VP-50 Mishap
1950's
MISHAPs: 13 NOV 53 A/C: PBM-5S2 LOCATION: off Cheju Island, Korea TYPE: Fire STRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 15 BUNO: Unknown CAUSE: In response to Captain Richard Hoffman's recent request, here are the particulars on Crew 10, VP-50, that were lost off Cheju Island, Korea, on the Tuesday before 13 Nov 1953. The aircraft was seen to "go down in flames" no other info available. There were no survivors. The loss was not deemed due to enemy action due to the location. The aircraft was a PBM-5S2, Martin Mariner enroute to a Yellow Sea patrol. The PPC was Lt. Paul Elvin Nielsen, USNR, Alameda, CA. Pilots were LTJG Laurence John Dacasto, USNR, home unk, LTJG John Crawford Dudley, USNR, San Lorenzo, CA and Ens. James Francis Johnston, USNR, Gainesville, FL., Ltjg Dacasto's hometown was San Francisco, CA. Enlisted members of Crew 10 included Plane Captain Orvis Roger Mee, AD1, USN, Tomah, WI; Gerald Robert Hendrick, PH1, USN, East Alton, IL; Alvin Clair Haney, AD2, USN, Alameda, CA; Teddy Arthur Dobrenz, AT3, USN, Sheridan, WY; Gilbert Fletcher Gauldin, AL3, USN, home unk; Larry Eugene Norton, AO3, USN, Griffin, GA; Elton Raymond Davis, ADAN, USN, San Lorenzo, CA; Kenneth Wilbur Goff, ATAN, USN, Portland, Maine; Harlan Paige Cobb, AN, USN, Hartford, AL; and James Mitchell Hill, AN, USN, Donaldsonville, GA. Contributed by DAVE RINEHART DAVMARINER@prodigy.net and forwarded to VPNAVY by Richard A. Hoffman, Captain, USN (Ret) dickdot@san.rr.com [E-Mail Updated 03JAN2001 | 26APR99]
"...I now have a stand alone page (SECRET COLDWAR SHOOTDOWN OF PBM-5A BuNo 58152 - CALL SIGN 10 MADNESS) on https://3capecod.net/10MADNESS.htm..." Contributed by Satch Beasley sonofanavyman@3capecod.net [26MAY2018]
"...VP-50 Mishaps involving the disappearance on 10 November 1953 of a PBM-5, BuNo 58152, Call Sign 10 Madness..." Contributed by Satch Beasley sonofanavyman@3capecod.net [08FEB2018]
The crash site provided by the Investigating Navy Report is predicated entirely on dubious debris recovered near South Korea. Currently there is a claim of: November 7, 1953 People's Republic of China PLAAF pilot Xicai Lin claimed to have shot down a US Navy PBM-5A Mariner in Qingdao. This might have been BuNo 58152, reported lost over the Yellow Sea on November 10th with a crew of 15.
If the claim is confirmed to be true then these 15 Navy men were 295 nm from the alleged crash location and are no longer Missing but MIA. These men deserve every consideration to be included on DPAA’s PMCOLD list. As of 2018 the PMCOLD list includes 126 MIA from 14 Cold War shoot downs. http://www.dpaa.mil/Our-Missing/Cold-War/
The American Battle Monuments commission gives the following recognition to the 15 Navy crewmen of 10 Madness: Air Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; Purple heart; Korean Service Medal; Korean Presidential Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal but still listed as “Missing”. The families involved may have been provided cover stories to conceal real activities. It is the duty and responsibility of DPAA to give proper review of the facts for the true fate of these 15 Navy crewmen.
