Date:	Wednesday 12 January 1944
Time:
Type:	Martin PBM-3S Mariner
Owner/operator:	VP-211 USN
Registration:	6644
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 10
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	50 miles off Salvador, BA, Brazil -   Atlantic Ocean
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
On 12 January 1944, VP-211, an US Navy patrol squadron then based at Aratu, Brazil, suffered its first loss of personnel since its activation. Three Mariners of this unit were engaged in ASW exercises fifty miles at sea off Bahia. Shortly after the exercises started, the PBM-3S 211-P-8 (Buno 6644) dropped a depth charge (containing 650 lb Torpex) that exploded upon contact with the surface. The bomb blast caused the plane to crash, burn, and sink almost immediately.

One of the other planes in the formation, 211-P-4, immediately landed, to effect a rescue of any survivors, though the sea was running to heavy swells and the water was covered by burning oil. The remaining plane, 211-P-7, directed operations from the air, and expedited communications with rescue surface craft and base. Despite the dangerous condition of the sea, and with disregard of the fact that the waters were shark infested, members of crew of P-4 jumped overboard and rescued five critically injured survivors. The five other crew had been probably killed in the crash and were not recovered. They are commemorated on the East Coast Memorial, Battery Park, New York City.

Crew members killed:
Ens Thomas C. Donahue
Ens Frederick A. Rowe III
Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class William John McGrath
Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Stephen Eli Obydine
Aviation Radioman 3rd Class Constantine Livanis

VP-211 War History (available online at https://www.fold3.com/image/302097596, casualties names at https://www.fold3.com/image/302097617)
"The fighting flying boat: a history of the Martin PBM Mariner", by Richard Alden Hoffman. ISBN 1-59114-375-6 (date given in error as 21 January 1944)
http://www.vpnavy.com/vp211_mishap.html
https://www.abmc.gov/
http://www.maplandia.com/brazil/bahia/salvador/salvador/_/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Sep-2010 14:30	ASN Archive
09-Nov-2015 06:11	junior sjc	Updated [Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative]
08-Jan-2016 12:11	Laurent Rizzotti	Updated [Date, Source]
12-Jan-2016 12:02	Laurent Rizzotti	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]
10-Apr-2024 10:39	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]