Date & Time:
Dec 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-11826
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pueblo - Pueblo
MSN:
322
YOM:
1941
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Two Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers collided when one bomber overtook and pulled up in front of the flight leader. The impact with the leader’s nose severed the tail section and the aircraft went out of control preventing the seven man crew from bailing out. The flight leader had sounded the bailout bell and five men parachuted to safety. Parts of the severed tail remained embedded in the nose, pinning the bombardier and navigator in the nose of the aircraft and blocking the pilot’s forward vision. The engineer went to the front of the aircraft, noted the situation and notified the pilot of the two men trapped there. The pilot, Lt. Slough, despite the damage to the aircraft, with the aid of the engineer in the copilot’s seat, managed to fly the plane back and land at the base at Pueblo. These two men, Lt Slough and S/Sgt Cailleir, were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for their heroic actions.
Crew (41-11826):
1st Lt Gerald E. Smetts, pilot, †
2nd Lt Charles T. Bowen Jr., copilot, †
2nd Lt Adam C. Thompson Jr., navigator, †
2nd Lt Bliss M. Shannon, bombardier, †
Sgt Victor H. McGregor, engineer, †
S/Sgt Charles S. Meisenheimer, radio operator, †
Sgt James H. Cooney Jr., air gunner. †
Crew (41-24041):
1st Lt Frank D. Slough, pilot,
2nd Lt Steward P. Elliott, copilot,
2nd Lt Henry W. Scott, bombardier,
2nd Lt Lester M. Warner, navigator,
S/Sgt James E. Cailleir, engineer,
Sgt Elwood W. Harrison, engineer,
S/Sgt Dan Kinnon, radio operator,
Sgt Herman Siegeldt, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Robert A. Griffin, tail gunner.
Source:
http://www.coloradoaircrashes.com/Crashsites/crash_site13.htm
Crew (41-11826):
1st Lt Gerald E. Smetts, pilot, †
2nd Lt Charles T. Bowen Jr., copilot, †
2nd Lt Adam C. Thompson Jr., navigator, †
2nd Lt Bliss M. Shannon, bombardier, †
Sgt Victor H. McGregor, engineer, †
S/Sgt Charles S. Meisenheimer, radio operator, †
Sgt James H. Cooney Jr., air gunner. †
Crew (41-24041):
1st Lt Frank D. Slough, pilot,
2nd Lt Steward P. Elliott, copilot,
2nd Lt Henry W. Scott, bombardier,
2nd Lt Lester M. Warner, navigator,
S/Sgt James E. Cailleir, engineer,
Sgt Elwood W. Harrison, engineer,
S/Sgt Dan Kinnon, radio operator,
Sgt Herman Siegeldt, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Robert A. Griffin, tail gunner.
Source:
http://www.coloradoaircrashes.com/Crashsites/crash_site13.htm
