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| USAAF 11th AF 28th CG 21st BS   11th AF Dec 10, 1942    Ted Spencer 1978  Steve Hillebrand 2008 |
Pilot Captain John Andrews (rescued) Co-Pilot Louis Blau (rescued) Navigator James Beardsley (rescued) Passenger Col Hart (rescued) Passenger Brig Gen William E. Lynd (WIA, rescued) Force Landed December 9, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego during 1941. Constructors Number 19. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24A-CO Liberator serial number 40-2367. This bomber had an ASV radar antenna was installed. Wartime History This B-24 began flying anti-submarine patrols off the west coast of the United States. On January 9, 1942 assigned to the 28th Composite Group (28th CG), 21st Bombardment Squadron (21st BS). On the left side of the nose was the nose art of a bee holding a bomb over its head and a large middle finger on a circular background. On June 11, 1942 flown to Otter Point Airfield (Umank). This B-24 flew 18 combat missions before it was lost. Mission History On December 9, 1942 took off from Adak Airfield piloted by Captain John Andrews on a weather reconnaissance mission over Attu and Kiska. Aboard was Brigadier General William E. Lynd. Over Attu, circled Holtz Bay then returned to Adak Airfield at 4:00pm, but found the area obscured by bad weather. The B-24 radioed it would fly to the far end of Atka Island and make a force landing at the western end of Bechevin Bay. During the crash landing, the rear fuselage broke off rear of the wings. Rescue The crew survived the crash with minor injuries, General Lynd suffered a a broken collar bone. Sheltering at the crash site, the crew made a shelter by draping wing covers over the left outer wing and wrapped themselves in their parachutes for warmth overnight. On December 10, 1942 they were spotted from the air by another B-24 that dropped supplies to them. Afterwards, the crew walked 200 yards to the edge of Bechevin Bay to await rescue. Later that day, a PBY Catalina landed at Bechevin Bay and attempted to rescue the crew, but it were too heavy to take off. Instead, they waited for a U.S. Navy destroyer escort to arrive to perform the rescue. Wreckage Remains in situ on Atka Island. Over the years, the fuselage crumpled behind cockpit from weight of the turret. During 1975 a U.S. Navy helicopter crew removed the .50 caliber machine guns. During 1978-1989, Ted Spencer visited the wreck and photographed it. The serial number, bomb markings and unit insignia were still visible on the left side of the cockpit. Ted Spencer visited the wreck during 1978 & 1979: "The nose was buckled by the crash. They came down very hot due to the low visibility and the ascending terrain in front of them. They hit the frozen ground which was actually made up of little hummucks. As they slid along, the ground tore up the skin and formers of the lower fuselage. The nose was doing the plowing and the nose gear assembly was torn away. The coupe de' grace was when the plane hit ground that had been furled by an old creek. The nose hit the far bank of the creek bed bank which probably buckled the nose/flight deck section. The impact slammed them to a halt." In 1979, Ted Spencer of the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum nominated this B-24 to the National Register of Historic Places, accepted December 2008. In 1984, the "American Veterans Memorial Museum" in Colorado registered this B-24 with the FAA as N58426 (today, this number is listed as not assigned) in hopes of recovering it, but no further action happened. Today, the wreck part of the jurisdiction of the Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24A-CO Liberator 40-2367 "2367 (MSN 25) force-landed Bechevin Bay, Atka, AK Dec 9, 1942. During the crash, the rear fuselage broke off behind the wings. Crew survived with only minor injuries, rescued the next day. Remains in situ on Atka Island. In 1984, assigned N58426 with American Veterans Memorial Museum, CO, but not recovered." A documentary was shown once on a local TV station in Alaska in 1983 but never released Flypast "Forgotten Survivor" February 2001 by Nicholas A. Veronico Wreck Chasing 3 "The Forgotten Liberator" by Nicholas A. Veronico Atka B-24 Liberator (photos) Anchorage Daily News "WWII wreck part of new national monument" December 28, 2008 Note, some sources state this B-24 had a crew of 11, photos show six or seven men USAF Biographies - Major General William E. Lynd Thanks to Ted Spencer for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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