PB4Y-2 Wreck at Wake Island

[ACarey]

Does anyone know if the wreck of a PB4Y-2 Privateer belonging to VPB-121 that was shot down over Wake Island in May 1945 has been located?

[tom d. friedman]

i most certainly don't have all the answers.... but i find it hard to believe that a navy liberator was shot down at wake in 1945, other than circumstances being the result of friendly fire. after wake capitulated in 1942 it became the back water of the war. when we re- took the island from the enemy it was with a bare minimum of casualties in 1945. i seriously doubt the japanese had the capability in 1945 to be extended that far in any military aviation capacity.

[ACarey]

I was wrong on the date. It occured on 7 March 1945 according to after action report #1. Privateer BuNo 59474 piloted by Lt. McElwee of VPB-121 was shot down and crashed into the lagoon about 1500 feet north of Kuku Point (Wilkes Island).

[tom d. friedman]

shot down???? other than friendly fire in 1945 i'd love to learn the circumstances!!!! best, tom

[ACarey]

Three Privateers, base on Eniwetok, hit the island at 0630 at an altitude of some 3500 feet and bombed the runway on Wake. A fourth Privateer reached the target about two hours later and bombed the target. McElwee attempted a second bombing run but was hit, the plane fell on its starboard side, and crashed. According to the other planes, a large fireball was seen off the southwest tip of the atoll. A dumbo sent out later in the morning reported seeing two pieces of the Privateer floating along with green dyemarker and an oil slick. The two pieces sank while the Dumbo was on station.

[Jack Cook]

shot down???? other than friendly fire in 1945 i'd love to learn the circumstances!!!!

Tom,
You're such a doubting Thomas on so much stuff. It was standard practice for new units (especially CVs with new air groups) to hit by- passed islands/bases to get the aircrew some experience. More that a few aircraft were lost on these milk runs.

[tom d. friedman]

at least you didn't call me a doubting "tom ass"

[ACarey]

One of my areas of interest are the PB4Y-1 Liberator and PB4Y-2 Privateer. I've been trying to find out information on crash sites throughout the Pacific; I wrote a couple of books on them. No luck yet in finding several missing aircraft that crashed either on land or near the shore in the Philippines, Marshall Islands, Malaysia, et al. I had a number of requests concerning PB4Y MIAs from relatives.