"...My DAD, killed in the Korean War flew a PBY and a PBM both during World War II and the Korean War. His name was LT(jg) John Crawford Dudley, originally from Terre Haute, Indiana. My Mom told me he was stationed on NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and she lived there also. He was a co-pilot at the time the engines failed, or was shot down in the Pacific Ocean, 1953. The PBY aircraft was #12 on the fuselage. I have the picture now. The entire crew plus aircraft was missing and only oil slick remained. I have a copy of the telegram sent by the United States Navy which has more details. At the time of LT(Jg) John C. Dudley's death, he was twenty-eight we lived in California. I will be able to look up more details for you now that I have found this website. My family lives in Seattle and I will be out there to visit your Naval Base this September. I am extremely interested in flying, belong to the Flight Museum, EAA and have flown in EA. I can't wait to visit the Seaplane Base. Do you have any information concerning visits and how I would be able to access the history of my Dad? He was a pilot in the Navy the entire time. I will be able to ask my Mom the years he was stationed on NAS Whidbey Island, Washington to narrow down the search. I am amazed, and not prepared with further information for you, otherwise I know you would be able to trace his past for me. I will get back to you because I know there are quite a few John Crawford Dudleys in the Navy because I have already inquired. If you know the information I need to access this, would you please e-mail me back and let me know either way? This is very exciting for me and would love to tour the base when I visit there. Please respond with any information on tours. Is there a special location or website I may check because the entire crew was missing and never found? I am interested in the facts that surround his death which I do not have. Also, his file would most probably be microfilmed by now and that would be able to be accessed too if possible in 1953. Please let me know how to do this. I appreciate ANY information you would give me. I will include my birthdate, social security number and full name so you know that I was a surviving child of a Naval Pilot who died during the Korean War. He was called back to duty after World War II. This is so interesting to me. I have seen two PBY's at Oshkosh, no PBM's, 1999 was a restored Military PBY and 2000 was a "Party PBY" for some Island Company which made me sick to my stomach, but who would be able to own and fly their own PBY except someone very wealthy? Please get back to me ASAP. I just tapped on this site and have not had a chance to check it out. I appreciate any information no matter how slight. It is important to me. I am going to fly this e-mail, so any typos, errors please ignore. I will go back and check details on information or the name of his Squadron. I was told he was shot down also. Thank you...LT(jg) John Crawford [KIA] c/o His Daughter Elaine Dudley dudley_e@hotmail.com..." [08AUG2001]
MISHAPs: 09 APR 59 A/C: P5M-2 LOCATION: Based at NAS Iwakuni, Japan TYPE: Fire STRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 10 BUNO: Unknown CAUSE: Contributed by Arvid Alfred ka7gfq@comcast.net [04MAY2000]
"...In April 1959 I was a Marine airborne radio operator assigned to VMR-253 at NAS Iwakuni, Japan. On April 10th. we participated in the search for for your missing aircraft. I was the radio operator on the R5D that located the wreckage. Some of your squadron were aboard to assist. In the briefing prior to the search, we were told that they were in the middle of a radio transmission when contact was lost...Roger Wyckoff rcw6725-det@yahoo.com..." [21SEP2005]
