Douglas C-47A 42-93038 of the 441st TCG, USAAF, flew into the cliffs in Cairngarroch Bay near Portpatrick on the 27th July 1944

 

Galen R. Hendricks 1st Lieutenant Pilot Killed
Raymond Hutchings 2nd Lieutenant Co-pilot Killed
Dan Willard Meshew Flight Officer 3rd Pilot Killed
Leon Julius Tully 2nd Lieutenant Navigator Killed
Jay V Alcorn Sergeant Radio Operator Killed
Merl William Skinner Staff Sergeant Crew Chief Killed
Irving I. Shure Major US Army Attending Physician Killed
Mary Edith Jackley 2nd Lieutenant Nurse Killed
John Henry Salmi T/3 Medical Attendant Killed
John Wilbur Ingram 2nd Lieutenant US Army Passenger Killed
Theron S. Ward 2nd Lieutenant US Army Passenger Killed
Ernest Howard Corvin Sergeant US Army Passenger Killed
Billy G. Morris Sergeant US Army Passenger Killed
Elmer F. Lauf Corporal US Army Passenger Killed
James D. Green Private First Class US Army Passenger Killed
Keith Glenn Lowdermilk Private First Class US Army Passenger Killed
Marcus Saspochnikoff Private First Class US Army Passenger Killed
James E. W. Ayers Private US Army Passenger Killed
Edmund Leroy Davis Private US Army Passenger Killed
Donald R. Hammerstrom Private US Army Passenger Killed
Jack F. Sheidler Private US Army Passenger Killed
Samuel Gilmour Leading Aircraftman RAFVR Passenger Killed

 

The aircraft had taken off, along with a second C-47, from its home station of Merryfield, 8 miles SE of Taunton in Somerset, and had flown to Filton on the edge of Bristol where both aircraft took on injured US military service personnel from various units returned from Normandy and accompanying medical staff. In addition a single RAF airman had boarded 42-93038, he was returning home to Ayrshire on leave. Once loading was complete the two aircraft took off from Filton bound for Prestwick.

The injured soldiers were going to be taken back to the US, probably by sea in a convoy leaving from the Clyde.

At the time the two C-47s arrived at the northern end of the Irish Sea a dense fog hung over the area around the Mull of Galloway which obscured all of the coastal features, including the 200ft high cliffs which 42-93038 flew into above the beach in Cairngarroch Bay to the south of Portpatrick. The second aircraft had also come very close to crashing into the cliffs and landed RAF West Freugh.

Boulder near the crash site of C-47A 42-93038 with the memorial plaque fixed to it
On the 27th July 1999 a memorial plaque was dedicated close to the crash site. It can be seen attached to the large rock in this photo.
Part of one of the Pratt & Whitney engines from C-47A 42-93038 in Cairngarroch Bay
Part of one of the aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines is cemented to a stone adjacent to the memorial plaque.
Plaque dedicated to the victims of the crash of C-47A 42-93038 in Cairngarroch Bay
This is the brass plaque dedicated to the memory of the 22 crew and passengers who were killed.
Grave of Leading Aircraftman Samuel Gilmour RAFVR, passenger aboard 42-93038 which crashed at Cairngarroch Bay near Portpatrick
Leading Aircraftman Samuel Gilmour is buried in his home town of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, above is his grave.

 

Nine of the American personnel were buried at the American Military Cemetery near Cambridge.

USAAF Crew:

Grave of Flight Officer Dan W. Meshew at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, passenger on 42-93038
Flight Officer Dan Meshew
Grave of Staff Sergeant Merl W. Skinner at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, Crew Chief of 42-93038
Staff Sergeant Merl SKinner

US Army Crew & Passengers:

Grave of Private James E. W. Ayers at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, patient aboard 42-93038
Private James Ayers
Grave of Private Edmund Leroy Davis at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, patient aboard 42-93038
Private Edmund Davis
Grave of Private First Class James D. Green at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, patient aboard 42-93038
Private First Class James Green
Grave of Corporal Elmer F. Lauf at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, patient aboard 42-93038
Corporal Elmer Lauf
Grave of Private Jack F. Sheidler at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, patient aboard 42-93038
Private Jack Sheidler
Grave of Major Irving I. Shure at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, patient aboard 42-93038
Major Irving Shure
Grave of 2nd Lieutenant Theron S. Ward at Cambridge American Military Cemetery, patient aboard 42-93038
2nd Lieutenant Theron Ward
Grave of T/3 Medical Assistant John Henry Salmi at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Francisco, California, crew member aboard 42-93038
After being returned to the United States after the end of World War Two Medical Assistant John Henry Salmi was buried at the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Francisco, California.