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Ongoing Search for
Gertrude Tompkins Silver
Silver update Dec 1, 2009
Gertrude "Tommy" Tompkins in her leather flight jacket with Fifinella
emblazoned on it.
(Courtesy Whittall-Scherefee Family)
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Web Site Updated
03/11/10 |
G. Pat Macha
Speaker Engagement
list
Author
"Aircraft
Wrecks..." Book
Host
"Wreck
Finding" DVD
Thanks to the expert piloting of George Peterson I was able to take two
photos of Curtiss C-46A #41-12363 that crashed in a winter storm on 2/25/44
killing the crew of four. After sixty-five years of weathering one side of
the tail assembly is now natural aluminum, but the shaded side still retains
its olive drab paint applied so long ago.
The tail assembly of
C-46A #41-12363 showing the left horizontal stabilizer. Photo taken 7/22/09
by G. P. Macha.
Recent
Crash Site Visitations
Missing Aircraft in California
Stories with Returned Artifacts
B-24D 4/9/44
B-24L
1/30/45
B-25D
10/2/44
P-59A
3/1/45
TP-39N
9/6/44
Story Archive
Grumman AA-58
1/3/82
Northrop
A-17
A-4C
Unknown
B-12A
5/28/35
B-24E
12/5/43
B-24J
5/16/44
B-24J
5/5/44
BT-13A
1/8/43
C119C Mystery
C182C
11/10/69
C-46A
10/5/45
DC-3
11/21/50
F-105D
12/7/67
F3D-2
1952-53
F3H-2N
10/3/56
F4U-4
4/23/46
F6F-5N
3/6/49
F7F-3P
1/28/47
F9F-5
2/2/57
FG-1A
5/5/45
JF-104A
5/1/57
JF-104A
11/22/66
Mooney M20
12/31/76
OY-2
5/29/51
P-38
5/4/44
P-38/EA-3B 6/18/44
& 9/10/62
PA-22
10/28/56
PA-28
6/3/01
PBJ-1D
4/26/44
PT-17
7/15/45
SA-16A
1/24/52
SBW-4E
6/19/45
T-33A
5/15/55
TB-25N
1/26/56
TBM-3
10/1/52
TS-2A
10/5/98
TWA Martin 404
2/19/55
YF-89D
10/20/53
Steve Fossett
B-36D
8/5/52
this links to other web site
Monument Site
A4D-2
7/8/59
B-24D
12/6/42
B-24E
7/5/43
B-24E
3/3/44
B-24J
5/4/45
B-25D
10/2/44
B-24J/TF100C 7/2/44 & 4/9/57
B-26
12/30/41
Beechcraft 95
C-130A
6/17/02
C-180
1/31/05
DC-6B
10/1/92
DH-4B
12/7/22
FJ-4
3/27/61
HUP-2
11/7/09
N-3PB
4/21/43
P-40's
10/24/41
P2V5/C118A
2/1/58
PV-1
2/24/44
SNB-5
11/18/50
X-15
11/15/67
Project
Remembrance
BLM Aircraft Historical Sites
Picture
Archive
Latest picture posted
9/1/09
Veterans pictures
How to ID a micro-site
ID a micro-site
Info added
5/15/07
Related Story
World War II
Airman Found
Frozen in Glacier
Continuing story
9/28/07
Articles
For a complete list of articles featuring
G.
Pat Macha
Related Links, Organizations
&
Associations
Links
European links
Recommended Readings
Latest posting
Obituaries
Thomas
F. Gossett
E. "Butch" Gates
Peter Stekel in August
2007 at the crash site of USAAF Beechcraft AT-7 #41-21079 that was posted
missing on 11/18/42 training flight. Peter has a book in the works on this
most interesting story.
To learn more click here.
Addendum added 3/13/08
Final_Flight_bog_home.htm
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On March
5, 2010 the United States Air Force will conduct a “Full Military Honors”
ceremony with a twenty-one gun salute near LAX for more than fifty members
of the Theiler and Smith families. A fly past by USAF fighter jets is also
planned. The discovery of the T-33A was a collateral benefit of the on-going
search for WWII WASP pilot Gertrude V. Tompkins Silver who vanished on
10/26/44. The UB88 Team made the discovery of the long missing T-33A in May
of 2009. ( Plaque donated by Pat Macha and Gary Fabian)
1st Lt.
