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Web Site Updated  05/22/13

Sgt. James B. Shelton, USAAF was an assistant flight engineer on a B-24D that disappeared while on a routine training mission in October 1943.  (Photo courtesy Marc McDonald via the Shelton Family)

On October 6, 1943 Consolidated B-24D 41-24041 departed Pocatello Army Air Field in Idaho for an over water navigational training mission to the Pacific Ocean southwest of Fort Dick, California. The B-24D was to have made radio contact with shore stations every thirty minutes until they landed at Hamilton Field in California. The only radio message received was at Klamath Falls, Oregon. When 41-24041 failed to arrive at Hamilton Field the aircraft and its crew of ten were posted missing, and were presumed to be lost at sea. No trace of the B-24D or its crew has ever been found.  Search missions were flown over the wilds of southwestern Oregon, and northwestern California in case the ill-fated B-24D had crashed on land. 

S/Sgt. Gordon L. Walker was the Crew Chief aboard North American Aviation B-25D #41-30114 assigned to Victorville Army Air Base in fall of 1944. Tragically, S/Sgt. Walker shown in this photo with his wife Alyene, was killed along with his crewmates on October 2, 1944 in a crash on the Mojave Desert. S/Sgt. Walker was twenty-four years old at the time of his death. (Photo courtesy U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Gordon S. Walker, the grandson of S/Sgt. Walker)

  B-25D story 
Project Remembrance

S/Sgt. Irving B. Kibler was killed flying a USAAF Douglas DB-7B (A-20) on October 10, 1942 while flying a gunnery training mission south of Blythe Army Air Base. The accident was attributed to possible target fixation during a strafing run. S/Sgt. Kibler was the sole occupant of the DB-7B and he was assigned to the 51st Bombardment Squadron at the time of his death. S/Sgt. Kibler was described as eager to serve his country in combat. (Photo courtesy of the Kibler Family)  
 

2nd Lt. Gordon A. Zempel served as a B-17 pilot during WWII, and he continued to serve in the USAF Reserve until his death at age twenty-three on January 24, 1948. 2nd Lt. Zempel disappeared in a USAF North American Aviation T-6D while on a routine proficiency flight from Norton Air Force Base. The wreck of his aircraft was not discovered until August 6, 1948 in the San Bernardino Mountains. (Photo courtesy William H. Zempel)

AT-6D Video
Project Remembrance

1st. Lt. Howard Daniel Jones looking sharp in the cockpit of a USAF North American Aviation F-86D. Tragically, 1st Lt. Jones was killed on 9/1/58 while taking off from El Toro MCAS in a Republic F-84F serial number 52-6527. 1st Lt. Jones was number two in a flight of three F-84F’s departing on a runway with an uphill gradient towards rising terrain. The pilots in this flight had not been briefed regarding the up hill gradient or the rising terrain beyond the end of the runway. Hazy conditions prevailed at the time of take-off. (Photo courtesy Peggy and Tim Mallon)

Project Remembrance

1st Lt. Howard D. Jones prepares to board a USAF NAA F-86D . At the time of his death 1st Lt. Jones was assigned to the Air Force National Guard in Springfield, IL where he flew the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak  assigned to the 170th Tactical Fighter Squadron. In the spring/summer 2010 the Project Remembrance Team made two efforts to locate the wreckage of F-84F #52-6527. The first search was unsuccessful, but the second found wreckage consistent with jet aircraft. Since then we have learned that two A4D-2N Skyhawk’s crashed in the same general area as the F-84F. Our goal now will be to confirm the type of aircraft at site one, and if it is the F-84F the next of kin can visit the crash if they choose to do so. Special thanks to Sam Parker for his efforts on behalf of 1st Lt. Jones’s family. (Photo courtesy Peggy and Tim Mallon)

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. Beal G. Dolven, Jr.
Lt. Cmdr. Oliver B. Walley
Lt. Jon E. Surratt, USNR
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)

Lieutenant Commander Oliver Bruce Walley, USNR was the navigator aboard Lockheed SP-2E Bu No 131487 on February 11, 1969. He was thirty-three years old at the time of his death. Lt. Cmdr. Walley was happily married with a son and a daughter.

