17239 LC-47H    Douglas C/N 25424 Ordered by USAAF as C-47A-30-DK USAAF S/N 43-48163 Delivered to USN as R4D-5 at NAS San Diego in  July 1944 Assigned to To VH-3 in July 1944 Assigned to VE-3 in Dec 1944 Assigned to VE-2 in Jan 1945 Assigned to VRE-1 in Mar 1945 Assigned to VR-13 in Apr 1945 Assigned to Commander Air Pacific in Feb 1946 Assigned to VR-11 in Apr 1946 Assigned to NAS Quonset Point in July 1946 Assigned to Electronic Test at NAS Patuxent River  MD in Jan 1947 Assigned to FACTULANT in Nov 1947 There is a break in the records until assigned to NAS Whidby Island in 1961 Assigned to VX-6 and named "SNAFU" on 20 Novebmer 1961 Converted to R4D-5L Redesignated LC-47H in 1962   Disposition:  Crashed 6 October 1965 at Williams Field, Antarctica       Photo from Billy-Ace Baker     From: Bill Spindler <spindle@attglobal.net> From the Antarctic Journal 1/74: "On October 6, 1965, an LC-47H (Buno 17239) crashed on the Ross Ice Shelf about 3 miles from Williams Field while taking off after a practice open field landing. The airplane received strike damage when an improperly rigged ski cable slipped and the front of one ski dug into the snow (U. S. Navy Task Force 43, 1966).   From: Daniel Dompe <dand@arn.net> some help on 17239 - SNAFU 8, crashed on famflight openfield takeoff about 10 miles from Willie field in Oct. 65. I was pc, CDR Van Reeth was the pilot, Len Edleman was radio and I think CDR Moe was copilot, (memory has faded a bit since then) Hit a sastrugi port wing dropped, took prop and nose of eng. off, prop came through fuselage between me and CDR Van Reeth. It was my 3rd flt. on the ice and I was thinking, "what the F--- am I doing here". Went to 320 with Tom Dunn in Jan 65 and enjoyed it after that on the higher, farther, and faster Hercs. Dan Dompe   From CAPT Moe <JOEDOVER@aol.com> DanD - 239 gave us quite a ride on that takeoff...you may recall, I was in the right seat giving a checkride to, I believe, LCDR Bender (the prop nicked the  back of his shoulder harness). In any event you and I and the others know "the rest of the story". I had assured RADM Tuttle, just before we deployed, that we would give him an accident- free year...hey, guys, I'm not perfect! Moral: If a takeoff is going well, don't veer off to experience "more sastrugi". You will. CAPTlet'stry that areaoverthereoops Moe Return to the main R4D page