WW2 burying a gunner at sea with his aircraft - GIF

[Altair]

WW2 burying a gunner at sea with his Grumman TBF avenger aircraft.




More:

https://www.criticalpast.com/video/6...al_dead-gunner


Previously:

1941 explosion of HMS Barham battleship - GIF and photo
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat taking off from carrier - photo
French Super Etendard stalls after catapult launch - photos
1942 sinking of the USS Lexington - video
WWII USS Hornet aircraft carrier found on ocean floor - video and photos

[desbromilow]

I know they dumped a lot of war materiel at the end of the war, but during the conflict you'd have thought they would need every aircraft they had operable.

[Frank S]

There are 2 distinct subject matters about that video that no one wants me to get started on.
I have some very deep rooted thoughts about the subject of interment and wasteful spending

[Crusty]

Hard to know without knowing the facts of that situation but I'm sure that the Captain was able to present a viable defense for it.

While I applaud honoring a fallen comrade, this pic shows what I think is a better off mission use of our flat decked assets.

[VinnieL]

I have to agree.

[VinnieL]

Yes, I have some of the same thoughts as well.

[mlochala]

Some additional information I found on this:

Mission History
On November 5, 1944 took off from USS Essex CV-9 at 1:00pm piloted by Lt. Robert Cosgrove armed with a mark 13, mod 6 aerial torpedo. One of six Avengers participating in strike #4A leading the torpedo bomber strike against Japanese vessels in Manila Bay.

Flying at an altitude of 10,000', the formation included eight F6F Hellcats from VF-15 plus seven SB2C dive bombers from VB-15. Also participating were VF-19, VB-19 and VT-19 from USS Ticonderoga CV-14.The weather was .3 overcast at 4,000-5,000'.

Approaching the target area from the northeast, the Avengers broke off from the formation to circle Manila Bay that was crowded with transports and warships before making torpedo attacks from west to east. This Avenger made a torpedo run from 800' releasing 3,000 yards off the starboard beam of an unidentified light cruiser off Cavite.

Just as the torpedo was release, this Avenger was hit by medium anti-aircraft fire in the rear gunners position and fuselage. Aboard gunner AMM2c Loyce E. Deen was fatally wounded and died at his position. Damaged, Lt. Cosgrove did not observe the wake of his torpedo nor an explosion before withdrawing to the west.

After sucessfully landing at 4:43pm Deen's body was trapped inside due to the damage and was unable to be removed. His fingerprints were taken and dog tags removed and a shroud placed over the turret. With the wings folded, this Avenger was towed to the stern of the carrier for a memorial service by the chaplin on the wing of the plane. Many crew members looked on including Captain Carlos W. Wieber, Commanding Officer (C. O.) of USS Essex. At the conclusion of the ceremony, men pushed this Avenger off the stern where the aircraft floated briefly before sinking.

https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/tbm/45782.html

[mlochala]

More:

Air Group 15 (VT-15) took off mid-morning. When they reached their destination, they encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire from a Japanese cruiser.

“Denzek told me over the intercom that Deen was hit bad. Then, Denzek came back up thru the small passage way to sit in the cabin behind me. He stayed there until we landed.” Capt Cosgrove to the History Channel 2001

But Cosgrove’s plane had been hit, and the controls were badly damaged. The plane was truly un-flyable. It took all his strength and skill to get the aircraft back to the carrier. Two hours later, through two thunderstorms and extreme mechanical problems, he landed the crippled Avenger on the deck of the USS Essex.

One of his crew didn’t make it. And the gun turret was terribly crushed. The Navy took fingerprints, and removed Loyce Edward Deen’s dog tags. His body was so badly mangled that removing it would have been extremely difficult. They decided to leave him inside his plane, and bury him at sea.

https://news.unclesamsmisguidedchild...ate-2nd-class/

[Frank S]

Thanks mlochala ; your research answered both my reservations of the original posts

[Crusty]

And that, is the rest of the story.

I thought it could have been something like that. In the latter part of the war after US production was running full tilt it was relatively easy to get complete replacement aircraft for ones which were not fixable aboard ship and many potentially reparable aircraft were shoved into the sea as SOP because hanger space was precious real estate.