Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator

Hit the slope of a mountain located near Kisarazu, killing all eight crew members. The aircraft was a PB4Y-1 version but delivered from the USAAF to USN with a B-24 Liberator serial number.

The crew left Jacksonville-Towers Field NAS on a radar bombing exercise over the Bahamas. The radio operator informed ground about his position, about 60 miles west of Andros Town. This was the last message. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is believed the aircraft crashed into the sea between Andros Island and Florida.

The airplane departed Carney Field at 0128LT on an operation to Kahilli Airfield on southern Bougainville. It was later shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea off Solomon Islands, maybe off Shortland Islands. The wreckage and the crew were never recovered. Lost without trace.
Crew (VB-102):
Lt(jg) John B. Haskett, pilot,
Lt(jg) Kenneth R. Johnson, copilot,
Lt Donald H. Shiley, observer,
Ens Duane L. Beaman,
Amm2c Clarence C. Dodson,
Amm2c John H. Harr,
Amm2c Alvin P. Harrow,
Amm2c Merle W. Hinshaw,
Aom3c Henry F. Lohmeier,
Arm2c Lloyd R. Morgan,
Arm2c Eric B. Bolling,
Am2c Norman M. Ostroff.

Five minutes after takeoff from Hamilton Airport, Bermuda, the airplane crashed for unknown reasons into the sea. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (VP-105):
Lt Emil Edward Coolman, pilot,
Lt(jg) W. J. Alldridge,
Ens Morton Abbott,
Amm2c John J. Schubert,
Amm3c Lansford E. Baker,
Rm1c James Henry Taylor,
Rm3c Reno J. Caldarela,
Amm3c David Anthony Bourque,
Amm3c Joseph Eugene White Jr.,
Aom3c Norman Taylor Jr.,
Sea1c Agustus F. Surgosh.

While engaged in a gunnery exercise, the bomber entered an uncontrolled descent. When it emerged from the clouds at about 2,500 feet, it was on its back. The pilot half-rolled the plane so that it was almost right side up but the airplane then went into a radical turn to the left, nosed over to 30-40° angle of dive and the pilot opened throttles (probably to throttle stops). At about 500 feet, the pilot made a distinct bank to the right and part of the left aileron broke off and fluttered down. Out of control, the airplane crashed in hilly terrain 8 km north of Barbers Point NAS, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (VD-3):
Cdr Alfred Wilstam,
Lt Charles J. Kovaleski,
Lt(jg) Gerald T. Kearins,
Ens William H. Roemer,
Amm1c Cecil E. Matthews,
Rm1c Richard F. Coan,
Aom2c Joseph A. Kezich,
Amm3c Paul R. Cochran,
PhoM1c Karl W. Ruess,
Rm3c Dave Bergman,
PhoM3c Walter A. Thomas.

The airplane departed Carney Field at 0420LT on a reconnaissance and bombing mission over Kapingamarangi (Greenwich Islands) to report enemy movements. Over Kapingamarangi Lagoon, the bomber came under antiaircraft fire and aerial opposition. The crew made six ground attacks on the base, attacking the radio station on Hare Island, and claimed one plane in the air shot down, and three seaplanes destroyed in the water. Likely caught by its own bomb blast or accurate antiaircraft fire, the bomber crashed into the lagoon only 700 metres from the base, near the beach area it was attacking. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (VP-102):
Lt Bruce A. Van Voorhis, pilot,
Lt(jg) Herschel A. Oehlert Jr., copilot,
Lt(jg) Jack Orville Traub, navigator,
Acom Charles D. Linzmeyer,
Acrm Johnny A. Renner,
Amm1 George Charles Stephens,
Aom2 Donald B. Clogston,
Amm2 Charles A. Martinelli,
Amm2 Henry Ford Watson,
Amm3 Frederick C. Barker Jr.,
Amm3 Richard W. Roscoe.

Suffered an engine failure in flight and crash landed near Cherry Point MCAS. The pilot was killed and eight other crew members were injured.
Crew (VP-105):
Lt(jg) Ralph Waldo Hathaway, pilot, †
Lt(jg) Frank Welsh,
Ens Joseph A. Forse,
Rm2c W. T. Applegate,
Rm3c Benjamin F. Davis,
Amm2c James H.DeWeese,
Aom3c Bertrand F. Gibbs,
Amm1c Raymond M. Lavender,
Amm1c James H. Johnson.

The airplane departed Kaneohe Bay NAS at 2115LT on a routine navigation exercise. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, it went out of control and crashed into the sea some 16 km north of the airbase. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (VP-102):
Lt (jg) Herbert Sidney Bonn, pilot,
Ens John Henton Adams,
Ens Cameron Lee Collier,
Ens Joseph Budd Murphy,
Amm2c Ralph Durst Boswell Jr.,
Arm2c Ronald Dean Brown,
Amm3c Jack Gordon Hart,
Aom3c Joseph Bernard Leonard,
Arm3cC Raymond Otis Marchand.