On  May 18, 2012 his daughter Susan Walley Schlesman went to her father’s crash site with the assistance of the Project Remembrance Team. During her visit she placed a memorial message honoring the memory of her beloved dad. (Photo courtesy of Susan Walley Schlesman)

A/MM H.R. Hendrickson in his flight suit with a Lockheed P2V/P-2 Neptune on which he served.
(Photo courtesy Gail Hendrickson, photo restoration by Ron Funk)

ABC 7 News Report and Video
OC Register Article and Video, May 25, 2012
Daughter visits father's SP-2E Neptune crash site after 43 years, May 18, 2012
OCRegister.com article
ABC 7 News Report
Project Remembrance

Lt. David James Clare is pictured here while serving in the USAAF in the mid-1940’s. His flying career continued in the USAF as a Captain, and co-pilot on Boeing B-47’s assigned to the Strategic Air Command.

Capt. Clare lost his life on 10/13/55 in an evening take-off from March Air Force in B-47B #51-2231. (Photo courtesy David James Clare II)

B-47B Story
Project Remembrance

USAAF Pvt. Stewart L. Nengel survived the in-flight breakup of a Douglas C-53A on 1/31/43. His amazing story of survival and rescue will be posted shortly. (Photo courtesy Denise Robinson-Bartow)

Video: Douglas C53 Skytrooper and Waco CG-4A Glider accident in 1943 - Part 1

Video: Family members and rescuer visit 1943 Douglas C-53 aircraft crash site - Part 2

Project Remembrance

USAAF Pvt. Allen Weis is flanked by his sisters, Alberta Weis on the left, and Aletha Weis on the right. The photo was taken just three weeks prior to Allen’s tragic death on 10/29/43 when his Consolidated B-24E serial number 42-7092 crashed on the south flank of Cucamonga Peak. Pvt. Weis was one of ten airmen killed in this weather related accident. Chris LeFave spotted the remains of 42-7092 from the air, and then hiked to the crash site in October 2010. Chris described his hike as the toughest he’s ever done. The complete story will be posted soon.  (Photo courtesy Alicia Beauchamp)

Project Remembrance

Lt.Commander Arthur K. Tyszkiewicz, USN lost his life in Laos 1/14/67 while flying Douglas A-4C Bu No 145087. His service record was impressive, and his life story worthy of a book. I did not know Art Tyszkiewicz, but I taught with his brother Charles (Mr. T to his students) at Hawthorne High School for many years.

I had visited the A-4C Bu No 148570 crash site on the Mojave Desert that occurred on 8/18/66 from which LCDR Tyszkiewicz successfully ejected following an engine fire on a combat tactics training mission. Since there were two A-4 wrecks in the same area, I did not know for sure who the pilot was until I obtained the accident report. The surname listed got my immediate attention, and I called Mr. T. ( Photos courtesy Charles Tsyzkiewicz) Complete story to be posted soon.

LCDR Arthur Kasimir Tyszkiewicz taken shortly before his death at age thirty-three. He served with Navy Attack Squadron VA-56. Following a mid-air collision over Laos 1/14/67 LCDR Tyszkiewicz parachuted successfully into the jungle, but when the rescue helicopter attempted to recover him the cable became entangled, and he was dropped with fatal results.

With great respect we honor the good service and sacrifice of Lt. Commander Arthur K. Tyszkiewicz. (Photo Courtesy Charles Tyszkiewicz)

U. S. Navy Aviation Machinist Mate 3rd Class Charles E. Sellars died in the crash of a USN Beechcraft JRB-4 Bu No 76779 on April 19, 1946.  A/MM3c C. E. Sellars was twenty-three years old and married at the time of his death.  The pilot of the ill-fated JRB-4 was Chief Aviation Pilot Rulon J. Skeen who survived the crash with minor injuries.

