MAY 20, 1952
Time Off 1810 - Time of Return 1845 - Time Over Target
Lt.Col Houston 1st Lt. Collins
1st Lt. Kean 2nd Lt. Niesen
2nd Lt. Wilson
Immediately after takeoff, 1st Lt. Collins' crashed and he was killed. The remainder of the flight jettisoned its ordnance and aborted. For plilots' statements regarding the crash, refer to appendix "D"
Thomas B, Collins. 046817/7331, USMC.....
STATEMENT OF 2ND LT. PAUL W. NIESEN, 01752/7331, USMCR
CONCERNING THE CRASH OF 1ST LT. THOMAS B. COLLINS, 046817/7331, USMC.
I was number four man of five on mission, (Oxwood 1238). The flight took off about 1810 on runway 27. Approximately two minutes after takeoff I was over the east side of the river (Ansong-chong - Ed ) just west of the field. Number three man, 1st Lt. COLLINS, was approximately over the west bank of the same river. I noticed at this time 1st Lt. COLLINS' left wing dropped abruptly and the nose of his plane dropped also. At first I thought it was a spin to the left.The left wing stayed in approximately an eighty degree bank and the nose continued to fall until it reached a thirty five or forty degree dive. As the nose continued to fall, I gave the flight leader Lt.Col. Houston, an immediate call on the radio as follows: "38-1 this is 38-4, 38-3 has just spun into the water." He answered the call by telling the flight to go to guard channel. By this time the plane had struck the water left wing first in about an eighty degree angle and about a thirty five to forty degree angle. There was no explosion and I observed nothing falling from the aircraft while it was falling. An oil slick appeared immediately. I proceeded to the water southwest of the crash around the bend of the river, and dropped my ordnance on safe. I continued to orbit the scene of the crash at low altitude at the instructions from the flight leader. I observed no further sign of life.