Date:	Tuesday 29 September 1942
Time:
Type:	Grumman JF-1 Duck
Owner/operator:	US Navy
Registration:	Bu No. 9455
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	1
Aircraft damage:	Unknown
Location:	Over Sakonnet River, Tiverton, Rhode Island -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Involved in a mid-air collision in a training accident with a P-40 Fighter Warhawk, #41-14186. There were three planes sighted in close proximity in the air, two collided and both went into the river. Marsh's and Elmer's parachutes failed to open; Marsh sank before help, a George Helger of Tiverton who was on a scallop boat in the river, could reach him. Elmer, deceased, was floating with his unopened parachute when Helger picked him up.
Helger rescued pilot Hawkins, but from what this researcher can gather, he died shortly thereafter (not verified). McLendon was listed as missing, found later. (Sakonnet River, Tiverton, Rhode Island.)

Dead are:
2nd Lt. Robert A. Marsh (age 24) from Pontiac, MI on the P-40F, #41-14186

The following three were on the Grumman:
RM2c Homer D. McLendon, Providence, RI [reported as missing]
Pilot Lt. Commander Clarence Hawkins from Wichita, KS [rescued by George Helger, may have died shortly thereafter]
AMM 3/c James Elmer (age 18) from Bridgeton, NJ [parachute failed to open, died in the crash]

newenglandaviationhistory.com/sakonnet-river-tiverton-r-i-september-29-1942/

U. S. Navy accident report #43-4907
Fall River Herald, “Army and Navy Planes In Crash”, September 30, 1942
North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #42-29
Findagrave.com Memorial # 144801195 (Shows a photo of the grave.)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-Feb-2022 07:52	Bunrat06	Added