San Diego, CA (area) Three Navy Plane Crashes, Aug 1938

SEVEN NAVY AIRMEN ARE KILLED IN CRASHES IN SAN DIEGO AREA.

THREE ACCIDENTS IN DAY TAKE LIVES OF FLIERS.

ONE BOMBER PLUNGES INTO BAY AND ANOTHER WRECKS ON INLAND MESA.

INVESTIGATORS SAY MEN HAD CHANCE TO USE 'CHUTES BUT DID NOT DO SO.

San Diego, Calif., Aug. 16 (AP) -- The navy disclosed today that a total of seven men were killed in three accidents to naval aircraft in the San Diego area yesterday. Earlier announcements had put the death list at five.
The navy said three were killed when a huge patrol bomber plunged into the bay, another man lost his life in the bumpy landing of a second bomber, and three met death when a torpedo bomber crashed on Camp Kearny mesa.
Those killed in the patrol bomber plunge were Lieut. CLARENCE EMORY KASPAREK, pilot; H. P. BOECKMANN, twenty-three, radioman, and F. FREEMAN, machinist's mate.
Four others in this plane were injured but their recovery was expected. They were: A. A. BELIAMACINA, head injury; R. O. CHRISINGER, leg fracture; J. R. HOLT, scalp wound and leg injury, and O. D. DAWSON, rib fracture. All are machinists mates.
In the accident to the second patrol bomber, B. T. McKENZIE, radioman, was killed. Five others in the plane were unhurt by the bumpy landing.
Fatalities in the torpedo plane crash inland were:
MIKE FRANK MOSCICKL, aviation machinist's mate, who leaves his widow, Mrs. Willie Mae Moscickl, Pensacola, Fla.
DON FAY SMITH, radioman, survived by his father, O. F. Smith of Des Moines, Iowa.
RALPH THOMAS CARTER, aviation chief ordnanceman, who leaves his widow, Mrs. Juanita E. Carter, San Diego.
The three, attached to the aircraft carrier Saratoga, were engaged in firing practice at a towed target with other members of their squardon when the torpedo plane suddenly spun out of control.
Investigators, who searched the twisted wreck for a clue to the tragedy, were baffled by the trio's failure to bail out. They said the plane had been flying high enough to allow the use of parachutes.

Reno Evening Gazette Nevada 1938-08-16
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!