"...This aircraft was part of the Squardon that I was in during 1957-1959 I knew most on board. The following is out of our book we received upon return to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. To our Shipmates: LT Floyd G. Nelson, LTJG James L. Sullivan, LTJG Audrice R. Traylor, ALC Binkley Congleton, ADC Garth W. George, AD2 Bobby J. Abdo, AT2 Gordon P. Kennedy, AT3 Duane L. Peterie, AE2 Earl J. Pleasent and AO3 James H. McDaniel who disappeared on patrol on 9 April, 1959, after reporting: "Operations Normal, 33-38n, 126-11E". The wreckage of their aircraft was located the next day on a desolate peak of Halla-san mountian, Cheju-Do Island, Korea. In this unexplained tragedy, Crew Ten died...Arvid Alfred ka7gfq@comcast.net..." [04MAY2000]
MISHAPs: 25 SEP 59 A/C: P5M-5 "...Having served with VP-50 flying P5M-2's at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington (1957-1960). I was naturally drawn to their portion. I am very familiar with one Mishap that was not listed under the Mishap section. On 25 Sept 1959, I was co-pilot on a plane that was on a routine rigging mission off the Oregon coast. With startling rapidity, we had a fire in the Number One engine, combined with a loss of electrical power, low altitude, over single-engine weight, and terrible weather. Fired both fire bottles, but to no avail. The plane was ditched in 8-10 foot seas, but thanks to our pilot, LT Jim Henson, the landing was made "into the wind, parallel to the swell", just like the book prescribed. All crew members exited the burning aircraft from the right rear side, but not before they threw all the survival gear into the water. I believe we all swam for about 30 minutes before we got the first raft open and I crawled in. In my memory, I can still see crew members in the water in a line that extended some 100-200 yards. Down at the far end of the line, other crew members got the second raft open, and between us, all crew members were picked up and in the rafts. There is a lot more to the story (Gibson Girls, survival gear, 200 foot ceilings, loss of a special weapon, Coast Guard equipment drops, etc) but suffice to say that all ten of us spent 30 minutes in the water, then about twelve hours bailing furiously in our rafts, before being rescued by the Coast Guard cutter Yacona out of Astoria, Oregon. I would dearly love to hear from anyone else who remembers the mishap, and especially any of the other nine crew members, all of whom are heros in my book..." Contributed by Don McCloskey don1jane1@aol.com [28SEP2000]
VP-50 "...10 Navy Fliers, Ditched Off Oregon Coast, Rescued After 12 Hours on Tossing Pacific - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: 1956-Apr 1960 - Reel Number: 0004..." WebSite: FootNote http://www.footnote.com/ [17AUG2008]
"...VP-50 The P5M-2 that caught fire and landed in heavy seas on 25sep59 was 135540. What wasn't mentioned was that the aircraft had a nuclear depth charge on board which was never recovered following the incident and should still be on the bottom of the sea..." Contributed by Jan van Waarde jwaarde@chello.nl, Navy/USMC/USCG/NASA Updates Editor WebSite: http://www.scramble.nl Dutch Aviation Society / Scramble [01DEC2004]
"...The Mishap on 25 Sept 1959 was in a P5M-2, and not a PBM-5 as stated. Two, the Mishap following says it occurred in Pugent Sound, Washington. The correct spelling is Puget...Don McCloskey don1jane1@aol.com..." [30AUG2001]
MISHAPs: NOV/DEC 59 A/C: P5M LOCATION: Pugent Sound - Oak Harbor, WA TYPE: Wing Separated STRIKE: Yes DEATHS: Unknown BUNO: Unknown CAUSE: Rocket exploded upon ignition
"The aircraft lost a wing after a high velocity aircraft rocket (5" HVAR) exploded at launch. Why? There was a shortage of inert warheads for training at Whidbey Island at the time. Someone made the decision to use high explosive warheads for training, but didn't want to take the risk of one exploding and causing damage in the event of an accidental firing, ricochet, etc. So it was decided to remove the base fuzes in the warheads and replaces them with wooden plugs. Problem was that the rocket motor igniter was located in the forward section of the tube body where the warhead screws in. The design of the fuze also acted as a seal to prevent hot ignition gases from reaching the explosive charge in the warhead. The wooden plugs didn't fit well enough to seal out the gases and when the pilot fired the rocket..." Contributed by Robert B. (Bob) Casey bobcasey@mindspring.com [25MAY99]
