Newquay Watergate Bay Cornwall World War 2 B24 Liberator US Navy Mucks Mauler Memorial Plaque Part 1

Описание: A brief account of the crash of "Mucks Mauler".

A United States Navy PB4Y1 B24 Liberator aircraft named "Muck Mauler" (Bureau No. 32035 B5, call sign "E") was stationed at RAF Dunkeswell in Devon with Squadron VB103, a part of Fleet Air Wing 7.
Its operational role was anti submarine patrols in the Bay of Biscay. The aircraft had been designated as "war weary" and transferred to Squadron VB113 for the return flight back to the United States. The route back included a stop at RAF St. Mawgan.
On 28th December 1943 at 0200 the aircraft took off with a crew of nine and four passangers.
At 0202 the plane crashed into the cliffs at Watergate Bay near Newquay in Cornwall. All aboard the aircraft were killed and a subsequent investigation listed the cause of the crash as prop governor trouble. In addition to those lost in the crash, five additional US Navy personnel who had descended the cliffs as part of the rescue efforts were trapped in the rising tide and drowned.

The Crew of "Mucks Mauler"
LT Rance A. Thompson, USNR, Pilot
Ensign Louis T. Perkins, Jr USNR, Pilot
Ensign Paul M. Lawthian, USNR, Co pilot
Ensign Norman Teraut, USNR, Navigator
Edwin H. Rodgers, Machanicsman 1st Class, USN, Plane CPT
Thomas J. Zock, Machanicsman 3rd Class, USN, 1st Mechanic
Edward G. Forkel, Radiosman 3rd Class, USN, 1st Radiosman
Harry Jetter, Radiosman 3rd Class, USN, 2nd Radiosman
Charles Minella, Ordnanceman 3rd Class, USN, Ordnanceman

Passengers of "Mucks Mauler"
Ensign Robert L. Scott, USNR, Pilot
Ensign Harold Rosenberg, USNR, Pilot
Ensign Harold C. Nylund, USNR, Pilot
LT Paul Brown, US Army

The names of those lost in the rescue recovery efforts have not been discovered.

In this video is a local man from Newquay Doug Knight. He remembers seeing all the wreckage of the Liberator on the morning after the crash in December 1943. Later on in his life he decided to have a memorial plaque to the 13 people lost in the crash at Watergate Bay which you can see in the videos. If anybody has any information regarding this tragic accident regarding either the plane or the crew please post a comment or any links as we would be very grateful. I would also like to know if there is any photos of the "Mucks Mauler".