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Nile Kinnick airplane crash correspondence, 1943-1972

1943-06-02: Page 01

UNITED STATES SHIP LEXINGTON Wednesday 2 June, 1943 [010409?]
ZONE DESCRIPTION plus 4 REMARKS CONFIDENTIA
0000-0400 Anchored in Gulf of Peria near Fort of Spain, Trinidad in 7 1/2 fathoms of water with 45 fathoms of chain out to starboard anchor. Anchorage bearings: left tangent Cronstadt Island 285ºT, left tangent Nelson Island 342ºT, right tangent Pelican Island 010ºT. Using boilers #3 and #5 for auxiliary purposes. Ship darkened and in material condition Baker. Ships present: U.S.S. AITAIR (SOPA) and various units of the Allied fleet. 32 F4F-4, 35 SBD-4, and 17 TBF-1 airplanes parked on the flight and hanger decks. 
H. D. Martin                                                                                                                                      
H.D. Martin,
Lieutenant, U.S.N.R.
0400-0800 Anchored as before. 0440 Lighted fires under boilers #4 and #6. 0630 Made all preparations for getting underway. 0701 underway using various courses and speeds while clearing anchorage, Captain at the Conn, Executive Officer and Navigator on the bridge. Standard speed, 15 knots, 115 rpm. 0715 Changed course to 225ºT. 0720 Changed course to 250ºT. 0722 Passed buoy #9 abeam to starboard. 0733 Changed speed to 20 knots.
S B Fuller
S.B. Fuller,
Lieutenant, U.S.N.R.
0800-1200 Steaming as before on course 250ºT and pgc, speed 20 knots. 0812 Changed course to 270ºT and pgc. 0822 Commenced catapulting aircraft. 0833 Commenced launching aircraft. 0845 Completed launching. 0846 Changed course to 270ºT and pgc. 0849 Changed speed to 20 knots, 154 rpm. 0900 Went to General Quarters. 0923 Attack Group commenced simulated coordinated attack. Ship maneuvered on various courses during attack. 0935 Steadied on course 250ºT and pgc. 0936 Commenced catapulting aircraft. 0943 Completed catapulting aircraft, and changed course into the wind. 0947 Commenced launching aircraft. 0949 Secured from material condition Able, set material condition Baker. 0941 F4F-4 #7 reported bad oil leak. Made preparations for deferred landing. 0952 F4F-4 #7, Bureau No. 12042, pilot Ensign Niles C. Kinnick, USNR, crashed in water 4 miles on starboard bow, bearing 105ºT, Lat. 10º28' N, Long. 62º 02' 15" W. 0953 Changed course to 105ºT and pgc. 0959 Secured from General Quarters. 1001 Changed speed to 15 knots. 1002 Slowed to 10 knots. Arrived at scene of crash, evidenced by oil slick and particles of paint on water. Changed course to 270ºT, pgc. Searched area for pilot. Pilot could not be found, believed to be gone down with plane. 1037 Changed course into wind and commenced landing planes. 1105 Boilers #5 and 6 taken off line, low water. Continued operations using two boilers. 1113 Lighted fires under #5 boiler. 1134 Changed course to 320ºT and pgc. 1135 lighted fires under #7 and #8 boilers. 1158 Changed course to 290ºT and pgc. 
WBBrown
W. B. Brown
Lieutenant, U.S.N.
1200-1600 Steaming as before. 1205 all engines stopped. Transferred tactical data party to crash boat. 1212 All engines ahead 1/3. Changed course to 308ºT, pgc. 1214 Changed speed to 15 knots, 115 rpm. Changed course to 290ºT, pgc. 1217 Commenced Tactical Data maneuvers, making approaches and turns on USCG 09468 anchored in Lat. 10-32, Long 61-48. Navigator at the conn. 1229 Secured boiler #5. 1354 Lighted fires under boiler #5. 1412 Let fires die out under #8 boiler. Cut #5, 6, and 7 boilers in on main steam line. Commenced electrical tests, cutting out main power and lights forward of frame #111. 1510 Restored power and lights forward of frame #111 and cut out power and lights aft of frame #111.
R L Jones
R. L. Jones,
Lieutenant, U.S.N.R.