"The aircraft (P5M) was firing 5 inch rockets at a target sled when one blew up on the wing. The wing failed and the aircraft struck the water SRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 08 BUNO: Unknown CAUSE: Struck Water. "I was aircrew Plane Captain (first mech?)in the squadron at that time. We left on permanent deployment to Iwakuni, Japan shortly after the accident..." Contributed by ADC Donald W. West, USN Ret westd@southeast.net
1960's
MISHAPs: 11 FEB 60 A/C: P5M LOCATION: Strait of San Juan De Fuca TYPE: Wing Fire STRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 09 BUNO: Unknown CAUSE: My Uncle, Robert Albert Perham, remains were never found in a mishap dated February 11, 1960. He was a crewmember engaging in rocket training excercises over the Strait of San Juan De Fuca, about ten miles southwest of NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. I have newspaper clippings, the original Western Union messages that were sent to my Grandparents and several letters from the Commanding Officer of VP-50. They say there were additional aircraft in the area. There were no unusual radio transmissions and then an explosion was seen beneath the left wing. The wing separated and the aircraft plunged into the water. It was a twin engine P5M Marlin. Nine died. Four bodies were recovered. The search ended March 4, 1960. I have a list of those crew members and their families. I would love to honor them in some way. I'm putting together a memory book for my mother. This was her brother...Patricia Miller millerp165@yahoo.com [08MAR2003]
"...My twin brother, AMSAN R.C. Brickey, was lost Feburary 11th, 1960 while serving with VP-50. I would like to hear from any of his former Shipmates via E-Mail or 1-800-285-0531...Robert Brickey cessnabob1940@aol.com..." [28FEB2010]
"...Crew Listing: LCDR R.F. Clement, LT(jg) D.B. Engle, LT(jg) R.F. McAlister, AD1 B.O. Mathias, ATR3 R.A. Perham, AO3 D.D. Winters, ATN3 E.M. Woods, AMSAN R.C. Brickey and ATNAN D.O. Jacobson..." WebSite: VPInternational http://www.vpinternational.ca/Book/HonourRollUS/Apr58-Nov61.html [28FEB2010]
MISHAPs: 18 OCT 65 A/C: P5M LOCATION: NAF Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam TYPE: Weather STRIKE: No DEATHS: 00 BUNO: 135496 or 145496 CAUSE: It was a foggy rainy day when our wing struck the water while we were turning into the sea lane during an IFR approach. Contributed by GARCIA, AWC Russ argeepar3@yahoo.com [11APR2009]
I am really trying to find some "shipmates" that could help me with an aircraft accident I was involved in back in 1965 with VP-50. If you could post something that goes like this: "In 1965, August if my memory serves me correctly, I was involved in an aircraft accident during a landing in Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam. Patrol Squadron 50, The aircraft had tail letters SG-7. The BUNO was either 135496 or 145496. It was a foggy rainy day when our wing struck the water while we were turning into the sea lane during an IFR approach. If there are any of the crew members that were on board this incident, or that know anything about it, please contact me. Referencing my cruise book for this time, my fellow crew members were:
CDR H.R. Purdy, PPC (VP-50 Executive Officer) LT C. W. Orr, PPC LT(jg) G.F. Hicks, PP2P LT D. A. Stephens, PP3P LT(jg) R.T. Myers, TACCO AXC Ken D. Huston, 1st Tech ADR2 J.R. King, 1st Mech AN B.G. Inciong, 2nd Mech AO2 John A. Kappel, Ord AMSAN Richard H. Murphy, AM AX2 J.F. Sawyer, 2nd Tech AE3 P. H. Clawson, 4th Tech
What is interesting is I have spent many hours researching to find any info I can about this accident but can find absolutely nothing about it. If you know of web sites that may help, please let me know. I am nearby NAS Pensacola, Florida.
Not only would I enjoy making contact with any of these guys, it may have significant importance to me concerning a disability claim with the VA.