Richard M. Theiler USAF Reserve, assigned to the Air Defense Command,
pilot of the Lockheed T-33A 51-9227 that disappeared after take-off from
LAX on 10/15/55. 1st Lt. Paul D. Smith USAF Reserve assigned
to the ADC was in the back seat. Their mission was a navigation training
that included night flying experience. Theiler was from Tomahawk, WI.
and Smith was from Midland, TX.
(Photo courtesy of the Theiler
Family & the Smith Family)
T-33A story and Memorial Service
LA Times article: "Service for 2 Fallen Airmen", March 6, 2010
Dailybreeze.com
article:
"Memorial service held
for crew of 1955 military plane crash", March 6, 2010
Dailybreeze.com photo gallery
Aerochannel video
Honoring our Veterans of the skies who
made the ultimate sacrifice!
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T/Sgt. Keith M. Ferguson
USMC with his daughter Terry Kay.
SNB-5 story
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Looking sharp in his
“dress blues” T/Sgt. Keith M. Ferguson USMC. (Photos courtesy Carol Ohman &
Terry K. Contreras)
SNB-5 story |
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The entire USMC crew
of Beechcraft SNB-5 Bu No 29649 is seen by us thanks to the daughter of
T/Sgt. Keith Ferguson, Mrs. Terry Contreras.
SNB-5 story
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1st Lt. Willard M. Grubbs USMCR.
(Photo courtesy Ron Grubbs)
SNB-5 story |
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U.S. Navy Commander
DeForest Joralmon, CO of VA-155 lost his life in the crash of Douglas
A4D-2 Bu No 142817 on 7/8/59 in the Mojave Desert. |
The
memorial marker honoring U.S. Navy Commander DeForest Joralmon.
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A4D-2 story |
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USN LCDR. Howard
Emerson Clark was killed in the crash of Douglas AD-4N Bu No 126977 on
1/14/53 in the rugged San Jacinto Mnts. east of Hemet, CA. LCDR. Clark
was a Naval Academy graduate and a highly decorated submariner during
WWII. He earned is Gold Wings in 1947 and coninued to serve his country
with
distinction until his death. (Photo courtesy Howard. W. Clark) New
Veteran Picture |
USAAF 2nd Lt. Donald
O. Pedrazzini pilot of Consolidated B-24D
#41-24262 that crashed on 12/6/42 in the coastal mountains of Northern
California.
B-24D story
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Lt. Cmdr. Robert F. "Bob" Coad
USNR was aboard Lockheed SP-2E Bu No 131487 that crashed in bad weather
in the Santa Ana Mountains on 2/11/69 with loss of the entire crew:
Lt. Cmdr. Robert Fredrerick
Lt. Cmdr. Beal G. Dolven, Jr.
Lt. Cmdr. Oliver B. Walley
A/O Walter R. Jacobson
A/O John E. Hansen
A/MM Harris R. Hendrickson
(Photo courtesy John Ibson) |
Harris Russell Hendrickson Aviation
Machinist Mate USN in photo circa 1942 at age twenty. A/MM Hendrickson
had a long career in the U.S. Navy that ended tragically on 2/11/69
aboard Lockheed SP-2E Bu No 131487.
(Photo courtesy Gail Hendrickson) |
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OCRegister.com article
ABC 7 News Report |
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USAAF F/O Ray Schwartz, Jr. in his dress
uniform shortly before his death on 6/26/44 while flying Vultee BT-13A
41-11444 near Wrightwood, CA. (Photo courtesy Bill DeBolt)
New
Veteran Picture |
USAAF F/O Ray Schwartz, Jr. wearing his
winter flight gear. Both he and F/O Arthur S. Sears were killed on
6/26/44 during a routine training mission west of Wrightwood, CA. while
flying a Vultee BT-13A based at Victorville AAB. (Photo courtesy Bill
DeBolt)
New Veteran Picture |
Additional Veterans
Pictures |
