P-38 crash on USS Randolph

[Barrett]

On June 7 '45 two P-38s buzzed USS Randolph (CV-15) at anchor off Leyte. One Lightning pilot cut it too close and crashed on deck, killing himself and 11 sailors.

The only thing I've found is that the '38s were on a ferry mission, so they don't show on any unit roster. For some reason the incident is not on the aviation archaeology site showing losses outside the Continental US.

Any leads?

 

[comiso90]

this site has people who were there.

Personal Experience> USS Randolph la CV 38

Two US P-38s made a" mock straffing" run on us, one of the planes whipped stalled and came back and struck air planes sitting on the flight deck, it knocked several planes off the deck and killed several.Our guns started firing on the second , we refered to the event as the day the US AF declared war on the Navy, The remaining P-38 flew away.The barge moved away with no damage.About 35 years later, while talking to another member of the USPS he was tailing about the day that two P_38s hit a carrier laying at anchor in the Philippines. I said that I was on the carrier that was hit, he then said the he was the Chief Boatswain on the Ammo barge.

 

[hotflyer]

My father was killed in this accident but I have been unable to find out any details on the web. Does anyone know where I can get information about this accident?

On June 7 '45 two P-38s buzzed USS Randolph (CV-15) at anchor off Leyte. One Lightning pilot cut it too close and crashed on deck, killing himself and 11 sailors.

The only thing I've found is that the '38s were on a ferry mission, so they don't show on any unit roster. For some reason the incident is not on the aviation archaeology site showing losses outside the Continental US.

Any leads?

 

[comiso90]

contact these people... I'm sure they will help:

USS Randolph CV CVA CVS-15. A tribute to the USS Randolph and her crews.

.

 

[TonyM]

On June 7 '45 two P-38s buzzed USS Randolph (CV-15) at anchor off Leyte. One Lightning pilot cut it too close and crashed on deck, killing himself and 11 sailors.

The only thing I've found is that the '38s were on a ferry mission, so they don't show on any unit roster. For some reason the incident is not on the aviation archaeology site showing losses outside the Continental US.

Any leads?

According to AAF Aircraft Accident Brief:

The airplane was an F-5E.

Lockheed F-5E # 44-24559

Pilot was Capt. P. Gillespie. He was killed in the crash.

The accident occurred at 1545 (I am guessing that would be local time)

Four USN personnel killed; 14 USN personnel seriously injured.

Ten USN aircraft were destroyed and the carrier suffered serious damage on the forward flight deck.

The AAF Aircraft Accident Brief # 883 can be found on:

AAF Aircraft Accident Reports Microfilm
Call # 46521, June 7, 1945, Accident # 507.

Hope this helps. Good Luck with your research.

Tony Mireles


______________________________________________________________

Anthony J. Mireles

FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945

Home

 

[TonyM]

For some reason the incident is not on the aviation archaeology site showing losses outside the Continental US.

This crash is indeed listed on Fuller's AAIR overseas accident index at Aviation Archaeology Research and Investigation. The crash is listed as occurring at Leyte, Phillipines. It is not listed as USS Randolph. The data base lists geographic crash location in the index, not objects or ships that an airplane might have crashed into.

TonyM

 

[Ome_Joop]

a bit late but maybe interesting for you....


Section 3, War Stories by Lyle Hansen
The diving platform had been rigged and the diver was getting his hardhat bolted down when a call from Tacloban came through

mentions that p-38 crash and has a photo of the Randolph burning.

from The Don Hansen Story

 

[drgondog]

This crash is indeed listed on Fuller's AAIR overseas accident index at Aviation Archaeology Research and Investigation. The crash is listed as occurring at Leyte, Phillipines. It is not listed as USS Randolph. The data base lists geographic crash location in the index, not objects or ships that an airplane might have crashed into.

TonyM

Hey Tony - my father was involved in one of the USAF biggest peacetime disasters in Japan, 1949 IIRC, but I have never had all the details.

He was CO of the 35th FBW and they were war gaming a strike on one other airfield (probably not the originating base at Johnson AFB near Tokyo).

The ready alert element leader on the ground took off, made the intercept, lost control and had a mid air with one of the 35th Mustangs and the debris went to the flight line, destroying several more ships.

Do you have any details?

Regards,

Bill Marshall

 

[airutopiadotcom]

I have an old 8mm film taken on board of the Randolph and it shows what looks like a plane burning - film was taken I believe in the 1940s. Wonder if anyone here would be able to identify this event.

 

[Jimmy Wawarosky]

a bit late but maybe interesting for you....