"...Yesterday I got an E-Mail from one of my crewmembers on the mishap. (Paul Clawson). He reminded me that we had created a logo for the accident and called it "Seven on the Rocks". It was a martini glass with a P5M broken in half. with the SG on the tail and a 7 on the nose, sitting inside the martini glass...." Contributed by GARCIA, AWC Russ argeepar3@yahoo.com [17APR2009]
"...Information provided by BARTH, Bruce D. bbarth1@austin.rr.com a member of the Mariner/Marlin Association..." Forwarded by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [17APR2009]
Date: October 18, 1965 Squadron: VP-50 Aircraft: SP-5B, BuNo 135496, Crew 7. Synopsis: Landed short of the sealane at NAF Cam Ranh Bay in bad weather without benefit of radar guidance typically provided by the tender. Damage: Right float struck the water on turning final and separated. Casualties: None Disposition: Aircraft towed to tender and transported to Shinmeiwa overhaul facility at Kobe for repair or strike – ultimate disposition unknown. Narrative: "Mishap involved either the USS Pine Island or Salisbury Sound (most probably the Pine Island ) needing a couple hours off shore for an unrep (underway replenishment) with the logistics folks so the seaplanes were left to fend for themselves for a time during which BuNo 135496 returned from patrol. It should have been a routine landing but the weather unexpectedly turned sour and the pilot stalled offshore waiting for a "hole."
"Finally had no choice but to devise an approach using their own radar - enter the bay, do a right turn to sealane heading and land. While performing this maneuver, he got a little low during the last several degrees of turn and dragged a float, leveled wings and landed still short of the sealane heading ending in the shallows and reeds. Little foggy after 43-odd years. Seems he still had water tight integrity. A boat left there by the seaplane tender was able to render what little support they could provide until return of the tender. A/C was subsequently towed to tender and loaded aboard."
MISHAPs: 06 JAN 67 A/C: P5M LOCATION: Philippines STRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 10 BUNO: Unknown
In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967 [Updated 10OCT2012]
MISHAPs: Mid 67 P5M LOCATION: NAS North Island, San Diego, California STRIKE: No DEATHS: No BUNO: Unknown "...This happened, maybe mid 1967. I was driving to work up the strand and it was fogged in. The fog broke and there was one of my squadron's plane on the beach. I never expected to see something like that..." Contributed by Larry Markowitz larrymark@prodigy.net [08FEB2003]
"...Hey, I was on that plane! No one was hurt or anything like that. Good. I almost flew with Crew 13 on the flight that they were lost on in 1967 Ronny Lynn Steen, my fellow Ordanceman was on that plane. Good guy. Friend. Remember others on that crew too. Bummer. Until I looked at the clippings that I saved in my first cruzebook, I kept thinking that that happened very late at night, around midnight. Very boring 4 hr touch & goes. Trying to stay awake in the after station. As I recall, there were only two of us back/down there. Isolated from each other by distance between our seats & the noise from that old "Pigboat". I was in the very back right seat, the Ordinance station. After one landing the pilot called back asking if there was a problem. He thought we may have hit something in the water. We looked around from our seats, half awake. Apparently neither one of us really wanted to get up & look. We saw nothing. He called at least once again. We still saw nothing and had felt nothing. Craning our necks around, we still saw no problem and reported same. We were still looking when someone, most likely the First Mech/ Flight Engineer came rushing down the ladder from the Flight station, upper deck. He looked into the bow compartment and we could tell by his actions that there really was a problem. We finally got our butts out of our seats and ran forward. Sure enough, something had tore a big hole in the bow. We went for the pumps I guess. Gee, you do not use those much if you are lucky. Do not remember much about that. I was very new to this. Only 8 days before my 22nd birthday. And I see on a clipping that I must have sent to my parents that I penned that this was my first flight in my first squadron out of North Island I had a ways to go before I was actually in a crew. Said "laugh