Fighter Sweep
  • Home
  • Military Aviation
  • Air Force
  • Navy
  • Spec Ops
  • Expert Analysis
  • Careers
  • Photos
Home Previous Post Next Post
Follow @fightersweep

Watch: Divers work to recover bodies of lost WWII bomber crew

December 26, 2018
FighterSweep Staff No Comments History, Video

Per the Department of Defense:

Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Eugene P. Ford, killed during World War II, has now been accounted for.

On Dec. 17, 1944, Ford was the a member of the 765th Bombardment Squadron, 461st Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force, as the pilot of a B-24J aircraft known as The Tulsamerican. Accompanied by a crew of nine service members, the Tulsamerican was the lead aircraft in a group of six B-24s from the squadron to participate in a combat bombing mission targeting oil refineries at Odertal, Germany. Coming out of a cloud bank near the target, the aircraft were attacked by more than 40 German Me-109 and FW-190 fighters. The unit suffered heavy losses with three of their six aircraft shot down and the other three damaged. The Tulsamerican sustained heavy damage, forcing Ford to abort the mission and crash land in the Adriatic Sea, near the Isle of Vis, in present-day Croatia. Seven crew members of the aircraft survived and were rescued, however three, including Ford, were killed in the crash, and their bodies were unable to be recovered.

Interment services are pending; more details will be released 7-10 days prior to scheduled funeral services.

DPAA is grateful to the divers who discovered the crash site, as well as the Croatian Government (especially the Croatian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Veterans Affairs, and Ministry of Culture), the Croatian Conservation Institute, the University of Zadar, Lund University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the National Park Service and the Croatian Navy, most especially the Captain and Crew of the DBM-82 Krka, for their partnership in this mission.

Ford’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Italy, an American Battle Monuments Commission site. A
rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Related Posts

  • Watch: Touching footage of all female ‘missing man’ flyover honoring Captain Rosemary MarinerWatch: Touching footage of all female ‘missing man’ flyover honoring Captain Rosemary Mariner
  • Intense WWII footage is a stark reminder of what massive naval and air battles were really like (and could be again)Intense WWII footage is a stark reminder of what massive naval and air battles were really like (and could be again)
  • Watch: Shocking footage of Russian Tu-22M3 Bomber crashing in the Arctic earlier this weekWatch: Shocking footage of Russian Tu-22M3 Bomber crashing in the Arctic earlier this week
  • Watch: Incredible footage of a massive C-130 landing and taking off from a carrier at seaWatch: Incredible footage of a massive C-130 landing and taking off from a carrier at sea
  • Check out the amazing pictures and video of a B-2 Bomber flying over the Rose BowlCheck out the amazing pictures and video of a B-2 Bomber flying over the Rose Bowl

Find Us on Facebook

FighterSweep.com

Sign Up
for the Newsletter

What’s Hot

  • March 23, 2019

    Rest Easy: Ranger assigned to secretive reconnaissance unit dies in free-fall accident

  • blue-angels-reporter-blacks-out-passes-out
    December 5, 2017

    Watch: News Reporter Blacks Out on Ride with US Navy Blue Angels

  • Whistling Death: How The Corsair Got Its Nickname
    August 30, 2019

    Whistling Death: How the Corsair got its nickname

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Twitter

Recent Comments

  • pak152 " the team came up with what the Brits dubbed as Mustang, powered by a [...]
  • P K Polish AF never has and never will operate Su-27, An-26 aircraft has been out [...]
  • bnarfhyde The best book is also great. have a [...]
  • TerrorTrike ive never survived this long with such a clumsy FL- cG.866B.CO/NC6155hc
  • D4rksupeme yessss truck kunnnnnnnn i needddd you m.866E.CO/vC6155H

© Copyright 2023 SOFREP Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers