated February 2, 1951
Narragansett Bay – August 23, 1944
F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo
On the night of August 23, 1944, a flight of navy F6F Hellcats were engaged in “night flying carrier landing practice” at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. The flight circle extended out over the waters of Narragansett Bay. During the training exercise, one aircraft, (Bu. No. 58915), went down in the water and sank. The pilot escaped with no injuries and was rescued about an hour later. The aircraft was later recovered.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated August 23, 1944,
Narragansett Bay – April 24, 1943
On April 24, 1942, a U. S. Navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 27278), was returning to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station after a one hour training flight with a pilot and instructor aboard. While five miles from the air base, and at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the fuel tank ran dry. The pilot switched tanks, but the engine failed to re-start. The pilot made an emergency landing in Narragansett Bay and the plane sank almost immediately. The pilot and instructor were able to escape and were rescued. The aircraft was recovered and required a major overhaul.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report #43-6638, dated April 24, 1943.
Narragansett Bay – December 5, 1943
U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.
On December 5, 1943, a Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 10543), took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a training flight. Shortly after take off, while at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the engine suddenly caught fire and lost power. The pilot was forced to make an emergency water landing in the frigid waters of Narragansett Bay in the vicinity of Conimicut Point. The aircraft sank but the pilot and gunner were able to escape with minor injuries.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report #44-10109, dated December 5, 1943.
Narragansett Bay – February 3, 1949
F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo
At 4:15 p.m., on the evening of February 3, 1949, a pilot took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in an F8F-1B Bearcat, (Bu. No. 121506), as part of a seven aircraft night tactical training flight. Shortly after taking off, the pilot heard a loud whirring noise followed by grey smoke coming from under the instrument panel which began to fill the cockpit. The pilot turned back toward the air station and requested clearance for an emergency landing. As this was taking place another pilot in the flight reported seeing flames coming from the underside of the smoking aircraft. The flight leader advised the pilot to bail out, which he did, and landed safely in the icy waters of Narragansett Bay. His aircraft also crashed into the water not far from where he’d landed, and sank immediately without exploding. The pilot was rescued by a crash boat thirteen minutes later suffering from shock and exposure but otherwise unhurt.
The aircraft was assigned to VF-31.
Source:
U.S. Navy accident report dated February 3, 1949.
U.S.S. Kearsarge, CV-33 – Summer, 1949
Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo
On June 28, 1949, The aircraft carrier U.S.S. Kearsarge, (CV-33), was operating in the Narragansett Bay area of Rhode Island, conducting practice take-offs and landings of aircraft. One aircraft, an AD-1 Skyraider, (Bu. No. 09366), landed on the deck of the ship but missed the arresting wire with its tail-hook and crashed into two safety barriers causing damage to the aircraft but no injuries to the pilot.
On July 12, 1949, another Skyraider, (Bu. No. 122342), missed the arresting wire and drifted into the safety barriers. The pilot was not injured.
Later that same day, another Skyraider, (Bu. No. 122336), had a similar accident. The pilot was not injured.
Sources:
U.S. Navy accident reports dated June 28, 1949, and July 12, 1949
Narraganset Bay, Rhode Island – March 19, 1947
F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo
On March 19, 1947, the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Philippine Sea, (CV-47), was in Narragansett Bay conducting training exercises. At one point, an F8F-1 Bearcat, (Bu. No. 95046), was set to launch. However, when the catapult fired to launch the aircraft, there was a malfunction with the launch mechanism, and the aircraft went over the side and into the water. The aircraft sank, but the pilot managed to escape and was rescued.
The aircraft was assigned to VF-104 at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated March 19, 1947
Quonset Point, Rhode Island – April 25, 1947
F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo
On April 25, 1947, an F8F-1 Bearcat, (Bu. No. 94797), was taking off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. Just after becoming airborne and while still over the runway, the engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Narragansett Bay just off the end of the runway. The aircraft sank, but the pilot was able to escape and was rescued by a crash-rescue boat from Quonset.
The aircraft was assigned to VF-17 at Quonset Point.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated April 25, 1947
Gould Island, Rhode Island – October 25, 1941
On the morning of October 25, 1941, a U. S. Navy, Grumman JF-1 Duck, (Bu. No. 9448), with two men aboard, was due to take off from the Gould Island Navy Torpedo Station for an observation flight. Gould Island is located in Narragansett Bay off the eastern side of Jamestown. The aircraft was taking off from the water, and as it was making its take-off run the lower left wing struck a marker buoy of the Magnetic Survey Range. The impact tore the wing in half and caused the upper wing to buckle. The aircraft then nosed over, skidded to the right and capsized.
The pilot managed to free himself, but the passenger, Petty Officer Alexander C. MacClellan, could not, and drowned.
The aircraft was assigned to VX Squadron 2D1.
Sources:
U. S. Navy accident report #3428, dated October 25, 1941.
Evening Bulletin, “Machinist Dies In Plane Crash”, October 25, 1941, pg. 8
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – August 20, 1943
TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On August 20, 1943, a TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 24296), took off from Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a low-level practice-bombing training flight over Narragansett Bay. The weather at the time was clear and the water was reportedly smooth and glassy. At about 10:15 a.m., as the pilot was making a low level pass at a target, the propeller struck the surface of the water causing damage to the aircraft and the engine. Fortunately the aircraft made it back to Quonset Point safely and there were no injuries to the crew. The engine required a major overhaul.
The aircraft was assigned to VC-19.
Source: U.S. Navy accident report dated August 20, 1943
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – August 13, 1943
TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On the afternoon of August 13, 1943, a TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 24031) , was returning to Quonset Point Naval Air Station after a training flight when the engine suddenly lost all power. At the time this occurred, the aircraft was at an altitude of 900 feet over Narragansett Bay. The pilot turned into the wind and made an emergency water landing with wheels and flaps down. None of the crew were injured.
The aircraft was assigned to VT-2.
Source:
U. S. Navy crash report #44-8098
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – August 3, 1943
Updated February 9, 2022
TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On the afternoon of August 3, 1943, a TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 24028), with a crew of three aboard, left Quonset Point Naval Air Station on a navigational training flight. When the aircraft was about fifty miles southeast of Quonset Point, and over the Atlantic Ocean, an oil line broke causing the pilot to turn back towards the air station. When the aircraft was about two miles from the base, and at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the engine suddenly stopped running. The pilot made an emergency water landing, but the impact with the water tore away the bomb bay doors causing the plane to rapidly fill with water and sink within 45 seconds. The pilot and turret gunner escaped, but the radioman, ARM3/c Paul Eugene McCarthy, 22, of Meriden, Connecticut, went down with the plane and was drowned.
The aircraft and the radioman were recovered the following day.
The aircraft was assigned to VT-2.
Sources:
U. S. Navy crash report #44-7931
The Waterbury Democrat, “Meriden Youth Dies In Crash”, August 4, 1943, page 15.
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – December 22, 1943
TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On the morning of December 22, 1943, a TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 05900), with three men aboard, was making practice carrier landings on a platform off the shore of Point Judith when the plane went off the platform and into the water and sank. The crew escaped without injury. The accident occurred due to faulty brakes.
Source:
U. S. Navy crash report #44-10432
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – July 16, 1943
TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
At 12:20 p.m. on the afternoon of July 16, 1943, a U.S. Navy TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 47517), took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for what was termed a “special exercise” by the navy. The weather was clear with unlimited visibility with surface winds of 15 knots.
There were three crewmen aboard the aircraft.
The pilot: Lieutenant Robert Yarnell Bair, 29, of Iowa.
AOM3C Wade Alexander Harris
ARM3C Thomas Francis McConnon
At about 2:30 p.m., the aircraft was observed by crew members of the USS Thrush, a WWI era minesweeper operating in Rhode Island waters. At the time, the Thrush was about four to five miles away from the aircraft, when the aircraft was seen diving towards the water and explode on impact.
All three crewmen aboard the Avenger were killed, and the aircraft was not recovered. However, it is mentioned in the navy report of the incident that “confidential gear” was recovered by divers from the USS Thrush.
The aircraft was assigned to the Aircraft Anti-Sub Development Project Unit.
Source:
U.S. Navy crash report #44-7664
Narragansett Bay – October 26, 1984
At 6:40 p.m. on the evening of October 26, 1984, a Cessna Skyhawk with a husband and wife aboard left T. F. Green State Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, bound for a small private airport on Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay, a distance of only six miles. The weather was overcast and raining at the time, with a cloud ceiling of about 300 feet and 1 mile visibility. By 8:25 p.m. the aircraft was reported as overdue and a search was instituted.
The following day the aircraft was located upside-down in about eight feet of water in the channel that runs between Prudence and Patience Islands. The woman’s body was still inside, however the husband was missing. Divers who made the recovery reported that the pilot’s door was missing, and that the tail section had been torn away.
On November 11, 1984, the body of the missing husband was located along the southern shoreline of Prudence Island.
Sources:
Providence Journal Bulletin, “Search Under Way For Overdue Plane”, October 27, 1984, page A-8
Providence Sunday Journal, “Missing Airplane Found Off Prudence Island”, October 28, 1984, Page A-2
The Sun, (Westerly, R.I.), “One dead, One Missing After Plane Crash In Bay”, October 28, 1984, page 33
Providence Evening Bulletin, “Bay Searches For Pilot, Fisherman Are Suspended”, October 29, 1984, page A-2. (Searchers were also looking for a missing fisherman near the Mt. Hope Bridge.)
Providence Evening Bulletin, “Local Flyers Puzzled By Crash Of Couple On 6-Mile Hop Home”, October 30, 1984, page C-4
Providence Evening Bulletin, “Body Washed Up At Prudence Island Identified By Family As Lost Pilot”, November 13, 1984, page A-4
Narragansett Bay – June 20, 1982
On June 20, 1982, a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter, (#N20303), with three men aboard was flying about six miles south of Jamestown Island when there was a malfunction with the tail rotor and the craft crashed into the water and immediately flipped over. All three men aboard managed to escape, and were rescued by nearby pleasure boats.
At the time of the accident the men were filming the start of the 635 mile Newport-to-Bermuda yacht race for a national television station.
The helicopter sank in 105 feet of water, and was recovered in mid-July of 1982.
Sources:
The Sun, (Westerly, RI), “Helicopter Crashes, Crew Saved”, June 21, 1982, page 16. (With photo)
The Providence Evening Bulletin, “TV Crew, Pilot Saved As Copter Crashes”, June 21, 1982, page A-6 (With Photo)
Providence Evening Bulletin, Photo with caption of recovered helicopter, July 15, 1982, page A-6
Narragansett Bay – September 28, 1980
On September 28, 1980, a single engine Cessna 210, with a lone pilot aboard, left Georgia bound for Newport, Rhode Island. The 56-year-old pilot was coming to Newport to attend his daughter’s graduation from Naval Officer Candidate School.
Shortly after 8:00 p.m. that evening, the aircraft landed at Quonset Point, and the pilot reported he was low on fuel. The aircraft took off about ten minutes later without refueling, bound for Newport Airport. At about 8:20 p.m. the pilot radioed that he was now out of gas and would be ditching in the water. Several witnesses reported seeing the Cessna crash into the East Passage of Narragansett Bay between Short Point and Hull Cove off Jamestown, and Butterball Rock in Newport.
Despite an intensive search conducted by the Coast Guard, the missing aircraft could not be located, and the search was eventually called off. The missing plane and its pilot were found on October 21, 1980 when the fishing trawler Rose Jarvis accidentally snagged the wreckage in its nets near Hull Cove. The aircraft was badly damaged but still intact. It was brought to Middletown, Rhode Island, for examination.
Sources:
Providence Evening Bulletin, “Plane Crash In Bay Reported; Search Fails”, September 29, 1980, page 1
Westerly Sun, (RI), “Search For Airplane Continues”, September 30, 1980, page 15
Providence Evening Bulletin, “Search Ended For Lost Plane, Pilot’s Daughter In OCS Rite”, October 1, 1980, page A-1
Providence Evening Bulletin, “Body Of Georgia Flyer And Plane Found In Water Off Jamestown”, October 22, 1980, page A-3
Providence Evening Bulletin, Photo of aircraft with caption, October 23, 1980, page B-1
Westerly Sun, “Pilot Said he Was Out Of Gas”, December 7, 1980, page 31
Off Jamestown, R. I. – December 5, 1943
Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo
At about 12:30 p.m. on December 5, 1943, APlc O. W. Putner, was piloting an SBD-4 Dauntless, (Bu. No. 10543), 1000 feet over Narragansett Bay when a fire suddenly erupted in the engine necessitating an immediate emergency landing. The aircraft came down in the water about 500 yards south of Beavertail Point on Jamestown Island. Both the pilot and the gunner, AM2c A. A. Bartczak, escaped form the plane before it sank and were rescued. Both men were assigned to CASU-22 at Quonset Point.
