United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947)

While flying along the Italian coast, the four engine airplane was shot down by an Italian fighter and crashed into the sea off Messina. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt James K. Brereton,
1st Lt Russell E. Wilkins,
1st Lt Donald L. Burgess,
1st Lt Thomas V. Flynn,
S/Sgt Charles D. Hartley,
T/Sgt Henry R. Ballentine,
Sgt Kenneth L. Gardner,
Sgt Alfonse Schembri.

While on a night approach to Topham Airfield (Canton Island), Kiribati, the pilot completed a last turn to reach the approach path when the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea few hundred metres offshore. 18 occupants were killed while three others were rescued. The flight was operated by a United Airlines crew on behalf of the Air Transport Command (ATC).
Passengers:
Col John Dibble,
Col Ralph F. Love,
Lt Col William Hyatt Bache,
Lt Col Powhatan Moncure Morton,
Lt Col John R. Pitman Jr.,
Maj James J. Gleason,
Maj Clark Wilson Mayne,
2nd Lt Gerald H. Levine,
M/Sgt Kendall Maxfield Taylor,
T/Sgt Felix M. Padkosky,
S/Sgt Percy J. Archdale.
W/O Alexander E. Dale,
T4c Robert Lambie.

The crew departed Tarrant AFB on a local training exercise. En route, after the engine n°2 was feathered, the crew mistakenly shut down the engine n°1. Due to an insufficient speed, the airplane lost height and crashed in a pasture in Weatherford, about 34 km west of Tarrant AFB. Two crew members were killed and seven others were injured. The airplane was destroyed.
Those killed were:
Pvt Thadas G. Searcy,
Pfc Charles D. Wilkins.

The airplane departed Port Moreby-7 Mile Drome at 0920LT on a supply mission to Wau, carrying five crew members and a load of ammunition and equipment. On approach to Wau, it was attacked by Japanese fighter and after passing over the Bulolo River, it crashed in hilly terrain located south of Wau Airfield. All five crew members were killed. The wreckage was found in September 1988.
Crew:
1st Lt Robert H. Schwensen, pilot,
1st Lt Henry W. Sherman, copilot,
Cpl Emil W. Erickson, flight engineer,
Pvt Clifford J. Fawn, radio operator,
Pfc Edward G. Piekutowski, air gunner.

For unknown reasons, the airplane belly landed at Selman AAF and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crashed in unknown circumstances 5 km south of Apache Junction. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
1st Lt James C. Shepherd, pilot.

The airplane departed Fort Nelson on a flight to Fort Simpson, carrying seven passengers, four crew members and a load consisting of military payroll for 200,000$ and gold. While cruising over the Northern Rockies, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Tuchodi Lakes. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the airplane was found. The wreckage was spotted 5 years later in 1948 in an isolated area, partially covered by landslide, some 120 km southwest of Fort Nelson. The remains of all 11 occupants were recovered.
Crew:
2nd Lt Charles J. Atwood Jr.,
Pfc Rowell B. Clark,
Pfc Claude Harold Danks,
Lt Col Anthony Robert Mensing Jr.,
Sgt Allie J. Said,
Sgt Sam M. Schilsky,
Pvt Russel J. Shepherd +4.

The crew was forced to make an emergency landing near Tinker AFB. There were no fatalities.

Crashed for unknown reasons upon landing at Blytheville Airfield. There were no fatalities.

The airplanes were part of a three-ship flight on a formation-training mission. The three-ship flight had been part of a seven-ship formation that had broken up. The formation had taken off from Morrison Field, Palm Beach, Florida, and was flying back to the home station at the Army Air Base at Greenville, South Carolina. The formation was flying above the clouds at about 10,000 feet when the flight leader, Lt Wilson flying B-25C registered 41-13281, noticed a break in the overcast and began to descend through it. His flight following him down and the other four airplanes remained above the overcast. The three-ship flight descended to about 1,500 feet agl near Lake Murray. After flying northwest at this altitude for a short period of time, flight leader Lt Wilson made a sudden and steep turn to the right in an attempt to avoid low hanging clouds. Lt Mannio, flying in B-25C registered 41-13275 in the number two position, attempted to follow the maneuver and overran the leader. The two airplanes collided just as they were entering broken clouds. The airplanes fell from the overcast out of control and shedding pieces. The airplanes slammed to earth and exploded into flames some 19 km south of Newberry. The tail section of Lt Wilson was not located at the time of the investigation. All 14 crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew 41-13275:
2nd Lt Kauko K. Mannio, pilot,
2nd Lt Donald G. Halley, copilot,
2nd Lt Randolph V. Donaldson, navigator,
T/Sgt Lyle E. Vinson, flight engineer,
Sgt John B. McFalls, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Basil R. Sink, radio operator,
S/Sgt Allen M. Steen, air gunner.
Crew 41-13281:
1st Lt John E. Wilson, pilot,
2nd Lt Francis Bardell, copilot,
2nd Lt Julius X. Zarchin, bombardier,
S/Sgt Harold B. Brown, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Franklyn G. Morris, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Dean L. Loren, radio operator,
Sgt Walter W. Pratt, air gunner.
Source: Anthony J. Mireles.