ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 81681
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| Date: | Thursday 30 November 1944 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Martin PBM-5 Mariner |
| Owner/operator: | VPB-208, US Navy |
| Registration: | 45415 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Mount Tamalpias, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | NAS Alameda |
| Hawaii |
From 1942 through mid 1944 the PBM-3 Mariner of US Navy Patrol Squadron 208 (VP-208) served in the Atlantic and Caribbean, primarily based in Key West, Florida. It saw limited combat action and suffered no serious casualties during this period. By mid 1944 the U-boat war was winding down and more Patrol Squadrons were needed in the Pacific Theater for the war against Japan. In August 1944 the unit, now renamed Patrol Bombing Squadron 208 (VPB-208) was reassigned to Norfolk, Virginia and began transition training for the PBM-5, an improved version of the PBM. The training continued through early fall at NAS Harvey Point, South Carolina.
On 5 October, VPB-208 received a brand new PBM-5 Mariner, BuNo 45415. It was soon designated “Peter-9” by the unit and was assigned to Patrol Plane Commander Lt. Joseph L. Resley of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and his crew, which was known as “Combat Aircrew Charlie.” Lt. Resley was an experienced pilot, who had on the night of 7 April 1944 made a one engine emergency landing at sea after suffering engine trouble. The rest of “Combat Aircrew Charlie” were:
Lt.(jg) Thomas W. Oliver, Jr., First Pilot, of Valdesta, Georgia
Ens. Chapin B. Miller, Second Pilot, of West Newton, Massachusetts
Harry L. Holland, Chief Aviation Machinist Mate, Plane Captain, of Hawkinsville, Georgia
Rodney Jeffers, Aviation Machinist Mate Second Class, First Machinist, of Jersey City, New Jersey
Thomas J. Joyce, Jr., Aviation Radioman Second Class, First Radioman, of Bellair, Ohio
John R. Kelly, Aviation Radioman Third Class, Second Radioman, of Dover Plains, New York
Wayne D. Paxson, Aviation Ordinanceman Second Class, First Ordinanceman, of Riverside, California
By early November 1944 VPB-208 was ordered to proceed to Alameda Naval Air Station for reassignment to the Pacific Fleet. It arrived at Alameda on 15 November and was officially assigned to the Pacific Fleet. Once at Alameda VPB-208 began to train for its trans-pacific flight to Hawaii.
On the evening of 30 November 12 of VPB-208’s PBMs in 4 flights of 3 aircraft departed Alameda on the trans-pacific ferry flight to Hawaii.“Peter-9” was part of this flight. The weather that night was rainy and overcast, with poor visibility.“Peter-9” was enroute to rendezvous with its flight when it developed possible engine trouble near the Golden Gate and turned back for Alameda. “Peter-9” attempted to contact Alameda Tower, but was told to “stand-by,” after that nothing more was heard from “Peter-9.” Two other PBMs from the group of 12 did return to Alameda after developing engine trouble that night.
“Peter-9” was flying in northwesterly course towards Mount Tamalpais, flying over the Mountain Home and Double Bow Knot areas. Seconds later “Peter-9” struck the ground once, knocking over a telephone pole of old abandoned phoneline to the Taveran of Tamalpais. It continued in level flight for a short distance before hitting the ground again and exploding, killing all 8 members of “Combat Aircrew Charlie.”
The crash was seen and heard by some living in Mill Valley, but when the witnesses reported it to authorities they were told they were mistaken and any “explosion” was caused by jettisoned drop tanks and not an actual crash. It was not until late on the next day, December 1st, when five boys reported to authorities that they found the wreckage of “Peter-9” and the remains of the crew while “looking for the drop tank,” did local authorities or the Navy realize that “Peter-9” was lost with all on board. Soon after the Marin County Sheriff sent out a search party, which arrived at the wreckage of nearly 24 hours after it had crashed.
During WWII, there were at least 60 “major” accidents in Marin County killing at least 116 people. Of these accidents, three occurred on or near Mount Tamalpais resulting in the deaths of 10 pilots and aircrews and the loss of five military aircraft.
Sources:
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/alameda-ca/TFJM0HARBKG4HGOOC
http://vpb208.org/BuNo-45415.html
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/pbmmttamnew.htm
http://www.vpnavy.org/vp208_mishap.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tamalpais
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Nov-2010 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 25-Sep-2015 09:06 | gerard57 | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Dec-2017 06:17 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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