Section 3, War Stories by Lyle Hansen
The diving platform had been rigged and the diver was getting his hardhat bolted down when a call from Tacloban came through

mentions that p-38 crash and has a photo of the Randolph burning.

from The Don Hansen Story

My uncle Tommy (Thomas H. Carroll - AO-1) told us several times about when the P-38 hit the USS Randolph. Let me see if I can retell the story.
Tommy was off duty and wanted to take a nap. He went to the front of the ship, took off his shirt to make a pillow and settled under the wing of one of the planes. He said it was a clear day (From the picture above I think he was a little wrong. Maybe the picture was from when the Kamikaze hit the ship in March 1945). After sleeping a while he felt a light rain fall across him which woke him up. He thought it was weird that rain fell from the only tiny cloud in the sky and while under the wing. As he sat up he saw a pair of P-38's flying by. One of the P-38s banked and headed towards the ship as if he was going to make a strafing run. The plane flew over very close to the forward deck where he was and pulled up and made a quick turn (Uncle Tommy making hand gestures and everything). He knew he needed to get off the deck just in case the pilot didn't pull up in time on his second run. Tommy edged off the deck on a ladder but kept his head up a little to see what the P-38 was doing. The plane dove down and as it reached its lowest point started to pull back up but it wasn't enough and plowed into the planes on the front of the ship. Tommy ducked down quickly as parts of planes and fire shot over him. Tommy was not a very religious man but knew it was God's hand in waking him up before the plane hit. Tommy later found out that the pilot, Capt. P. Gillespie, had a brother stationed on the ship. Capt. Gillespie was headed home and wanted to buzz the ship his brother was on.
So many stories about this ship and the time he spend on it.

 

[Brent Jones]

Just joined this forum to help shed more light on this incident. The photo above is indeed from the P-38 incident. I have attached a second photo from a different angle, taken immediately after the crash. It shows the same grouping of small craft and auxiliaries, although the vessel alongside Randolph had not yet cast off. This photo was taken by Herman Schnipper, ship's photographer for USS Astoria CL-90, anchored at a berth very near Randolph. He told me that everyone was ordered below decks due to exploding ordnance, but he managed to run to his darkroom and retrieve his camera.

The list to port visible in both photos has nothing to do with the crash. The task group was in their first week at anchorage after lengthy operations off Okinawa and Japan, and they were undergoing hull painting and maintenance. (Astoria was listed port and starboard the next day to paint at the waterline.)

The F-5 pilot was Captain Lewis M. Gillespie, 8th Photographic Squadron, 6th Reconnaissance Group. From Oklahoma, he is officially listed MIA in the ABMC database because no remains were recovered.

Jimmy, your uncle Tommy's story matches with the official account in the USS Randolph war diary for June 1945. I have attached a screen grab of the relevant text as well.
-Brent

PS The Randolph enlisted muster roll for June 1945 includes a Fireman 2nd Class Edward A. Gillespie. No idea if they are related, but the name is present.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Amazing research work boys!

 

[Gregory S. Byard]

On June 7 '45 two P-38s buzzed USS Randolph (CV-15) at anchor off Leyte. One Lightning pilot cut it too close and crashed on deck, killing himself and 11 sailors.

The only thing I've found is that the '38s were on a ferry mission, so they don't show on any unit roster. For some reason the incident is not on the aviation archaeology site showing losses outside the Continental US.

Any leads?

My father S1C Raymond James Byard was on the arresting crew on the Randolph from commissioning until June 1946. Does anyone know what port od departure, destination of pickup in Italy, and return port the Randolph had in there 2 Magic Carpet Ride deployments in Nov and Dec 1945?

 

[fubar57]

Another pic as seen from the USS Texas BB-35

 

[Mindy]

On June 7 '45 two P-38s buzzed USS Randolph (CV-15) at anchor off Leyte. One Lightning pilot cut it too close and crashed on deck, killing himself and 11 sailors.

The only thing I've found is that the '38s were on a ferry mission, so they don't show on any unit roster. For some reason the incident is not on the aviation archaeology site showing losses outside the Continental US.

Any leads?

My grandfather was involved on this day. We didn't know until he passed away and my mom dropped a picture frame that held a picture of the attacks that day. (My mom has those) but before he died he wrote down his story of that day and this is first I've ever seen anyone else post about it. I can upload copies of his letter... it will give you goose bumps!!

 

[Mindy]

Just joined this forum to help shed more light on this incident. The photo above is indeed from the P-38 incident. I have attached a second photo from a different angle, taken immediately after the crash. It shows the same grouping of small craft and auxiliaries, although the vessel alongside Randolph had not yet cast off. This photo was taken by Herman Schnipper, ship's photographer for USS Astoria CL-90, anchored at a berth very near Randolph. He told me that everyone was ordered below decks due to exploding ordnance, but he managed to run to his darkroom and retrieve his camera.

The list to port visible in both photos has nothing to do with the crash. The task group was in their first week at anchorage after lengthy operations off Okinawa and Japan, and they were undergoing hull painting and maintenance. (Astoria was listed port and starboard the next day to paint at the waterline.)

The F-5 pilot was Captain Lewis M. Gillespie, 8th Photographic Squadron, 6th Reconnaissance Group. From Oklahoma, he is officially listed MIA in the ABMC database because no remains were recovered.

Jimmy, your uncle Tommy's story matches with the official account in the USS Randolph war diary for June 1945. I have attached a screen grab of the relevant text as well.
-Brent

PS The Randolph enlisted muster roll for June 1945 includes a Fireman 2nd Class Edward A. Gillespie. No idea if they are related, but the name is present.

View attachment 344647
View attachment 344648

I have my grandfather's written account from that day. He had written it down and hidden it behind a photo of the ships on fire. We found it after he passed away. I am attaching one page. I would love to one day write a book about his story and those he served with.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks for posting this

 

[Peter Gunn]

Agreed, thanks for posting your grandfathers letter and welcome to the forum.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[Old Wizard]