Date & Time:
May 17, 1943 at 1158 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
41-17991
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rougham - Rougham
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Rougham (Bury St Edmunds) to attack power stations in IJmuiden. Approaching the target area, it collided with a second USAAF B-26B-4 Marauder registered 41-18080 and also carrying a crew of six. Following the collision, both airplanes went out of control and crashed in a field located in Bodegraven, west of Utrecht. Two crew survived in each aircraft while all eight other occupants were killed.
Crew (452nd BS):
1st Lt Richard O. Wolfe, pilot, †
1st Lt Jack E. Vandergrift, †
2nd Lt John H. Burns, †
Sgt Kleber L. Jones,
Sgt Chester J. Walas,
Sgt John L. Nash. †
Crew (452nd BS):
1st Lt Richard O. Wolfe, pilot, †
1st Lt Jack E. Vandergrift, †
2nd Lt John H. Burns, †
Sgt Kleber L. Jones,
Sgt Chester J. Walas,
Sgt John L. Nash. †
Probable cause:
Mid-air collision.
