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| USAAF 11th AF 28th BG 21st BS    Ted Spencer 1979  via Ted Spencer 2002  via Hill Aerospace |
Pilot Captain Ernest "Pappy" Pruett (survived) Bombardier T/Sgt Holiel Ascol (survived) Force Landed January 18, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built at the Consolidated at San Diego completed September 3, 1942. First flight September 7, 1942. On September 9, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-10-CO Liberator serial number 41-23908. The next day flown accepted by the U.S. Army and later flown to the Consolidated Factory at Worth, Texas arriving September 22, 1942. This bomber was the seventeenth of twenty-one B-24s in a batch modified for cold weather operations. On November 17, 1942 the modifications were completed and had a check out flight the same day. The next day returned to USAAF ready for cold weather operations in in Alaska. On November 21, 1942 at Great Falls Army Air Field, Montana. On December 4, 1942 flown to Elmendorf Airfield. Wartime History Assigned to the 11th Air Force (11th AF), 28th Bombardment Group (28th BG), 21st Bombardment Squadron (21st BS). No known nose art or nickname. Soon afterwards, flown to Otter Point Airfield (Umnak) then to Adak Airfield and began flying anti-shipping patrols in the area to aid the U.S. Navy (USN). Mission History On January 18, 1943 took off from Adak Airfield piloted by Captain Ernest "Pappy" Pruett as one of five B-24s on a mission to locate and bomb three Japanese ships reportedly bound for Kiska Island. The formation flew 500 miles to the Kiska area through deteriorating weather conditions. When the formation arrived over the target area, they were forced to abort the mission due to bad weather and return to base. Back over Adak Airfield visibility was so poor that they could only circle overhead awaiting an eventual break in the weather. When one of the other B-24 pilots in the group saw a brief opening over the runway and hastily tried to land he crashed into several P-38 aircraft parked near the runway. One other B-24 did manage to land safely, but the four remaining planes were forced to disperse and look for someplace to put down. Two of these B-24s disappeared presumably at sea and were never heard from again. The third, the flight commander's aircraft, had enough fuel to fly to Cold Bay Airfield and landed safely. As Captain Pruett's B-24 began to run low on fuel, he radioed the Adak tower that he planned to put down onto Great Sitkin Island. He descended toward the ocean and made a low pass over his proposed landing site to ascertain conditions. According to Lt. Francis Xaver, the Navigator on Capt. Pruett's B-24 that day: "As we flew over the 50 foot cliff on the shoreline, a strong wind blowing up the face of the cliff was so turbulent that it knocked out our radio, and we lost all contact with Adak. Unknown to us, Adak tried to contact us at about this time to inform us that a base was open somewhere up the chain of islands. Of course, we never received the message as our radio was out of order." Captain Pruett eased the B-24 onto the tundra at about 130mph, with the landing gear up to prevent flipping the aircraft. The B-24 slid about 1,000 feet over the mud and wet grass before it finally came to rest, passing between several large boulders at the foot of the volcano on Great Sitkin Island. Fates of the Crew During the landing, T/Sgt. Holiel Ascol suffered a broken pelvis. Rescue Later that same day, USS Hurlbert rescued the crew and transported them back to Adak. Afterwards, Ernest Pruett went on to fly 44 combat missions and never lost another aircraft. Wreckage This bomber remained in situ on Great Sitkin Island until the summer of 1994. During the summer of 1994 it was located by a scouting party from the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah, searching all known Alaskan B-24 crash sites for a recoverable aircraft for display at Hill Aerospace Museum. An expedition to salvage the bomber was planned for the summer of 1995. Former pilot Ernest Pruett retired in Carlsbad, California was contacted by members of the Heritage Foundation and asked if he would like to return to the island and assist the recovery team in plucking "his" B-24 from obscurity. He agreed and joined the recovery effort in Alaska. Salvage During the summer of 1995, members of the Heritage Foundation, the 419th Combat Logistics Support Squadron, and 67th Aerial Port based at Hill AFB plus former pilot Ernest Pruett traveled to the bomber and labored for several weeks to completely disassemble the plane and maneuver it to the shore and loaded the pieces onto a ship. Afterwards, the pieces were transported to California for restoration. Restoration The fuselage was restored in California and then shipped to Hill Aerospace Museum arriving May 17, 2002. The wings are to be completed later and final assembly will follow soon thereafter. This B-24 aircraft is presented by the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah and Hill Aerospace Museum as a tribute to all those who served their country in World War II and in the "Forgotten War" of the Alaska Campaign. Ted Spencer adds: "I have its pilots seat that I bought from a militaria shop in Connecticut. Apparently it was recovered from the wreck by a US Navy helicopter pilot out of Adak NAS in the late 1960's. I also met the pilot Ernie Pruett at an 11th Air Force reunion in Arizona." References The Forgotten War identified this wreckage as B-24D "Li'l Deicer" 41-11850 [sic] Thanks to Hill Aerospace Museum for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? 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