Source: U.S. Navy Accident report #44-10109, dated December 5, 1943
Narragansett, Rhode Island – August 25, 1974
At about 1:30 p.m. on August 25, 1974, a single-engine, one-man, “experimental” aircraft was seen passing over DeLuca’s Beach in the town of Narragansett, heading out over the water. Suddenly a loud “pop” was heard, and the aircraft spun into the water from an altitude of 200 feet. The airplane struck nose first, crumpling the front of the aircraft and pinning the pilot inside as the cockpit sank below the surface. Although the cockpit was underwater, the wreckage remained partially afloat about 250 yards from shore, in water estimated to be 40-50 feet deep.
A man and woman from a nearby boat dove into the water to attempt a rescue, but were unsuccessful. They were relieved by six life guards who rowed out to the scene in two small boats, yet they couldn’t free the pilot either. When a Coast Guard vessel from Point Judith arrived the aircraft was towed to shore. There the body of the pilot was removed and transported to South County Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Sources:
The Providence Journal, (Massachusetts Edition), “Pilot Dies When Homemade Plane Crashes Off South County Beach”, August 26, 1974, page 1. (With Photo)
(Providence) Evening Bulletin, “Pilot Dies In crash Of Homemade Plane”, August 26, 1974, (With Photo)
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – March 31, 1945
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On March 31, 1945, Ensign Setomer took off from the Westerly Auxiliary Naval Air Station in Westerly, Rhode Island, for a training flight in an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70345). After two hours of flight time he noticed a drop in oil pressure and made a deferred emergency landing at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. There his plane was inspected and serviced, with four gallons of oil added. Ensign Setomer then took off headed for Westerly, but after one minute of flight time the engine began to sputter and then froze. Ensign Setomer made an emergency water landing in Narragansett Bay about one mile south of Quonset Point. He successfully inflated his life raft before the plane sank, and was rescued a few minutes later by a crash boat.
Source: National Archives AAR 338; TD450331RI, via Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, Charlestown, R.I.
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – December 18, 1944
In the early morning hours of December 18, 1944, Ensign Robert I. Lane, piloting an F6F-3N Hellcat, (Bu. No. 42570), took off from Quonset Point Naval Air Station for night carrier landing practice on Quonset’s runways. At 4:30 a.m., he contacted Quonset tower and advised he was over Narragansett Bay and approaching the runway. This was the last heard from him. His aircraft crashed into the water, but the accident was not witnessed. A search was conducted, but nothing was found and he was declared missing. A handwritten notation in the navy accident report states he was “found later in water 5 mi. SW of Quonset”.
For more information, click on link below.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247605653/robert-ivan-lane
Sources:
U. S. Navy Accident Report dated December 18, 1944
Newport Mercury, “Flyers Body Found In Quonset Area”, December 29, 1944, pg. 2.
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – August 31, 1963
Douglas AD-4N Skyraider
Naval History And Heritage Command
On August 31, 1963, navy Lieutenant (jg.) John L. Grunert, 25, was piloting a Douglas Skyraider aircraft over Narragansett Bay on a routine training flight when the aircraft developed engine trouble. Grunert was forced to ditch the plane in the water between the Quonset Point Naval Air Station and the southern tip of Jamestown. He escaped from the plane before it sank, and was rescued by a passing civilian boat. He suffered only minor injuries.
Lieutenant (jg.) Grunert, a native of Florida, was attached to Early Warning Squadron 33, aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Essex, which had arrived at Quonset Point the day before.
Source:
Providence Evening Bulletin, (R.I.),”Navy Pilot On Training Flight Ditches In Narragansett Bay”, August 31, 1963
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – July 16, 1943
F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo
On the morning of July 16, 1943, Ensign Joseph Paul Staar was piloting an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 25848), over southern Narragansett Bay as part of a training flight. The purpose of the flight was “Fighter Director Practice”, and Staar’s aircraft was part of a large group of aircraft.
As the flight of Hellcats was in the vicinity of Newport, Rhode Island, another aircraft made two diving passes at them from out of the sun. On the second pass Ensign Staar’s aircraft entered a “high speed stall” due to “an abrupt climbing turn”, which led to his crashing into the water about 500 yards off Brenton Point in Newport. He did not survive.
Source:
U. S. Navy Accident Report #44-7667
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – November 1, 1943
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On November 1, 1943, fighter squadron VF-14 was commencing a carrier breakup over the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. Two flights were in the air at the time; one flight of six planes, and a second flight of four. All aircraft were F6F-3 Hellcats.
As the flight of four planes crossed over the flight of six, the last two planes in each group collided in mid-air. On aircraft, (#66024), was piloted by Ensign Prentice A. Martin, age 23. The other aircraft, (#65923), was piloted by Ensign George E. Kloss, age 23. Both planes fell into 26 feet of water not far from the shore of the naval air station. Neither pilot survived.
Ensign Kloss is buried in Holy Sepulchire Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.
Ensign Martin is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Source:
U.S. Navy Accident Report #44-9424
www.findagrave.com, Memorial #58751036, and # 43654228
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – November 27, 1943
F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo
On November 27, 1943, Ensign Paul M. Churton took off from Quonset Point Naval Air Station in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 65925), for a routine training flight. Approximately two minutes into the flight the aircraft motor started cutting out and then stopped altogether, forcing Churton to make an emergency landing in Narragansett Bay. Ensign Churton escaped from the aircraft uninjured.
Investigation revealed that the same aircraft had been grounded three times by three different pilots the previous day for the same problem, and each time it had been placed back in service by the mechanics. After examining the recovered aircraft, a crack was found in the engine which had allowed foreign matter to impede fuel and oil flow.
Ensign Churton was assigned to VF-14.
Source:
U.S. Navy Accident Report #44-9977
Four P-47 Thunderbolts Lost February 11, 1943
Cranston, R.I., Narragansett Bay, & Atlantic Ocean
P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo
On the morning of February 11, 1943, a flight of four P-47B Thunderbolts took off from Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, for what was to be a routine half-hour flight to Trumbull Field in Groton, Connecticut. None of them ever arrived at their destination.
Conditions were foggy that morning, with a cloud ceiling of only 900 feet. Once airborne the pilots would have to rely on their instruments to get them where they were going.
The flight leader was 1st Lieutenant Gene F. Drake. The other three pilots, all second lieutenants, were Raymond D. Burke, Robert F. Meyer, and John Pavlovic. All were assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group. The 352nd was a newly formed unit then based at Trumbull Field.
The flight took off at 10:15 a.m. with Lieutenant Drake flying aircraft #41-5922, Lieutenant Burke, #41-5943, Lieutenant Mayer, #41-5940, and Lieutenant Pavlovic, #41-5944.
Witnesses later reported that the formation circled the airfield three times, but by the third pass one of the planes had disappeared. The remaining three P-47s were last seen headed in a southerly direction.
“X” marks the approximate location in Cranston, R.I., where Lt. Meyer crashed Feb. 11, 1943
The missing plane was piloted by Lieutenant Mayer. How he became separated for the group is unclear, but just minutes after take-off he crashed on some railroad tracks in the city of Cranston, Rhode Island, which borders Warwick to the north. Witnesses stated the right wing of Lt. Mayer’s aircraft struck a boxcar parked on a siding which caused it to crash and burn. Lt. Mayer was likely killed instantly. The site of the crash was located just south of Park Avenue, about four miles from Hillsgrove Field.
Meanwhile, the other three P-47 pilots were heading southeast in zero visibility towards Jamestown and Newport instead of southwest towards Connecticut. Shortly before 11:00 a.m. Lieutenant Raymond Burke crashed in the waters of Narragansett Bay between Jamestown and Newport on the eastern side of the island. (For those unaware, the town of Jamestown is located on Conanicut Island, situated in the middle of Narragansett Bay.) A short time later, one of the other P-47s crashed on the western side of the island, just off shore from Fort Getty, where the 243rd Coast Artillery was stationed.
One serviceman who was stationed at Fort Getty was 2nd Lieutenant Roland D. Appleton who reported hearing a low flying aircraft pass over his duty station and then a loud crash out over the water a short distance from shore. Several enlisted men also reported hearing the same, but due to heavy fog nothing had been observed. However, within a few minutes the scent of gasoline wafted to shore confirming what they all suspected.
In his official statement to investigators, Lieutenant Appleton later wrote, “I immediately called for a boat from the Fort Getty dock to go out searching. I called the Fort Wetherill dock to send a boat out and was informed that the USAMP Hunt would be sent at once to the area. In addition a Coast Guard boat was sent to assist in the search. Seaward Defense Station and the Adjutant, 243d Coast Artillery (HD), were notified.”
By this point, the military was dealing with two downed aircraft, one on either side of the island.
Lieutenant Appleton’s statement continued, “Within 10 or 15 minutes the fog lifted and I searched the area with field glasses but did not discover any signs of the plane. A report was received that an oil or gas slick was sighted about 500 yards off shore and that the gas odor was still strong. The shore patrol continued searching.
It is believed by the undersigned that the plane crashed and sank within a very few minutes. Approximately an hour and a half after the crash a black canvas bag about 15 inches long filled with cotton was picked up on shore. The center of the cotton was dry which indicated to me that it had been in the water but a short time. Other articles picked up on shore included a piece of leather possibly from an earphone, four rubber pieces of peculiar design, a handkerchief with numbers on it.
The circumstances of the crash and the sounds heard at the time would indicate that the plane exploded just prior to or at the instant of crash.”
Unfortunately, the numbers on the handkerchief were not recorded in the investigation report.
One of the officers in charge of the search detail along the shoreline at Fort Getty was Captain Stanley W. Smith. In his official statement to investigators he wrote; “At 1700 I went down to the beach again to investigate a stick-like object projecting out of the water approximately 50 yards off-shore. The visibility was poor. It was projecting about two feet above the surface of the water and appeared to be a stick. It was impossible to distinguish any color on it or to tell just what it was without going out in a boat to see the object.”
Another officer who assisted in the Fort Getty search was Captain George E. Blicker. In his official statement he wrote, “Captain Smith immediately contacted me and together with a corporal and six men went down to investigate the accident. There was a dense fog that was beginning to lift about this time. Visibility was poor, but noticeable about 500 yards off shore was a slick approximately 50 yards in diameter with vapor fumes rising. The slick spread quickly and then disintegrated, giving off a strong gas odor in the air.”
The following day, February 12th, The Newport Daily News reported that the body of Lieutenant Raymond Burke had been recovered from the bay between Jamestown and Newport by a navy picket boat and taken to Newport Hospital.
On February 13th, a small news item appeared in The Woonsocket Call concerning the other plane that had crashed off Fort Getty. It reported that the unidentified P-47 had been located in 58 feet of water, but that the pilot was still unaccounted for.
The unidentified plane was marked with a buoy and a salvage boat was sent to attempt a recovery, however, bad weather and floating ice prevented this from happening. Unfortunately, the aircraft and its pilot were never identified in either newspaper accounts, or the official investigation report, nor does it appear that the pilot or the aircraft were ever recovered. Therefore, it has never been determined if this aircraft was the one flown by Lt. Pavlovic, or Lt. Burke.
The fate of the fourth P-47 of this flight has never been determined, for the pilot and his aircraft were never seen or head from again. Presumably, the pilot continued on a southeasterly course and flew out to sea.
1st Lieutenant Gene Frederick Drake, (Ser. # O-430925), was from Wilmette, Illinois, born August 3, 1920. He enlisted in the Air Corps in March 17, 1941, (Some sources state February, 1941), about ten months before the United States entered World War II.
From January to November of 1942, he served in Australia flying combat missions against the Japanese. On his 22nd birthday, (Aug. 3, 1942), he was flying a patrol mission when he and his fellow fighter pilots spotted 27 enemy bombers flying in formation approximately 2,00o feet below.
One newspaper described what took place in Lt. Drakes own words. “We flew into them and I shot up the first bomber. I saw him stagger, burst into flames, and then go down. I headed for another bomber but heard bullets going through my own crate. Suddenly a solid sheet of oil came over my windshield and the cockpit was full of fumes. I saw two little zeroes (Japanese fighting planes) sitting on my tail and it looked like time for me to leave.”
Lt. Drake was forced to bail but he landed safely.
Lt. Drake was credited with shooting down the enemy bomber, as well as two more Japanese aircraft later that same month. For his outstanding service he was awarded the Oak Leaf Cluster for gallantry in action under heavy fire, the Purple Heart, and the Silver Star.
In late 1942 he returned to the states and became a flight instructor, training new pilots for overseas duty.
He was survived by his wife Shirley, and his son, Gene Jr..
He was officially declared dead on January 31, 1944.
Lt. Drake also had a brother serving in the Marine Corps, 1st Lt. Stafford W. Drake Jr.
To see a photo of Lt. Drake, click on link: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/278000884/gene-frederick-drake
2nd Lieutenant Robert Frederick Meyer was born January 29, 1920, in Shepherd, Michigan, making him just barely 23 at the time of his death. He was survived by his parents, and is buried in Deepdale Memorial Park, Lansing, Michigan.
To see a photo of Lt. Meyer, click on link: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/154115217/robert-frederick-meyer
2nd Lieutenant Raymond D. Burke was just 15 days shy of his 22nd birthday when he died. He was born in Wilton, New Hampshire, February 26, 1921, the son of James R. and Margaret E. Burke. He’s buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Wilton.
