Eyewitness statement, page 4 · 28 December 1944
CONFIDENTIAL
84OTH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (II)
483RD BOLDARDMENT GROUP (H)
Office of the Operations Officer
APC 520
28 December 19.14
STATEMENT OF WITNESS
At 1105 the crew on airplane 144-6497 bailed out at 10-12, 000 feet,
except pilot (It. C.M. Keen) and Engineer (s/Sgt.W.T. Moore) due to fire
and badly vibrating No. 1 engine. The engine was rapidly tearing to pieces and
flying thru the cowling endangering all nen forward in the ship.
At 1030 the No. 1 engine started pouring oil from its No. 1 cylinder. The
engine feathering systes failed to feather and the plane was turned back with
P-38's as escort. At 1100 the engine (No. 1) and tachometer went out at
3100 R.P.M. and hot pieces of engine metal had ignited the oil. The co-pilot
set the fire extinguisher on but no difference could be seen. When the engine
kept increasing its vibration the pilot had no alternative but to tell the clew
to jump. The co-pilot opened the bomb bay doovs for the remaining crew members
and followed the Navigator out the nose hatch. I (the Engineer) gathered
all my emergency equipment preparing to leave when the pilct asked me to check
the remaining crew. I checked the rear of the ship and returned in time to see
the prop begin to fall. It fell slowly downward and to the rear of the ship ceas-
ing the vibrations, sparks, and fire. The ship was then apparently in flying
condition.
About ten sinutes after the crew had bailed out of Airplane 44-6497 I (the
Engineer) had noticed a small town on the coast with a very distinct canal
leading into the sea. I suppese they landed in the foothills within 15-20
miles of the coastline.
Upen inspection on the ground No. 1 cylinder on No. 1 engine was blown
open with the engine dome and prop missing with forward portion of engine
badly burned.
William T. moore
WILLIAM T. MOORE is/set.
Engineer
84OTH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (II)
483RD BOLDARDMENT GROUP (H)
Office of the Operations Officer
APC 520
28 December 19.14
STATEMENT OF WITNESS
At 1105 the crew on airplane 144-6497 bailed out at 10-12, 000 feet,
except pilot (It. C.M. Keen) and Engineer (s/Sgt.W.T. Moore) due to fire
and badly vibrating No. 1 engine. The engine was rapidly tearing to pieces and
flying thru the cowling endangering all nen forward in the ship.
At 1030 the No. 1 engine started pouring oil from its No. 1 cylinder. The
engine feathering systes failed to feather and the plane was turned back with
P-38's as escort. At 1100 the engine (No. 1) and tachometer went out at
3100 R.P.M. and hot pieces of engine metal had ignited the oil. The co-pilot
set the fire extinguisher on but no difference could be seen. When the engine
kept increasing its vibration the pilot had no alternative but to tell the clew
to jump. The co-pilot opened the bomb bay doovs for the remaining crew members
and followed the Navigator out the nose hatch. I (the Engineer) gathered
all my emergency equipment preparing to leave when the pilct asked me to check
the remaining crew. I checked the rear of the ship and returned in time to see
the prop begin to fall. It fell slowly downward and to the rear of the ship ceas-
ing the vibrations, sparks, and fire. The ship was then apparently in flying
condition.
About ten sinutes after the crew had bailed out of Airplane 44-6497 I (the
Engineer) had noticed a small town on the coast with a very distinct canal
leading into the sea. I suppese they landed in the foothills within 15-20
miles of the coastline.
Upen inspection on the ground No. 1 cylinder on No. 1 engine was blown
open with the engine dome and prop missing with forward portion of engine
badly burned.
William T. moore
WILLIAM T. MOORE is/set.
Engineer
National Archives, MACR 10753, page 4 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.