Flight Officer Showalter served with the 3539 Base Unit at Langley Field, Virginia.
Navigator aboard B-24M Liberator #44-51522.
The bomber had taken off from Langley Field, near Hampton, Virginia for a mock bombing training flight to Mulberry Island.
The flight was observed at about 4,000 feet, heading in a northerly direction when an explosion was heard and smoke began pouring out of the No 3 and No 4 engines. Witnesses observed wing panels falling to earth. The plane entered a cloud and when it came back into sight, it had turned around and was dropping fast. The B-24 came down into the James River, with wings level, and entered the water about three miles west of Newport News, Virginia.
Two more explosions were heard after the aircraft impacted the water.
All eleven airmen aboard were killed:
2nd Lt. Raymond L Ferriman, Pilot
2nd Lt. Rosario Ferlita, O-838871, FL, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Donald E Fisher, O2078760, NY, Navigator
Flt. Off. Frank C DeMartino, T-134190, NY, Bombardier
1st Lt Charles L Goerke, O-690559, IN, Bombardier Instructor
Flt. Off. William D Showalter, T-138262, WV, Navigator
2nd Lt. Hugh E Leonard, O-930337, CA, Navigator Instructor
S/Sgt. Ralph E Forney, 35167109, IN, Flight Engineer Instructor
Sgt. Walter Brown, 31448500, RI, Radio Operator
Sgt. Keith T Hansen, 36647118, IL, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Wesley Faulkner, 35464419, KY, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from West Virginia; Service ID: T-138262.
Navigator aboard B-24M Liberator #44-51522.
The bomber had taken off from Langley Field, near Hampton, Virginia for a mock bombing training flight to Mulberry Island.
The flight was observed at about 4,000 feet, heading in a northerly direction when an explosion was heard and smoke began pouring out of the No 3 and No 4 engines. Witnesses observed wing panels falling to earth. The plane entered a cloud and when it came back into sight, it had turned around and was dropping fast. The B-24 came down into the James River, with wings level, and entered the water about three miles west of Newport News, Virginia.
Two more explosions were heard after the aircraft impacted the water.
All eleven airmen aboard were killed:
2nd Lt. Raymond L Ferriman, Pilot
2nd Lt. Rosario Ferlita, O-838871, FL, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Donald E Fisher, O2078760, NY, Navigator
Flt. Off. Frank C DeMartino, T-134190, NY, Bombardier
1st Lt Charles L Goerke, O-690559, IN, Bombardier Instructor
Flt. Off. William D Showalter, T-138262, WV, Navigator
2nd Lt. Hugh E Leonard, O-930337, CA, Navigator Instructor
S/Sgt. Ralph E Forney, 35167109, IN, Flight Engineer Instructor
Sgt. Walter Brown, 31448500, RI, Radio Operator
Sgt. Keith T Hansen, 36647118, IL, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Wesley Faulkner, 35464419, KY, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from West Virginia; Service ID: T-138262.
Flight Officer Showalter served with the 3539 Base Unit at Langley Field, Virginia.
Navigator aboard B-24M Liberator #44-51522.
The bomber had taken off from Langley Field, near Hampton, Virginia for a mock bombing training flight to Mulberry Island.
The flight was observed at about 4,000 feet, heading in a northerly direction when an explosion was heard and smoke began pouring out of the No 3 and No 4 engines. Witnesses observed wing panels falling to earth. The plane entered a cloud and when it came back into sight, it had turned around and was dropping fast. The B-24 came down into the James River, with wings level, and entered the water about three miles west of Newport News, Virginia.
Two more explosions were heard after the aircraft impacted the water.
All eleven airmen aboard were killed:
2nd Lt. Raymond L Ferriman, Pilot
2nd Lt. Rosario Ferlita, O-838871, FL, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Donald E Fisher, O2078760, NY, Navigator
Flt. Off. Frank C DeMartino, T-134190, NY, Bombardier
1st Lt Charles L Goerke, O-690559, IN, Bombardier Instructor
Flt. Off. William D Showalter, T-138262, WV, Navigator
2nd Lt. Hugh E Leonard, O-930337, CA, Navigator Instructor
S/Sgt. Ralph E Forney, 35167109, IN, Flight Engineer Instructor
Sgt. Walter Brown, 31448500, RI, Radio Operator
Sgt. Keith T Hansen, 36647118, IL, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Wesley Faulkner, 35464419, KY, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from West Virginia; Service ID: T-138262.
Navigator aboard B-24M Liberator #44-51522.
The bomber had taken off from Langley Field, near Hampton, Virginia for a mock bombing training flight to Mulberry Island.
The flight was observed at about 4,000 feet, heading in a northerly direction when an explosion was heard and smoke began pouring out of the No 3 and No 4 engines. Witnesses observed wing panels falling to earth. The plane entered a cloud and when it came back into sight, it had turned around and was dropping fast. The B-24 came down into the James River, with wings level, and entered the water about three miles west of Newport News, Virginia.
Two more explosions were heard after the aircraft impacted the water.
All eleven airmen aboard were killed:
2nd Lt. Raymond L Ferriman, Pilot
2nd Lt. Rosario Ferlita, O-838871, FL, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Donald E Fisher, O2078760, NY, Navigator
Flt. Off. Frank C DeMartino, T-134190, NY, Bombardier
1st Lt Charles L Goerke, O-690559, IN, Bombardier Instructor
Flt. Off. William D Showalter, T-138262, WV, Navigator
2nd Lt. Hugh E Leonard, O-930337, CA, Navigator Instructor
S/Sgt. Ralph E Forney, 35167109, IN, Flight Engineer Instructor
Sgt. Walter Brown, 31448500, RI, Radio Operator
Sgt. Keith T Hansen, 36647118, IL, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Wesley Faulkner, 35464419, KY, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from West Virginia; Service ID: T-138262.
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