Marlin P5M crash 1954.

[JDupre5762]

My father in law has told me an interesting story about a crash of a Martin P5M
Marlin flying boat patrol bomber. The crash occured in 1954 near Horta, Azores
Islands. My father in law was on board the seaplane tender Currituck AV 7.
Apparently Pan Am flying boats used to take off from the harbor but this meant
flying right towards a hill. The Marlin pilot decided to take off in the open
sea where there was a heavy swell. He also decided to use RATO assist.
Something went wrong and instead of taking off the rockets drove the aircraft
into the sea. Several of the crew survived but not all.

Where could I find out about this tragic loss?

John Dupre'

[Chuck]

(JDupre5762) wrote:
---
My father in law has told me an interesting story about a crash of a
Martin P5M Marlin flying boat patrol bomber. The crash occured in 1954
near Horta, Azores Islands. My father in law was on board the seaplane
tender Currituck AV 7. Apparently Pan Am flying boats used to take off
from the harbor but this meant flying right towards a hill. The Marlin
pilot decided to take off in the open sea where there was a heavy swell.
He also decided to use RATO assist. Something went wrong and instead of
taking off the rockets drove the aircraft into the sea. Several of the
crew survived but not all.
Where could I find out about this tragic loss?
---
This sounds like the VP-44 P5M crash on "take off" with four crew
members killed, but that crash is referenced by a surviving crew member
as being on 11 NOV 1956. The crewmember was radioman Carl E. Klinger
(email addy in 2001 was ).

The Currituck was deployed supporting VP-44 in 1954 in West Wales, then
Taranto, Italy, then back to Portsmouth England - don't know about the
Azores.

Again in 1956 the Currituck was deployed with the 6th Fleet.

Lots of VP-44 info and crew contacts at http://www.vpnavy.com

Good Hunting,
Chuck



HEAVY ATTACK COMPOSITE (VC-5,6,7,8,9) WEBSITE
http://community.webtv.net/charles379/USNComposite

FAIRECONRON ONE AND TWO (VQ-1/2) CASUALTIES
http://www.anzwers.org/free/navyscpo4/Chuck_Huber_AirCrew.html

[W. D. Allen Sr.]

From past experience...

Under the Freedom Of Information Act you may request a copy
of the operational command's accident report from the Navy
Safety Center. You will not receive copies of any eye
witness reports, however.

But, unless you can fix the accident date, the aircraft
identification, or names of flight crewmen it is unlikely
the report will be located. Keep in mind that the effort to
meet your request will be on a not-to-interfere basis with
NSC assigned mission work. It might be six months or longer
before you hear from them.

Chuck's VP-44 lead might be the info you need to request the
accident report.

Good luck

WDA
CDR USN Ret.


"JDupre5762" > wrote in message
...
> My father in law has told me an interesting story about a
crash of a Martin P5M
> Marlin flying boat patrol bomber. The crash occured in
1954 near Horta, Azores
> Islands. My father in law was on board the seaplane
tender Currituck AV 7.
> Apparently Pan Am flying boats used to take off from the
harbor but this meant
> flying right towards a hill. The Marlin pilot decided to
take off in the open
> sea where there was a heavy swell. He also decided to use
RATO assist.
> Something went wrong and instead of taking off the rockets
drove the aircraft
> into the sea. Several of the crew survived but not all.
>
> Where could I find out about this tragic loss?
>
> John Dupre'

[JDupre5762]

(JDupre5762) wrote:

>My father in law has told me an interesting story about a crash of a
>Martin P5M Marlin flying boat patrol bomber. The crash occured in 1954
>near Horta, Azores Islands.


>From: (Chuck)

>his sounds like the VP-44 P5M crash on "take off" with four crew
>members killed, but that crash is referenced by a surviving crew member
>as being on 11 NOV 1956.

Could well be. My father in law was assigned to the Currituck from 1953 to
1958 I believe. He is 86 this year so sometimes his memory is better than
other times. Thanks.

John Dupre'