1964 — May 11, US Navy P2V plane crash, Atlantic, 25 mls SW of US AB Rota, Spain– 10

— 10 Aviation Safety Network. U.S. Navy P-2E crash at sea 11 May 1964 25 mls off Cadiz.
— 10 Brownsville Herald, TX. “Crash Death Toll 77 [Clark AFB, Philippines].” 5-12-1964, 1.
— 10 Cumberland News, MD. “10 Lost as Navy Patrol Ship Crashes in Spain.” 5-12-1964, p. 1.
— 10 European Stars and Stripes. “Crew of 10 Believed Lost in Navy Crash.” 5-13-1964, p. 2.

Narrative Information

May 12: “Ten crewmen were killed Monday [May 11] in the crash of a U.S. Navy P2V patrol plane in the Atlantic Ocean 25 miles southwest of the U.S. base at Rota, Spain. The plane was stationed at Jacksonville, Fla….” (Brownsville Herald, TX. “Crash Death Toll 77 [Clark AFB, Philippines].” 5-12-1964, p. 1.)

May 12: “Cadiz, Spain (AP). — A-U.S Navy patrol plane crashed at sea 20 miles off the Spanish coast Monday and its crew of 10 was believed lost. Navy Cmdr. T. A. Graham, directing an air-sea search for survivors, said considerable wreckage had been found but that no bodies had been recovered.

“The long-range P2V patrol plane was taking part in maneuvers about 20 miles off the U.S. Polaris submarine base at Rota, Spain, at the time. The crew of a Spanish fishing boat said they saw it strike the sea and, burst into flames….

“In Washington, the Navy said the cause of the accident is unknown.

“The Neptune patrol plane was home-based at Jacksonville, Fla., and has been on temporary duty in the Mediterranean area. At Jacksonville, Fla., the Navy released the names of four men aboard the plane whose next of kin live in the Jacksonville area. They are:

Lt. William J. Corrigan,
John Q. Kimberling,
John W. Stone and
George H. Camerlo.”

(Cumberland News, MD. “10 Lost as Navy Patrol Ship Crashes in Spain.” 5-12-1964, p. 1.)

May 13: “Cadiz, Spain (AP) — A U.S. Navy patrol plane crashed at sea 20 miles off the Spanish coast and its crew of 10 was believed lost. Navy Cmdr. T. A. Graham, directing an air-sea search for survivors, said Tuesday that considerable wreckage had been found but that 24 hours of searching had failed to locate any survivors. The Navy called off its formal search….

“Graham said seven destroyers, three other P2V planes, three Spanish Air Force planes and several U.S. Navy and Air Force helicopters searched the crash area for survivors….

“In Washington, the Navy listed the other six aboard [besides the four listed above] as:

Lt. (j.g.) G. L. Oean…Albuquerque, N.M
Billy D. Flowers, aviation structural mechanic first class…Jacksonville, Fla.
Jack C. Greeham, aviation electronic technician third class…Yukon, Fla.
Lt. G. E. Kopp…Tulsa, Okla.
Airman David E. McCoy…Jacksonville, Fla.
Joe L. Steed, aviation machinist mate second class…Ashland, Ala.”

(European Stars and Stripes. “Crew of 10 Believed Lost in Navy Crash.” 5-13-1964, p. 2.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. U.S. Navy P-2E crash at sea 11 May 1964 25 mls off Cadiz. Accessed 7-15-2022: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19640511-1

Brownsville Herald, TX. “Crash Death Toll 77 [Clark AFB, Philippines].” 5-12-1964, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=87299650

Cumberland News, MD. “10 Lost as Navy Patrol Ship Crashes in Spain.” 5-12-1964, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=101910515

European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt, Germany. “Crew of 10 Believed Lost in Navy Crash.” 5-13-1964, 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=133450200