Crew Pulls WWII Dive Bomber From Lake Michigan

[tekisui]

Source: SouthtownStar

Dripping water like a heavy sponge and riddled with zebra mussels, a World War II-era dive bomber was pulled from a channel off Waukegan Harbor Friday morning, some 65 years after being lost to Lake Michigan.

"I'd say it (was pushed) over the left side of the carrier," said Grant C. Young of Lanark, Ill., who flew bombers just like it out of Glenview Naval Air Station in December 1943.

"You see how the one propeller is bent backward. That tells me the engine was at idle -- if it was at full speed when it hit the water, they'd be bent forward."

The aircraft was pulled up from 315 feet of water about 25 miles off Waukegan. It eventually will head for a World War II museum in New Orleans.

http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1542713,world-war-two-dive-bomber-042409.article

[TheMightyFavog]

1. Yes, there were carriers on the Great lakes!

USS Wolverine and USS Sable, training vessels converted from sidewheel excursion ships.

[wuushew]

2. Did you see this gem?

Together Wolverine and Sable trained 17,820 pilots, in 116,000 landings, 51,000 landings on Sable alone. One of the pilots qualified on Sable was a 20-year old Lieutenant Junior Grade, future President George H. W. Bush. President Bush recalled his training experience: "I remember those Great Lakes flights very well in the open cockpit that winter. Coldest I ever was in my life."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sable_(IX-81)

[ananda]

3. My dad did training off aircraft carriers in Lake Michigan.

He was a Navy flier and ended up on
the St. Lo in the South Pacific
until it was kamekazi'd while he
was in the air.

[Captain Hilts]

5. Wasn't that St. Lo's first time in combat that it got hit? nt

[JVS]

6. Was he able to land on a different ship?

[Captain Hilts]

4. That is SO cool!!!!! nt