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| USN VH-1 |
Pilot Lt(jg) Herman G. Sale (KIA, BR) Elkin, NC Crew AMM2 Charles Brooks Kendall (KIA, BR) KY Crew AOM3 Donald Bruce McGarvah (KIA, BR) Detroit, MI Crew AMM2c George A. Bolek, 6220270 (KIA, BR) Green Lake Township, MI Crew AM2c James Thomas Miller (KIA, BR) Marion County, FL Crew AMM3 Charles H. Reinert (KIA, BR) Crew AMM2 Harry L. Nelson (KIA, BR) Crew Am3c(T) Robert Eugene Towns (KIA, BR) Fort Wayne, IN Crew AMM1 Kenneth Diffenderffer (KIA, BR) Crew AMM2 Joseph Scott Ferguson (KIA, BR) Crew AMM3 Russell Lathrop Hamilton (KIA, BR) Crew AMM3 Henry H. LaFreniere (KIA, BR) Crashed September 12, 1945 Aircraft History Built by Martin as Model 162F. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as PBM-3D Mariner bureau number 84617. Wartime History Assigned to Rescue Squadron 1 (VH-1). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On September 12, 1945 took off from Chimu Airfield (NAS Chimu Wan) on Chimu Bay (Chimu Wan) off eastern Okinawa piloted by Lt(jg) Herman G. Sale on a test hop while climbing collided with a J2F Duck and crashed into Chimu Bay (Chimu Wan). All twelve aboard died in the crash. Recovery of Remains After the crash, the remains of the crew were recovered. On September 13, 1945 the crew were buried at Island Command Cemetery on Okinawa. Bolek at plot 2 row 16 grave 487. During 1948, the remains of the crew were exhumed and transported to the United States for permanent burial. Memorials The killed were officially declared dead the day of the crash. Sale is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Elkin, NC. Kendall is buried at Bellefonte Memorial Gardens in Flatwoods, KY at section C. McGarvah is buried at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy, MI. Bolek is buried at Oakwood Catholic Cemetery in Traverse City, MI in Catholic Old Lot 520 grave 3. He is also memorialized at Okinawa Prefectureal Peace Memorial Museum in the Okinawa Memorial Park on panel USN-BE-BO. Miller is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Ocala, FL. Reinert is buried at Bluff City Cemetery in Eglin, IL in section 20. Nelson is buried at Live Oak Cemetery in Live Oak, FL. Towns is buried at Saint Matthew Cemetery in Lima, OH at section H row 1. Diffenderffer is buried at Long Island National Cemetery at section H site 10118. Ferguson Hamilton LaFreniere References Navy Serial Number Search Results - PBM-5 Mariner 59172 "84617 (VH-1) collided with Grumman J2F on takeoff from Chimu Wan, Okinawa Sep 12, 1945 and crashed. 12 killed." FindAGrave - Lieut Herman Graham Sale (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Herman G. Sale (Okinawa Memorial Park photo) FindAGrave - Charles Brooks Kendall (grave photo) FindAGrave - Donald Bruce McGarvah (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Donald Bruce McGarvah (Okinawa Memorial Park photo) Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - George A. Bolek, 6220270 Traverse City Record Eagle "Died in Crash" September 22, 1945 page 1. FindAGrave - George Anthony Bolek (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - George Anthony Bolek (photo, Okinawa Memorial Park photo) FindAGrave - James Thomas Miller (grave photo) FindAGrave - Charles H. Reinert (grave photo) FindAGrave - Harry L. Nelson (grave photo) FindAGrave - Robert Eugene Towns (grave photo) FindAGrave - Robert E. Towns (Okinawa Memorial Park photo) FindAGrave - Kenneth Diffenderffer (grave photo) FindAGrave - Joseph Scott Ferguson FindAGrave - Joseph Scott Ferguson FindAGrave - Russell Lathrop Hamilton FindAGrave - Russell Lathrop Hamilton FindAGrave - Henry H. LaFreniere FindAGrave - Henry H. LaFreniere Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated February 14, 2024 |
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