Zone

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-75-CO Liberator near Wakro: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-100184
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Yankai - Chabua
MSN:
3333
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a ferry flight from Yankai, China, to Chabua AFB. Some 30 minutes prior to the ETA, the four engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a mountainous terrain located in the region of Wakro. All 9 occupants were killed. The three passengers were on their way home.
Crew (308th Bomb Group):
1/Lt Robert W. King, pilot,
Lt John B. Byron, copilot,
1/Lt Eugene L. Bernstein, navigator,
T/Sgt Robert R. Riley, flight engineer and air gunner,
T/Sgt John J. Reagan, radio operator and air gunner,
S/Sgt Garland J. Reed, air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpt Thomas H. Clare,
S/Sgt Raymond J. Bridge,
Cpl Merle L. Pickup.
Photos available on
http://www.miarecoveries.org/gal13_B-24J_42-100184.html

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando near Yankai

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-24696
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
26617
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft crashed and was destroyed while all four crewmen survived.