Last Flight, The Missing Airmen, March 1951

Last Flight, The Missing Airmen, March 1951

[Author’s Preface: This is an abbreviated account of the ill-fated flight of the C-124 Globemaster II N43173C, 49-0244.]

C-124A tail number 9244 (buno 49-0244). This photo was taken in Jan 1951 at RAFB Lakenheath

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At 1915 Zulu, on Wednesday, the 21st of March, 1951, the C-124 commanded by Major Robert J. Bell of the 2nd Strategic Support Squadron departed Walker AFB, loaded with aircrews and equipment of the 509th Bomber Group, final destination was RAFB Lakenheath, England.
At 2212 Zulu, they touched down at Barksdale AFB, Shreveport, Louisiana where they remained overnight. On Thursday, the 22nd of March Brigadier General Paul T. Cullen and his staff joined the other passengers and boarded the aircraft. BG Cullen was the commander of the newly established 7th Air Group assigned to England. The flight took off at 0425 Zulu, destination Loring AFB, Limestone, Maine.

Following an uneventful eight hour flight, the C-124 touched down at Loring, time: 1230 Zulu. While the aircraft was being refueled, the pilots and navigators went to base ops where they received an updated weather briefing. They filed the flight plan for the final leg: Limestone direct Gander, great circle (rumb line) to Mildenhall RAFB, U.K.

The flight route was over the weather ships that linked the American continent to the British Isles. Along the route, they checked in with each ship, giving a position report, status onboard, and receiving updated weather.

At 0100 Zulu, Friday the 23rd of March, 1951, they checked in with the British weather ship 4YJ stationed at 52 degrees north latitude, 20 degrees west longitude. The C-124 radio operator gave their position report (appx 800 miles southwest of Ireland). Shortly thereafter, the C-124 gave out a Mayday call, reporting a fire in the cargo crates. They began jettisoning the crates and announced they were ditching. The C-124 ditched at the approximate grid 50 degrees 45 minutes North, 24 degrees 03 minutes West. The aircraft was intact when it touched down on the ocean. All hands excited the aircraft wearing life preservers and climbed into the inflated 5 man life rafts. The rafts were equipped with cold weather gear, food, water, flares, and Gibson Girl hand crank emergency radios.

Captain Walter A. Wagner, Jr.

The USAF 509th element stationed in England launched a B-29 to search for the survivors. Captain Muller was the pilot in command. He located the men when they fired several flares. The B-29 was not carrying any rescue equipment that could be dropped to the survivors. Captain Muller radioed back that he had located the men and would remain on station until bingo fuel. They continued circling and hoping for rescue aircraft to arrive but to no avail. Reaching critical fuel, Captain Muller was forced to abandon his fellow airmen and return to base.

Not one ship or a single aircraft returned to the position given by Captain Muller until Sunday, the 25th of March, 1951. When the ships arrived all they found were some charred crates and a partially deflated life raft. Ships and planes continued searching for the next several days but not a single body was found. The men of C-124 #49-0244 had quite simply disappeared.

It is a fact that Soviet submarines and surface vessels were active in this area and that the Soviets had no qualms about capturing and holding American servicemen, particularly aviators.

We do not know what fate befell these men.

The Missing Airmen