Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Mountain of a Mystery...
On June 23, 1943, a B-17 Flying Fortress(serial number 42-3399, nicknamed "Scharazad"), departed Pendleton Army Air Base in Pendelton, Oregon destined for Grand Island, Nebraska. From there, the bomber would join the other members of the 383rd Bomb Group and continue to England to participate in the ongoing World War II bombing campaigns. Around midnight, the captain radioed that their position was near Powder River, Wyoming. They were not heard from again. After the plane failed to arrive in Grand Island, the plane was declared missing and the Army mounted a search effort with no results. A second search was conducted the following year, concentrating on the Wind River, Absaroka and Big Horn Mountains, but still no wreckage was spotted.
On August 12, 1945 two cowboys spotted something shiny on a ridge line in the Cloud Peak area of the Big Horn Mountains. They discovered the wreckage and the deceased crew, and contacted authorities, who conducted an operation to recover the bodies of the crew and return them to their families. It was believed that during earlier search efforts, the paint color of the aircraft blended in closely with the mountain side, making the wreckage difficult to spot. After a few years, the paint wore off, and the shiny aluminum underneath made the plane more visible. No official cause for the crash was ever determined, but it is presumed that malfunctioning navigational equipment, and a moonless night combined with bad weather caused the pilot to not see the ridge until it was too late.
On August 12, 1945 two cowboys spotted something shiny on a ridge line in the Cloud Peak area of the Big Horn Mountains. They discovered the wreckage and the deceased crew, and contacted authorities, who conducted an operation to recover the bodies of the crew and return them to their families. It was believed that during earlier search efforts, the paint color of the aircraft blended in closely with the mountain side, making the wreckage difficult to spot. After a few years, the paint wore off, and the shiny aluminum underneath made the plane more visible. No official cause for the crash was ever determined, but it is presumed that malfunctioning navigational equipment, and a moonless night combined with bad weather caused the pilot to not see the ridge until it was too late.
Lauren and I have decided to hike into the backcountry to find this area known as "Bomber Mountain". A local told me that it is a two day trip up to the crash site. It will be quite the adventure. I am sure we are up to it.
"It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have honors and not deserve them."
-Mark Twain
In honor of the crew of the "Scharazad":
William R. Ronaghan (pilot)
Anthony J. Tilotta (co-pilot)
Leonard H. Phillips (navigator)
Charles H. Suppes (bombardier)
James A. Hinds (aircraft engineer)
Ferguson T. Bell, Jr. (radio operator)
Lee 'Vaughn' Miller (assistant aircraft engineer)
Charles E. Newburn, Jr (assistant radio operator)
Jake F. Penick (aircraft gunner)
Lewis M. Shepaerd (assistant aircraft gunner)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