To see a photo of Lt. Burke, click on link: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123366475/raymond-daniel-burke
2nd Lieutenant John Pavlovic, (Ser. # O-732341), was from the town of River Forrest, Illinois, and was 23-years-old at the time of his death. He entered the Air Corps in March, 1942, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in October of 1942 at Luke Field in Arizona. He was officially declared dead one year after his disappearance.
To see a photo of Lt. Pavlovic, click on link: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/277999926/john-pavlovic
Sources
United States Army Air Force crash investigation reports for all four aircraft, Report numbers:
43-2-11-3, dated March 29, 1943
43-2-11-4, dated March 29, 1943
43-2-11-5, dated March 25, 1943
43-2-11-6, dated March 25, 1943
Death Certificates obtained from the Rhode Island State Archives for Lt. Robert F. Meyer & Lt. Raymond D. Burke
The Providence Journal, “Two Army Pilots Lose Lives In Crashes In R.I., Two Other Planes In Unit Believed Lost”, February 12, 1943, page 1
The Newport Daily News, “Body of Army Pilot Recovered From Bay”,February 12, 1943
The Woonsocket Call, “Searchers Locate Airplane In Bay”, February 13, 1943, page 1
University of Illinois Veterans Memorial Project
Chicago Sunday Tribune, “Wilmette Flyer Gets 2nd Award In Pacific Fight”, November 15, 1942, part 1, page 13
www.cieldegloire.com – 49th Fighter group – USAAF – Ciel de Gloire
Wilmette Life, (Wilmette, Il.),”Flier Celebrates Birthday”, August 13, 1942
Wilmette Life, (Wilmette, Il.),”Lieut. Gene Drake Reported Missing On Airplane Flight”, February 18, 1943
Falling Leaves, (Oak Park, Il. newspaper), “River Forest Teacher Leaves For Navy,; Service Men’s News”, September 24, 1942
Falling Leaves, (Oak Park, Il. newspaper), “Lost Flyer Is Assumed Dead”, February 22, 1944
Narragansett Bay – July 19, 1918
On July 19, 1918, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Arthur F. Souther, 22, was test flying a new aircraft over the west passage of Narragansett Bay when the plane abruptly dove into the water from an altitude of 100 feet. Lt. Souther was conducting a speed test at the time of the accident, and the plane struck with such force that it broke apart on impact and Lt. Souther was killed instantly.
The new aircraft was a Gallaudet D-4, (Ser. # A-2653), an experimental sea plane, one of two produced by Gallaudet Aircraft Corporation which once had a factory on Chepiwanoxet Island on Cowesett Bay, on the Warwick-East Greenwich line.
Witnesses reported the aircraft began to sway back and forth and the elevators were seen to flutter moments before the crash. Lt. Souther had flown the same airplane without incident three times prior to the fatal crash.
Lt. Souther had begun his duties as a test pilot for Gallaudet only a few days prior to his death. He succeeded the previous test pilot, famous aviator Jack McGee, who was killed in another aircraft he was testing for Gallaudet on June 11, 1918.
Lt. Souther had enlisted in the air service in 1917, and was designated Navy Aviator #239 on January 2, 1918. He’s buried in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was the late Major Souther of the United States Signal Corps.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48882528/arthur-fuller-souther
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallaudet_D-4
To learn more about Gallaudet Aircraft and the D-4 sea plane(s), see www.earlyaviators.com, Gallaudet D-1. Site also has photographs.
Sources:
Providence Journal, “Lieut Arthur F. Souther Killed In Speed Trail With Navy Plane”, July 20, 1918. (Article contributed by Patricia Zacks.)
Providence Journal, “Naval Officials Start Inquiry Into Death Of lieut. Souther”, July 21, 1918. (Article contributed by Patricia Zacks.)
www.findagrave.com, memorial #48882528
Hartford Courant, (Conn.),”Naval Aviator Souther Killed”, July 20, 1918
Quonset Point Naval Air Station – May 29, 1957
Quonset Point, Rhode Island
P2V Neptune
U.S. Air Force Photo
On May 29, 1957, a U.S Navy P2V-5F Neptune aircraft, (#124905), crashed in the water of Narragansett Bay about 500 feet north of runway 19. All six crewmen aboard were rescued. No further details.
The photos below show the aircraft being recovered from the water.
P2V-5F Neptune, Bu. No. 124905
U.S. Navy Photo
P2V-5F Neptune Bu. No. 124905
U.S. Navy Photo
Source: U.S. Navy, Aircraft Crash Fire Report, Quonset Point NAS, Rhode Island, #7-57
Narragansett Bay – June 11, 1942
P-40 Warhawk
U.S. Air Force Photo
On June 11, 1942, 2nd Lt. William K. Liggett was piloting a P-40E aircraft (Ser. No. 41-25019) as part of a formation training flight with other P-40 aircraft over the Narragansett Bay area. At about 1:45 p.m. his aircraft developed engine trouble and he was forced to look for a place to set down. He chose what he thought to be an open area of beach about one mile northeast of the town of Portsmouth, but as he got closer he realized there were civilians on the beach. Witnesses later told investigators that at the last moment Lt. Liggett abruptly turned towards the water and was killed when the plane crashed into the bay.
The crash was blamed on a problem with the aircraft’s fuel system.
Lt. Liggett obtained his pilot’s rating on April 29, 1942, and at the time of his death he was assigned to the 66th Fighter Squadron based at Hillsgrove Army Air Field, In Warwick, Rhode Island.
Source: Army Air Corps Technical report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-6-11-8
Quonset Point Naval Air Station – May 24, 1966
On the night of May 24, 1966, Lieut. Cmdr. Bruce R. Richmond, 31, and Lieut. Stephen Losey, 37, were practicing landings and take offs at Quonset Point Naval Air Station when their twin-engine aircraft crashed in Narragansett Bay. Both men were killed. The type of aircraft was not stated.
Lieut. Cmdr. Richmond is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. To see a photo of his grave see www.findagrave.com memorial #3427105.
Lieut. Losey is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com memorial #49249517. He was from New Jersey.
Sources:
New York Times, “Two Navy Fliers Die In Crash”, May 25, 1966
www.findagrave.com
Conimicut Light, Warwick, Rhode Island – July 30, 1964
U-10 Helio Courier
U.S. Air Force Photo
On the night of July 30, 1964, a flight of six Rhode Island National Guard Aircraft left Hillsgrove Airport, (Today known as T.F. Green Airport) for a two-and-a-half hour training flight. The aircraft belonged to the 143rd Air Commando Group.
One of the aircraft, a U-10 Helio Courier with two men aboard developed engine trouble and attempted an emergency landing. As the plane neared the Conimicut Lighthouse at Conimicut Point in Warwick, one witness said he could hear the engine “spitting and sputtering” as it crashed into the shallow water of Narragansett Bay between the lighthouse and the mainland.
