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 For
several years visitors to our Attu web pages have
seen the remains of a WWII P-38, somewhat integrated
with the tundra, and missing much of its paint. Its
tail was partially submerged in the runoff from a
nearby stream. It had several bullet holes in the
stabilizers and fuselage, giving one pause to wonder
what had happened on that fateful day during WWII
when this particular aircraft crashed into Attu's
thick tundra (Click HERE
to see the P-38 pictures taken on Attu sometime
during the Summer of 1996).
Many of us have also
wondered each time we see these pictures just
exactly what had happened to the pilot of this
P-38, and what had been the circumstances of
the crash that turned this beautiful aircraft into a
pile of junk metal.
We now have the
answers thanks to Bob Leavitt and Jonathan Hake of
the 11th Air Force located at Elmendorf, AK. Here's
the story and the pictures. This is one Aleutian's
war story that has a happy ending!
It was in January of
1945. Then 2nd Lt. Robert L. Nesmith took off
from Attu's Alexai Point Army Airfield as the third
man in a four-ship formation of P-38s. He was flying
P-38 tail number 13400. They were flying a low-level
across Attu when Lt. Nesmith got a little too close
to the ground. From his cockpit he could see the
grains of the accumulated snow on the ground. He
quickly reacted to gain altitude. However, in
doing so, he overcorrected. He mushed the aircraft
into the snow. Still airborne as a result of the
P-38's forward inertia, he looked over and seen that
the starboard engine was now missing as a
result of his initial collision with the ground. He
thought he'd have to fly back to Alexai Point field
with only the port engine remaining. That's when he
realized that its propeller was missing as well! At
this point the Lightning's airspeed was
approximately 300 mph.
He glided a little
further, over a rise, slowed down, and made a very
smooth landing...skidding to a stop. Uninjured,
Nesmith then bolted from the disabled craft. "I
got out and I ran" he said, thinking perhaps
the aircraft would explode, and made his way to
Attu's shoreline and a waiting rescue boat.
"It wasn't my
best flying day," Nesmith said. "I'm not
too proud of that. They asked me if I wanted to be
grounded and I said no. I flew the next day."
Nesmith went right
back to flying and continued a distinguished career
lasting until his retirement from the active reserve
in 1960.
A team of volunteers
worked over a period of two years to restore this
P-38. Click HERE
for more information on the project. While the
recovery of this P-38 occurred in June of 1999,
restoration had begun at Elmendorf beginning
in December of 1998. This restored P-38 is now
on display near Heritage Park, Elmendorf AFB, AK.
Here's the pictures.
What a fantastic job these folks have accomplished.
Click on each thumbnail to view full-size photo.
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