Saving...

UNITED STATES SHIP LEXINGTON Wednesday 2 June, 1943 [010409?] ZONE DESCRIPTION plus 4 REMARKS CONFIDENTIA 0000-0400 Anchored in Gulf of Peria near Fort of Spain, Trinidad in 7 1/2 fathoms of water with 45 fathoms of chain out to starboard anchor. Anchorage bearings: left tangent Cronstadt Island 285ºT, left tangent Nelson Island 342ºT, right tangent Pelican Island 010ºT. Using boilers #3 and #5 for auxiliary purposes. Ship darkened and in material condition Baker. Ships present: U.S.S. AITAIR (SOPA) and various units of the Allied fleet. 32 F4F-4, 35 SBD-4, and 17 TBF-1 airplanes parked on the flight and hanger decks. H. D. Martin H.D. Martin, Lieutenant, U.S.N.R. 0400-0800 Anchored as before. 0440 Lighted fires under boilers #4 and #6. 0630 Made all preparations for getting underway. 0701 underway using various courses and speeds while clearing anchorage, Captain at the Conn, Executive Officer and Navigator on the bridge. Standard speed, 15 knots, 115 rpm. 0715 Changed course to 225ºT. 0720 Changed course to 250ºT. 0722 Passed buoy #9 abeam to starboard. 0733 Changed speed to 20 knots. S B Fuller S.B. Fuller, Lieutenant, U.S.N.R. 0800-1200 Steaming as before on course 250ºT and pgc, speed 20 knots. 0812 Changed course to 270ºT and pgc. 0822 Commenced catapulting aircraft. 0833 Commenced launching aircraft. 0845 Completed launching. 0846 Changed course to 270ºT and pgc. 0849 Changed speed to 20 knots, 154 rpm. 0900 Went to General Quarters. 0923 Attack Group commenced simulated coordinated attack. Ship maneuvered on various courses during attack. 0935 Steadied on course 250ºT and pgc. 0936 Commenced catapulting aircraft. 0943 Completed catapulting aircraft, and changed course into the wind. 0947 Commenced launching aircraft. 0949 Secured from material condition Able, set material condition Baker. 0941 F4F-4 #7 reported bad oil leak. Made preparations for deferred landing. 0952 F4F-4 #7, Bureau No. 12042, pilot Ensign Niles C. Kinnick, USNR, crashed in water 4 miles on starboard bow, bearing 105ºT, Lat. 10º28' N, Long. 62º 02' 15" W. 0953 Changed course to 105ºT and pgc. 0959 Secured from General Quarters. 1001 Changed speed to 15 knots. 1002 Slowed to 10 knots. Arrived at scene of crash, evidenced by oil slick and particles of paint on water. Changed course to 270ºT, pgc. Searched area for pilot. Pilot could not be found, believed to be gone down with plane. 1037 Changed course into wind and commenced landing planes. 1105 Boilers #5 and 6 taken off line, low water. Continued operations using two boilers. 1113 Lighted fires under #5 boiler. 1134 Changed course to 320ºT and pgc. 1135 lighted fires under #7 and #8 boilers. 1158 Changed course to 290ºT and pgc. WBBrown W. B. Brown Lieutenant, U.S.N. 1200-1600 Steaming as before. 1205 all engines stopped. Transferred tactical data party to crash boat. 1212 All engines ahead 1/3. Changed course to 308ºT, pgc. 1214 Changed speed to 15 knots, 115 rpm. Changed course to 290ºT, pgc. 1217 Commenced Tactical Data maneuvers, making approaches and turns on USCG 09468 anchored in Lat. 10-32, Long 61-48. Navigator at the conn. 1229 Secured boiler #5. 1354 Lighted fires under boiler #5. 1412 Let fires die out under #8 boiler. Cut #5, 6, and 7 boilers in on main steam line. Commenced electrical tests, cutting out main power and lights forward of frame #111. 1510 Restored power and lights forward of frame #111 and cut out power and lights aft of frame #111. R L Jones R. L. Jones, Lieutenant, U.S.N.R.