Both the pilot and navigator were killed. The dead were identified as (Pilot) Captain Donald E. Leach, 31, of Cranston, R.I., and (Navigator) Major Alan Hall Jr., 39, of East Greenwich, R.I.
The aircraft was recovered the following day with the bodies of both men still inside.
Sources:
Woonsocket Call, “2 RI Airmen Killed In Bay Plane Crash”, July 31, 1964, Pg. 1
Woonsocket Call, “Recover Bodies Of 2 Guardsmen”, August 1, 1964
The Rhode Island Pendulum, “East Greenwich Resident Killed In Plane Crash”, August 7, 1964, page 5
Quonset Point Naval Air Station – November 16, 1956
Updated February 21, 2024
On November 16, 1956, a U.S. Navy, S2F-1 Sentinel, twin-engine aircraft crashed just after take off from Quonset Point NAS. The plane went down 200 yards off the seawall at the end of Runway 5, and sank in 30 feet of water in Narragansett Bay. All three crewmen aboard were killed.
The victims were identified as:
Lieutenant Charles Kiesling of Fenton, Michigan.
Lieutenant (Jg.) Robert Stack of Iowa City, Iowa. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/219577901/robert-phillip-stack
Aviation Electronics tech. 2/c John Balunas of Greene, N.Y. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70119765/john-henry-balunas
The aircraft was assigned to Antisubmarine Squadron 39 at Quonset Point.
Sources:
Lewiston Evening Journal, (Me.) “Three Killed In Crash Of Navy Plane”, November 16, 1956.
Fall River Herald News, (Ma.) “Navy Is Probing Plane Crash At Quonset”, November 17, 1956.
Quonset Point Naval Air Station – May 1, 1962
Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo
On May 1, 1962, a U.S. Navy, AD5W Skyraider, crashed on take-off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. The plane went down in the waters of Narragansett Bay about 500 yards northeast of Pier 2. Another source puts the location about 900 yards off Pettee Avenue in North Kingston.
Both crewmen aboard were killed. They were identified as:
(Pilot) Lieutenant Harold E. Richlie, 27, of Missoula, Montana. he was survived by his wife Janet. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134443057/harold-emmett-richlie
Parachute Rigger 2C Kenneth M. Robinson, 33, of Randolph, Massachusetts. He was survived by his wife Ann.
The aircraft was assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 33.
Sources:
Lewiston Evening Journal, “Fear Two Dead In Navy Crash”, May 2, 1962.
Evening Bulletin, “Navy Probes Cause Of Bay Plane Crash”, May 3, 1962, Pg. 1.
Narragansett Bay – October 11, 1942
Vought SB2U Vindicator
U.S. Navy Photo
On the afternoon of October 11, 1942, a Vought SB2U-2 Vindicator, (Bu. No. 1342), with a pilot and radioman aboard, was participating in a dive-bombing exercise over Narragansett Bay. Other aircraft were also participating. The aircraft was seen to enter a steep dive on a maneuvering target boat from an altitude of 10,000 feet. When the pilot attempted to pull out of the dive at 3,000 feet, two small unidentified parts of the aircraft were seen to break loose. The aircraft crashed into the water in an almost vertical dive north of Patience Island. Both the pilot and radioman perished in the accident.
The pilot was identified as Lieutenant Commander John Randall Spiers, 31, of Philadelphia, PA. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115359760/john-r-spiers
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76036118/john-randall-spiers
The radioman was identified as Aviation Radioman Stanley D. Overfelt, 25, of Clarence, Missouri. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59737610/stanley-d-overfelt
Both men were assigned to VS-42.
Sources:
U. S. Navy accident report #43-5054, dated October 11, 1942
North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #42-31
Providence Journal, “Navy Recovers Body”, October 17, 1942. (The body recovered was that of Stanley Overfelt.)
Off North Kingstown, Rhode Island – June 28, 1942
P-40 Warhawk
U.S. Air Force Photo
At 10:30 a.m. on June 28, 1942, army aviator (rank unknown) Robert M. Flanders, 24, was killed when the airplane he was piloting crashed at the water at the east end of Hope Island, which is located in Narragansett Bay, just off shore from the former Quonset Naval Air Station in North Kingstown. The type of aircraft and details of the accident are unknown.
Source: North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #42-23
Update September 15, 2015: Robert Flanders was a 2nd Lieutenant, and was from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The aircraft he was piloting was a P-40E (#40-440)
Sources:
New York Times, “4 Army Fliers Die In Ohio”, June 29, 1942. (The article covered more than one plane crash.)
Larry Webster, Aviation Historian and Archaeologist.
Update March 2, 2016: This accident occurred while Lt. Flanders, and 2nd Lt. David H. Brown were engaged in a mock aerial dogfight at 15,000 feet in their P-40 airplanes. At one point, Lt. Flanders’ P-40 began to dive at high speed, reaching the speed of 400 mph. At 8,000 feet he began to pull out of the dive at which point his plane exploded in mid-air.
A statement filed by Lt. Brown to Army investigators reads as follows:
“Lt. Flanders and I were on a combat mission when his plane exploded and he met his death.
We were on oxygen and fighting at 15,000 feet at this time. Lt. Flanders rolled over on his back and started down in a split-S. I immediately rolled over and followed him down. As he started to pull out at about 8,000 feet, and traveling at approximately 400 mph, there was a terrific explosion and his plane went to pieces.”
The accident was also witnessed by at least three observers on Hope Island, all of whom basically stated that after the explosion the plane fell nose first into the water.
It was the opinion of the accident investigation committee that the explosion originated in the reserve fuel tank, possibly caused by a portion of engine cowling being ripped loose from the force of the dive and cutting into the tank.
Both pilots were attached to the 66th Fighter Squadron then based at Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island.
Lt. Flanders had obtained his pilots rating on May 29, 1942.
Lt. Flanders was born June 23, 1917, and died just five days after his 24th birthday. He’s buried in Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Sources:
United States Army Crash Investigation Report#42-6-28-8
www.findagrave.com
Updated March 9, 2016
On June 12, 1942, sixteen days before his fatal accident, Lt. Flanders had a close call while flying another P-40 aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-36514). On that date, he was returning to Hillsgrove Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, after a routine training flight. Just as he was landing, a strong gust of wind lifted the left wing, causing the right wing to touch the ground and send the plane into a 270 degree “ground loop”. The aircraft suffered some damage, but Lt. Flanders was unhurt.
Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-6-12-32, dated June 26, 1942.