The accident occurred at 2120 Hrs. during a flight from Mines Field (now LAX) to North Island NAS. The cause was a rough running engine to which the pilot failed to apply carburetor heat. CAP Skeen was attempting to make an emergency landing at Camp Pendleton Field when his aircraft collided with low rolling terrain and bushes just east of what is now Interstate 5. The JRB-4 was damaged beyond repair. (Photo courtesy Mary J. Sellars-Gallagher) Accident report via Naval History & Heritage Command.

2nd Lt. Alfred Parker, Jr. USAAF sitting in the cockpit of a Lockheed P-38 similar to the P-38G 42-13342 that he lost his life in on 3/31/44 north of Fillmore, CA.
(Photo courtesy of Hilda Lassalette, 2nd Lt. Parker’s sister, via Marc McDonald)

2nd Lt. Alfred Parker, Jr. handsome in his USAAF uniform. He was killed on an operational training mission in which he may have blacked out or lost control of his P-38G on 3/31/44. He crashed in the mountains five miles north of the Ventura County community of Fillmore on 3/31/44. Less than 1% of the wreckage remains today. (Photo courtesy of Hilda Lassalette, via Marc McDonald)

Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Sergeant Floyd E. George was only twenty years old at the time of his death on 3/13/45.
(Photo courtesy Edwin & Janice Zander)

KN345 Story

F/Sgt. Edward Watkins, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve was twenty-one years of age at the time of his death aboard Douglas Dakota Mk. IV, KN345 on March 13, 1945. (Photo courtesy Marc McDonald)

USAAF 2nd Lt. Edwin H. Carroll, co-pilot on North American Aviation B-25G 42-65201 lost his life on 2/11/44 in a mid-air collision with B-25D 41-30492 near Sacramento, CA. Five USAAF air crewmen were killed in this training accident. (Photo courtesy of the William Cordero Family)

Aviation Cadet Bill Garner was killed following a low altitude bailout from a spinning Vultee BT-13A 42-89243 near Willows, CA.
(Photo courtesy Reno County, Kansas VFW)

When a USN TV-2 (T-33B) went missing over the mountains of Ventura County, CA on 4/16/56 a search mission was launched. Despite many days of searching for the wreckage of the TV-2 and its crew, it was not found. On 4/22/56 a USN Piasecki HUP-2 from NAMTC Point Mugu crashed while flying a search mission in high winds near Ojai, CA. Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class Callis C. Gooding was injured in the crash, but he managed to save the pilot and the Civil Air Patrol observer from the burning HUP-2 wreckage. A/MM 2/c Gooding was known for service above and beyond the call of duty when he helped rescue two downed USAF airmen during the Korean War behind enemy lines.

Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class Callis C. Gooding is the proud holder of the Navy Cross and England’s Distinguished Service Award for heroism. The missing TV-2 was finally located on 4/24/56 with the body of Lt. Robert Thomas on board, but that’s another story.

Special thanks to Marc McDonald of Ventura County for locating the HUP-2 crash site, and also for his research on TV-2 Bu No 136872. (Photo courtesy Mark McDonald)

In two photographs provided by Kirk Lacewell, the co-pilot’s son, we see his dad standing on the wing of a NAA SNJ “Texan” during carrier qualifications. In the second picture the young lieutenant beams with well deserved pride at being a United States Navy Aviator.

Update:
The Project Remembrance Team that includes Chris LeFave, Tom Maloney, Dave Mihalik, John Walker, Pat J. Macha, and G. Pat Macha completed our mission on 12/4/10.With storm clouds gathering we escorted Kirk Lacewell and his son Matt to the crash site of U. S. Navy Beechcraft SNB-4 Bu No 67260. This mission would not have been possible without the help of BLM Surveyor David Haller, USFS Recreation Officer Melinda Lyon, and Craig Fuller of AAIR who provided the detailed accident report.

SNB-4 Story
Project Remembrance

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
Project Remembrance