of the day" Also wrote and drew an arrow to CDR Kidd's quote about how the P5's were being phased out but sinking them was not exactly the method. that the DOD recommends. I said, now much to my chagrin, that I did not agree. Those had to be the ugliest airplanes that I had ever seen. Slow. Pigboats. Dempsy dumsters flying in formation is how some guy put it as we looked up from our base at Sangley Point in the Philippines. For years and years now I would give so much to fly in them again. I digress. After we could not pump the water out we just closed the "watertight door". As I recall, the hole was about 3 ft long and at least 10 inches wide. The bow was filling up and the pilot made the right decision to head it to the beach. The "boat" kept sinking lower & lower in front. I know that he called and told the crew to brace ourselves just before we hit the beach. It was an easy beach. No sweat. Good job Mr. Middlebrooks. While waiting for someone from the base to come & pick us up, most of the Enlisted crew & maybe some O's did sit up on the leading edge of the left wing waiting for the "press" to show up & take our pic. Never happened. Please see attached Newsletter Article..." SNYDER, Tom tom3@gci.net [03MAR2003] VP-50 Mishap Picture
"...Newpaper Article (Newspaper Unknown - pictures below) Stats: Martin Marlin seaplane sits high and fairly dry at Silver Strand. LT W. M. Middlebanks, the pilot, headed craft for shore after fuselage was ruptured during practice landings. Plane began taking water and electrical systems were flooded, making it impossible for plane and nine men aboard to taxi to base at North Island. Salvage operations are scheduled to begin..." Contributed by Larry Markowitz larrymark@prodigy.net [08FEB2003] VP-50 Mishap Picture 1 of 2 VP-50 Mishap Picture 1 of 2
1970's
MISHAPs: 13 APR 73 A/C: P3 LOCATION: NAS Moffett Field, California STRIKE: Yes
"...These are pictures are from a crash at NAS Moffett Field, California in 1973..." Contributed by Don Trask LoneWolf1eptx@aol.com [18MAR2003] VP-47 Mishap News Article 1 of 2 VP-47 Mishap News Article 1 of 2
1980's
MISHAPs: 17 APR 80 A/C: P3 LOCATION: Pago Pago TYPE: Collision W/Tram Wire SRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 07 BUNO: 158213 CAUSE: Pilot Lost in the mishap included: LT A.R. Glenny, LT(jg) P. Conroy, AW1 S.R. Buchanan, AMS1 N.L. Scates, AD1 J.H. Sharp and AT2 T.J. Delviscio.
In Memorial for lost friends...17APR1980 [Last Updated 05DEC2014]
MISHAPs: 06 FEB 88 A/C: P3 LOCATION: NAS Jacksonville, Florida TYPE: Partial Gear Up Lnd SRIKE: NO DEATHS: 00 BUNO: 157330 CAUSE: Pilot [Updated 15JAN98]
"...I found especially interesting the entry on VP-50's 157330. It is the bird we dubbed "Phoenix" at the depot. I was the depot P-3 Planner and Estimator at NADEP NAS Jacksonville, Florida at the time who convinced everyone that the airplane could be fixed instead of striking it. The pilot knew what he was doing when he landed the crippled aircraft at NAS Cecil. I knew about an RAAF P-3 that had a flight station fire that had been preserved and parked in Edinburgh Australia. I took a team there and after looking at the wings we worked out a horse trade to get the wings off and back to the depot in Jax via C-5. In the meantime I had the a team of artisians take apart the aircraft at NAS Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida. Wings and empennage were removed. The fuselage was placed on a truck and a special escort down 103rd street to NAS Jax was made. The original cost and schedule estimates were beaten to put the aircraft back into service..." Contributed by Jim Hughes kc4fws@comcast.net [14SEP2005]
"...BUNO 157330 of the VP-50 A/C that had it's landing gear ripped off in NAS Jacksonville, Florida was 157330. Instead of totaling the plane, they removed the wings from a Australian P-3 that was destroyed by a fire on the ground and attached them to 157330. That plane is still flying today. That plane is still flying today. And the bird lost to SDLM was BUNO 148884.I was in Fifty for the 157330 and the Buno for the sceond one came from the Spring 1994 issue of Airborne Log..." Contributed by Brett W. Thrailkill thrailkillj@ymail.com [15JAN98]
1990's
MISHAPs: 21 MAR 91 A/C: P3 LOCATION: San Diego TYPE: Mid Air Two P-3's SRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 27 BUNO: 158930/159325
In Memorial for lost friends March 21st, 1991 [Updated 11SEP2020]
"VP-50 Summary Page"
|