Date:	Thursday 7 January 1943
Time:
Type:	Curtiss P-40F Warhawk
Owner/operator:	United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
Registration:	41-14068
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Dismal Swamp, Lake Drummond, VA -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Crashed. Robert Lloyd Eccles was pilot participating in a cross country training event from 353rd FG, 351st FS in Norfolk, VA. Lt. Eccles was leading the three planes, came in too low (buzzing the lake?) and his plane clipped the water/trees, crashed into the water and flipped over, sinking upside down. Lt Eccles drown. The second plane also entered the water but floated and the pilot survived the crash; the third airplane went back to Norfolk for help. Lt Eccles' remains were retrieved in the middle of the night/next morning as the area was/is a swamp and there were no services there to lift the plane. He was still strapped into the seat when he was found.

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.asp I have the crash report, the autopsy report and many records from my father's records. My father Gordon B Compton was his best friend in the same squadron and served as the Summary Court officer. He kept all of the documents, including the inventories and the records from his escorting "Bob"'s body home to Cabin Creek, WV and taking care of all of the train, mortuary and funeral arrangements. He notified Bob's parents and widow, Frances Dotson Eccles. Gordon Compton married France Dotson Eccles 1 Mar 1946 and were married 56 years. Another good resource is Jonah's Feet Are Dry written by Dr. Graham Cross, the historian of the 353rd FG, and professor of American History at Cambridge and Mancester currently (2021).

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Jan-2021 07:13	katycarter353@gmail.	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative]
25-Jan-2021 07:13	harro	Updated [Operator]
29-Jan-2021 16:19	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]