Jamestown, Rhode Island – July 1, 1976
Off Beavertail Light
As part of America’s 1976 bicentennial celebration, a flotilla of tall ships comprising sailing vessels from around the world made their way to the United States and down the east coast. On July 1, 1976, after visiting Newport, the ships left Rhode Island for New York. As they were passing for review just off the coast of Jamestown near Beavertail Light, two private aircraft narrowly missed having a mid-air collision. As one aircraft flew on, the other was seen going down into the water about 50 yards off the eastern shore of Beavertail Park. It sank immediately and no survivors were seen in the water.
The downed aircraft, a Piper PA-28, (N9184K) was piloted by Charles Kramos, of Barrington, R.I. His body was later recovered by divers. The other aircraft was not identified.
Sources:
(Meriden Ct.) The Morning Record, “Plane Crashes While Circling Ship Parade”, July 2, 1976
(New London, Ct.) The Day, “Plane Crash Mars Start Of Tall Ships”, July 2, 1976, Pg. 19
Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island – February 25, 1945
F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo
On February 25, 1945, Ensign Thomas William McSteen, 21, was killed when the F6F-5N Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70670) he was piloting crashed near Fox Island in the west passage of Narragansett Bay, between Jamestown and the mainland. Ensign McSteen and three other Hellcat aircraft were taking part in a carrier landing training exercise at the time. After examining the recovered aircraft, investigators concluded the accident occurred as a result of engine failure.
Ensign McSteen graduated Mt. Lebanon, Penn. High School in 1941, and enlisted in the navy in February of 1943. He received his Ensign’s commission and his pilot’s wings at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, in July of 1944.
Ensign McSteen was survived by his wife Margaret Elizabeth, who he married at Pensacola NAS on July 22, 1944. He’s buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Pennsylvania. To see a photograph of Ensign McSteen, click on the link below.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128268666/thomas-william-mcsteen
Sources:
Larry Webster, Aviation Historian & Archaeologist
Pittsburgh Post – Gazzette, “Mt. Lebanon Girl Ensign’s Bride”, July 30, 1944
Historic Pitsburgh General Text Collection – Pittsburgh Library, “That We Might Have A Better World”, authored by the Mt. Lebanon School District, 1946. www.images.library.pitt.edu
U.S. Navy Accident Report dated February 25, 1945
Narragansett Bay – September 1, 1944
On September 1, 1944, Lt. Charles W. Turner took off from Hillsgrove Army Air Field in a P-47D Thunderbolt, (42-8666) for a routine training flight. At some point the aircraft developed engine trouble and Turner was forced to make a belly landing in the water about 3/4 of a mile off Conimicut Point, between the Conimicut and Pomham light houses.
As the plane sank, Turner scrambled out and inflated his life vest which kept him afloat in the chilly water. As luck would have it, he landed near a boat with two teenagers inside, Amy Heddenberg, 15, and William Smythe, 16, who quickly rescued the downed airman.
Turner was brought ashore at the foot of Stokes Street in Warwick, where he was met by Warwick police patrolman Albert Izzi who brought the pilot back to Hillsgrove. Turner was standing before his commanding officer before rescue parties from Hillsgrove had reached the shore.
The plane was wrecked, but Turner was unhurt.
Source:
Providence Journal, “Army Pilot Unhurt In Crash Into Bay”, September 2, 1944, Pg. 3
Warwick, Rhode Island – April 12, 1943
P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo
On the morning of April 12, 1943, four army P-47C Thunderbolts took off from Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick for a formation training flight. The flight leader was 2nd Lt. Eldred G. Howard, with 2nd Lt. Gordon M. Kimpel in the number two position, followed by 2nd Lt. John H. Schrik, and 2nd Lt. Clifton D. Wheeler Jr.
While flying an extended string formation at 8,000 feet, Lt. Howard pulled upwards expecting the other three planes to follow. Lt. Kimpel followed, but the sun temporarily blinded him causing him to loose sight of Howard. Kimpel’s aircraft (41-6634) then crashed into the rear of Howard’s (41-6174).
Howard’s plane went straight down into Narragansett Bay off an area known as “Sally Rocks” killing him. An employee of the Harris & Parson Shipyard saw the plane crash into the water and immediately set out in a boat but couldn’t locate the pilot. He marked the approximate location with a buoy.
Meanwhile Kimpel’s P-47 crashed in a swampy area off Cowesett Avenue in the Cowesett section of Warwick and started a raging forest fire. Kimpel managed to bail out, but was struck by the rear stabilizer of his plane and killed. His body came down in a small pond near Meunier’s Shell Fish Company at Arnold’s Neck.
Exploding ammunition and numerous spectators hampered fire fighting efforts.
In his witness statement given later to army investigators, Lt. Schrik stated: “On April 12th, I was flying in a formation consisting of Lts. Howard, Wheeler, Kimpel, and myself. The time was approximately 0845. I saw Lt. Howard’s and Lt. Kimpel’s planes collide and Lt. Howard’s plane went almost straight down. I saw the plane hit the water and disappear. As I was watching the plane during its entire descent, I know that Lt. Howard did not bail out or jump from the plane.”
Lt. Wheeler related the following in his statement. “On April 12th, at approximately 0845, I was flying in a formation consisting of Lts. Howard, Kimpel, Schrik and myself. I saw Lt. Howard’s and Lt. Kimpel’s planes collide. Lt. Howard’s plane went straight down at an angle of about 35 degrees in a south easterly direction. I saw the plane hit the water and know that Lt. Howard did not bail out or get out of the plane, as I watched it during the entire descent. The plane disappeared immediately upon hitting the water.”
As a footnote to this incident, Lt. John H. Schrik did not survive the war. He was killed in action in New Guinea on August 15, 1943, and is buried in Mount Emblem Cemetery, Elmhurst, Illinois. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14637040/john-h-schrik
To see a photo of Lt. Gordon Kimpel click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/168830355/gordon-kimpel
Lieutenant Howard was from Detroit, Michigan.
Sources:
Pawtucket Times, “Pilot Is Killed In Plane Crash”, April 12, 1943, Pg. 1
The Rhode Island Pendulum, “Pursuit Plane Crash Sets Off Forest Blaze In Cowesett Area”, April 15, 1943, page 8.
U.S. Army Crash Investigation Report # 43-4-12-7
Website: Find-A-Grave – John H. Schrik
The North Adams Transcript, (Mass.) “Fear 2 Pilots Dead In Crash Of Planes”, April 13, 1943, pg. 1
Off Prudence Island, Rhode Island – October 26, 1984
On the evening of October 26,1984, a small private plane with a husband and wife aboard left T.F. Green State Airport in Warwick, R.I., bound for Prudence Island, an island located in Narragansett Bay. The couple owned property on Prudence Island, and routinely commuted via airplane to the mainland.
