Off Block Island – July 28, 1944

Off Block Island – July 28, 1944

    

U.S. Navy Avengers National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy Avengers
National Archives Photo

     On the night of July 28, 1944, a U.S. Navy TBM-1D Avenger (Bu. No. 47455) was on a routine flight over the Atlantic Ocean -possibly on anti-submarine patrol – when it crashed about five miles south of Block Island.  Exactly what happened to the aircraft was never determined. 

      The aircraft was assigned to Escort Scouting Squadron 13, (VC-13). 

      All three crewmen aboard were lost.

     (The Pilot) Lieutenant William Van Arsdale Wilson, of Marysville, Calif.  Lt. Wilson was born July 4, 1919, and enlisted in the Naval Air Corps in August of 1941.  He was promoted to Lt. (jg.) in June, 1943, and to full Lieutenant on July 1, 1944.  He’d been with VC-13 for 19 months.  He’s buried in New Castle Cemetery in Newcastle, California.  (See Findagrave.com  #9376360 for a photo of his grave.)

     Aviation Radioman 2C Lloyd Elmer Hay, of Apopka, Fla.  AV2C Hay was born April 15, 1921, and is buried at Ft. Donelson National Cemetery in Dover, Tenn.  (See Findagrave.com  #132967419 for a photo of his grave.)

     Aviation Meatelsmith 2C James Wilburn Glover.  

     Sources:

     Newport Mercury, Navy Gives Names Of Missing Flyers” August 4, 1944

     Larry Webster, Aviation Historian and Archeologist.

     Findagrave.com

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