B-24 Crash

B-24 CRASH

Tragic accident that those who were stationed on Shemya in June 1946 will never forget.

B-24'S of 404th Bomb Squadron -
Shemya Island in background

From the official 404th Bomb Group History

16 Jun 1946 (Sun): The 404th Bombardment Squadron suffered its worst peacetime fatalities when B-24M, 44-51784, flown by squadron commander Lt Col John C. Larson, crashed into a warehouse at the west end of Shemya, exploded and burned during early morning hours of Sunday. Both the plane and warehouse were consumed in the fire. The Class A Flight Mishap occurred when the Larson and his crew were returning from the squadron's first photographic over St. Lawrence Island after departing Shemya on 8 June. Their aircraft had just been configured for radar ferret missions. Colonel Larson arrived over western Aleutians to find that all the runways at Shemya, Attu and Amchitka had been shut down due to weather. After making many futile attempts of land at Shemya and running low on fuel, Colonel Larson ordered the crew to bail out. Six of the eight-man crew bailed out during the first pass. On the second pass, the fuel in the bomber ran out resulting in it crashing into the warehouse. Recovery personnel found the badly burned body of 1/Lt Robert G. Hilger, squadron operations officer. The searches could not find Colonel Larson's body. His body later washed up on shore, and he was buried 3 September 1946 in the Hillside Cemetery on Shemya. First Lieutenant Herbert E. Augustine, Sgt James A. Throop and Cpl Keith W. Earll, survived the bail out. Lieutenant Augustine, the squadron adjutant, received slight injuries. Searches found the bodies of First Sergeant James A. Throop and PFC Lester L. Ellerbee who apparently had been killed during the parachute landing. The 404th Bombardment Squadron buried its dead in the Hillside Cemetery. Second Lieutenant Philip Oltusky, the photography officer, landed off shore. His body washed up on the beach on 6 October 1946, and he was buried in the Hillside Cemetery on 8 October. Search parties had searched Shemya and the surrounding waters for 14 days following the crash without finding the two missing men. (2/Lt Ronald J. Sullivan, Hist, 404th Bombardment Squadron, Jun 1946, pp. 1-2; 2/Lt Tennyson Dunton, Hists, 404th Bombardment Squadron, Sep 1946, p. 1 and Oct 1946, p. 12.)

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The Crash Site
Pictures from a Shemya photo album (owner unknown) found some 60 years later

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Following is a letter from a 404th Bomb Squadron air crewman sent to his brother soon after the above described accident. This copy was sent to me by Brad Hench, son of the writer.

To: Lester P. Hench                                                                                                From: Harold H. Hench 11140952
       Bronx, New York                                                                                                         404 Bomb Squadron (H)                                                                                                                                                      APO 729
                                                                                                                                              Seattle, Washington
June 21, 1946

Dear Les,

   There is a good reason for me not writing to you any sooner.   Sunday morning about two AM the whole squadron was awoken. One of our ships couldn't get into the field and it was flying around over the island. They radioed in and said they were going to make one more pass then climb up and bail out. The fog was as thick as pea soup.

   Well, at two fifteen they bailed out over the island. The ship came down and hit one of the warehouses. Boy, that flame just shot up in the air.

   We started to search the island and here is what happened. One of the boys landed in the water and swam ashore, another one landed on land. Both those boys are OK. The First Sergeant was on that ship. He jumped out of the ship and when he pulled the ripcord he must have been upside down because he landed on his head on the runway.

   One of our officers they found on the road with a broken leg. He just held that old chute handle and he wouldn't let go of it. Another one of the officers was found near the ship just blown all to hell and the body, what was left of it, was still burning. What an awful sight. Well, Les we had three men missing and one of them was our C.O. Lt. Col. Larson.

   We searched all morning and didn't find nothing. So we got a boat and began to search the nearby islands in hope of finding someone alive. But no soap. Boy I was tired and I couldn't move.

   Monday we had that funeral for the Lt. The first Sgt. died after they found him. So the Squadron had a double funeral. I volunteered for the honor guard. I guess it was about the best we could do for them. We still continued our search.

   Tuesday we split up into two groups of searching parties. Well, all morning long up and down the beach we kept looking. Then about eleven thirty we found a chute wedged in between the rocks. It was some way out in the water. Well, we couldn't get the chute out so a few guys went into the water but you couldn't stay very long.

That water is cold. We got exposure suits and may west's and put them on. I got out in that water and even with that suit on I was still cold. We couldn't get the chute out so we had a boat stand offshore. The only way to get that chute out was to have a boat pull it out. There was no way to get a line out to the boat. So me like a jerk decided I could swim out. So we got a rope tied it around my waist and I swam.

Well, I got to the boat OK but I was tired. Well, we got the chute out and there was a body on the chute. Some of the officers came out in a big rubber craft to take me ashore. I got in the raft and we started for shore.

Before we reached shore that craft tipped over and over and these officers had to swim back. My exposure suit ripped on the bottom and I got wet and cold. When I got out of the water they said I was blue.

I know one thing and that is I was really cold. As soon as I got ashore they took me to the hospital and kept me over night. But I was OK, a little cold water never hurt a guy.

Yesterday we went to this fellow's funeral. Boy Les I'm sick and tired. Sometimes I wonder if flying is worth that extra money. During the war the 404th lost more ships due to weather than due to enemy action.

So far we are missing our C.O. He was supposed to leave for Washington. He was going to be the Alaskan representative at the Atom Bomb test. Well, so goes it. Another one that's missing is an S-2 officer.

I guess enough about that - we are still sending out twenty men a day for searching parties.

Well, Les that's about it for now so take it easy. I'll write again tomorrow another long letter.

Give my regards to all and write.

                                                  Your Kid Brother,
                                                          Harold

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SHEMYA FUNERAL SERVICES

16 July 1946 funeral services for Lt. Col. John C. Larson and 2nd. Lt. Phillip Oltuskey
Pictures by William Blake, Medford, MA

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