The plane left T.F. Green at 6:40 p.m. The weather at the time was cloudy and rain was falling. At 8:25 p.m. that night the plane was reported overdue.
The following morning, two friends of the missing couple began a search using an aircraft, and spotted the wreckage in 8 feet of water between Prudence Island and Patience Island. The tails section had been torn away by the crash.
Divers recovered the body of the wife inside the aircraft, but the husband was reportedly missing.
Source:
The Day, “One Dead, One Missing In R.I. Plane Crash”, October 28, 1984
Narragansett Bay – February 10, 1945
One mile northeast off Quonset Point Naval Air Station
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On February 10, 1945, Ensign Pierce Hubert Beach, 22, took off from Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, in an F6F-5N Hellcat (Bu. No. 58058) for a routine training flight where he and other aircraft were to practice carrier landings and takeoffs. He was killed when his plane crashed into Narragansett Bay.
Ensign Beach earned his pilots wings at Pensacola, Florida, in May of 1944, and was married in June, ’44. To see a photo of Ensign beach, click on the link below.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180839171/pierce-hubert-beach
Sources:
Lewiston Daily Sun, “Navy Pilot Killed; Another Missing”, February 12, 1945, Pg. 1
Larry Webster, Aviation Historian & Archeologist
The (Bunnell Florida) Flagler Tribune, (no headline) February 15, 1945
U.S. Navy Accident Report dated February 10, 1945
Rocky Point, R.I. – July 4, 1913
Nels J. Nelson was sixteen when the Wright Brothers flew at Kittyhawk, North Carolina, in 1903. Eight years later he was building his own airplanes in New Britain, Connecticut. His first airplane made its maiden flight over Plainfield, Connecticut, May 1st, 1911.
Nelson took to giving flying exhibitions which were well received by a public eager to see what those “new fangled flying machines” could do. By 1913 he’d developed what he called a “Hydroplane” capable of taking off and landing in water. On July 1, 1913, Nelson flew his Hydroplane over Providence, Rhode Island, where he circled the area of Exchange Place and City Hall twice before making a turn around the dome of the state capitol. From there he flew south where he landed in the water just off shore from the famous Rocky Point Amusement Park in Warwick. The purpose of the flight was to generate interest in several flying exhibitions he was to give at Rocky Point as part of the 4th of July celebration festivities. Advertisements of his arrival had been posted in local papers for several days.
Mr. Nelson was scheduled to give three exhibitions on July 4th; at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. An article that appeared in The Woonsocket Call on July 5th described the first flight; “Shortly before 10 o’clock Nels Nelson sailed his 70 horse-power flying boat out into the bay in front of the Mansion House, watched by thousands of interested spectators. The motor began to buzz and immediately the huge hydroplane commenced to skim at a rapid rate over the water. As soon as the maximum speed was attained, the planes were slanted and the boat rose into the air, dripping like a sea gull which had captured its prey. For a few moments Nelson drove the machine on the level – about 12 feet from the surface of the bay. Soon, however, he rose higher until it became necessary to tip back one’s head to watch the flight. Higher and higher went the boat, finally becoming but a speck in the sky sailing towards Prudence Island.”
On the second flight of the day Nelson took 21-year-old Irving Tukey aboard as a passenger. The take-off went smoothly and the flight was uneventful until the aircraft was returning to land. As Nelson was making his final approach, he cut power to the engine in anticipation of gliding down to the water, but at that instant, a strong gust of wind caught the plane and sent it into a sharp down-turn into the Narragansett Bay from an altitude of 60 feet.
Tukey suffered a broken wrist, a laceration to his forehead and numerous bumps and bruises. Nelson was battered and dazed, but otherwise alright. Both men were rescued by a private boat that was anchored nearby watching the festivities.
What became of Nelson’s hydroplane isn’t recorded, but the accident didn’t deter him from further flying. The following September he flew another plane that he had built from New Britain, Connecticut to Chicago, Illinois.
Mr. Nelson died in 1964 at the age of 77. Many of his fellow aviators never reached middle age. His interest in aviation continued throughout his life. Between 1903 and 1964, (the span of 61 years), he had witnessed the birth of the airplane, the jet, the rocket, and manned space flight.
Sources:
The Woonsocket Call, “Birdman Flies At Rocky Point”, July 3, 1913, Page 10
The Woonsocket Call, “Fourth Big Day At Rocky Point”, July 5, 1913, Page. 2
The Woonsocket Call, “Drop Into Bay”, July 7, 1913, Page 1
Internet website www.earlyaviators.com Nels J. Nelson, 1887-1964
Narragansett Bay – June 4, 1971
The canopy to Commander Harley Hall’s F-4J Phantom jet that he was forced to bail out of over Narragansett Bay on June, 4, 1971, on display at the Quonset Air Museum.
Photo by Jim Ignasher
On June 4, 1971, an F-4J Phantom jet (#153082) belonging to the U.S. Navy Blue Angels team, caught fire in flight over Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The pilot, Commander Harley H. Hall aimed the plane towards Narraganset Bay before bailing out.
Hall was commanding officer of the Blue Angels for two years. He was promoted to the rank of Commander at the age of 32, which at the time made him the youngest Commander in the navy.
By 1973, Hall was serving aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise (CVN-65) flying combat missions over Vietnam. On January 27, 1973, Commander Hall and Lt. Cmdr. Phillip A. Kientzler took off from the Enterprise in an F-4J Phantom to attack Vietnamese supplies and logistics vehicles 15 miles northwest of Quang Tri. During the attack the Phantom was hit by anti-aircraft fire and Hall and Kientzler were forced to bail out at 4,000 feet. On the way down, Kientzler was shot in the leg and quickly captured. Hall landed safely, and was last observed by another F-4 pilot circling overhead entering the jungle to evade enemy forces. He was never seen again.
In Vancouver, Washington, there is a building named in Commander Hall’s memory. The H. H. Hall Building located at 10000 NE 7th Avenue. (www.hhhallbuiding.com)
There is also a book about Harley Hall and the Blue Angles titled “Left Alive To Die”, by Susan Keen, c. 2011
Sources:
Nashua Telegraph, “Pilot Killed In Accident At Air Show”, June 7, 1971, Pg. 3. The headline of this article is actually about an accident at the Quonset Air Show that took the life of J. W. “Bill” Fornof on June 5, 1971. The accident involving the Blue Angel aircraft was mentioned in it because it happened the day before.
The Columbian, “Cmdr. Harley Hall, Shot Down 40 Years Ago”, January 27, 2013
www.pownetwork.org/bios/
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