ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 102913
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| Date: | Tuesday 22 December 1942 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Curtiss P-40E Warhawk |
| Owner/operator: | United States Army Air Force (USAAF) |
| Registration: | 41-36510 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 5 mi N of Otis Field, MA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
On 3 August 1942, the 317th Fighter Squadron was activated at the Theodore F. Green Field, Hillsgrove, Rhode Island. On the first day the squadron consisted of 1 Master Sergeant, 5 Technical Sergeants, 2 Staff Sergeants, 7 Sergeants, 8 Corporals, and 199 Privates. The First Sergeant, then a Staff Sergeant, Jack Barrier, was assigned and promoted to First Sergeant, on the second day; but it was not until the third day of existence that the first officer was assigned. First Lt. John D. Geiser became temporary Commanding Officer, and served until 1 September, when 1st Lt. James E. Tucker, the first pilot to be assigned to the squadron, was appointed Commanding Officer. Capt. Oliver M. Kaufmann assumed the duties of Adjutant. With the influx of pilots and group officers during the next several days, basic divisions of personnel were made and the various departments began to take shape. Operational training began, with the acquisition of twelve P-40s, from the 86th Fighter Squadron. Intense, vigorous training missions were scheduled in interception, ground gunnery tactics, dive-bombing, and simulated dogfights. P-40s were idle only when bogged down by weather, flying from dawn to dusk and frequently at night. On 7 October, Capt. Jack C. West was appointed Squadron Commander, relieving Lt. Tucker who was transferred to Headquarters, 325th Fighter Group. On 13 October Staff Sergeant Pilot Watkins Mayo was killed when his plane crashed at Norwood, Massachusetts.
On 22 December 1942 1st Lt Bart J. Judge, Jr., of 317th FS, 325th FG, led a three-airplane flight on a tactical training mission. The formation made a high speed pass at a U.S. Navy Consolidated PBY and then broke off. The flight reformed and then participated in individual simulated combat. The flight had broken up during the maneuvering and when the two wingmen could not locate the Lt. Judge, they returned to their home station, Hillsgrove Army Air Field, Providence, Rhode Island, landing at approximately 1330. The wingmen had last seen Lt. Judge at approximately 1300. The airplane was reported overdue and soon after declared missing.
Despite a massive search effort, the airplane (the P-40E 41-36510) and the pilot’s remains were not discovered until 22 March 1943 when they were found five miles north of Otis Field, Falmouth, Massachusetts, in Camps Edwards ground. Investigation revealed that Lt. Judge attempted to bail out at an altitude too low to allow his parachute to fully deploy. His body was found 15 feet from the main wreckage with the partially deployed parachute strung out behind him.
Sources:
http://www.325thfg.org/317his.htm
"Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945. Volume 1, January 1941-June 1943", by Anthony J. Mireles. ISBN 0-7864-2788-4
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Dec1942S.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Air_National_Guard_Base
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Edwards
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Jan-2016 20:21 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Narrative] |
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