| In real life there is often a thin line | | | | broken. I'm sure I'm in the Keys, but I don't |
| between tragedy and mystery. Such are the | | | | know how far down, and I don't know how to |
| circumstances surrounding the fate of Flight | | | | get to Fort Lauderdale."Cox told Taylor to |
| 19 recalled by the recent recovery of a World | | | | put the afternoon sun on port wing and if he |
| War II Navy torpedo bomber from the sea | | | | was over the Keys he would quickly reach the |
| bottom near Key West.Treasure salvor Mel | | | | southern tip of Florida. Cox said he would |
| Fisher and his crew found the corroded plane | | | | begin to fly south.The leader of Flight 19 |
| 16 years ago while searching for the Spanish | | | | radioed back, "I know where I am now. I'm at |
| galleon Atocha. Having, brought up several | | | | 2,300 feet. Don't come after me." |
| million dollars worth of gold and jewels from | | | | Nevertheless, Cox turned south to try and |
| the ancient ship, Fisher lifted the more | | | | intercept the lost planes. Radio signals |
| modern wreckage to view once more.By tracing | | | | between the two men grew increasingly weaker, |
| a serial number, the plane was identified as | | | | indicating they were growing farther apart |
| one of 24 that went down during training | | | | instead of closer. Birth Of MythThe above |
| flights from the Key West Naval Air Station | | | | transcript of conversation with Flight 19, |
| in 1945.Until the identification, newspapers | | | | taken from the official Board of Inquiry |
| and television revived the "Bermuda Triangle" | | | | record, is here recounted because the |
| myth speculating that the old plane was one | | | | sensationalists have invented wild accounts |
| of five that disappeared "without trace" in | | | | of Taylor's remarks. Alleged assertions of |
| December 1945 with 14 crewmen.As a Yeoman | | | | "the sun doesn't look right" "the ocean looks |
| aboard U.S.S. Eagle 27 at Key West and Fort | | | | strange," everything is white" are inventions |
| Lauderdale in the closing months of WWII, I | | | | to invoke the mysterious power of the Bermuda |
| participated in the first of a series of | | | | Triangle.It was apparent that Flight 19 was |
| flight tragedies of which Flight 19 was but a | | | | exactly where it should be, north of the |
| part. The true story is absorbing. True | | | | Bahamas. Repeated efforts to get Taylor to |
| StoryIn July 1945, the Eagle 27 was attached | | | | turn west or to shift to the emergency radio |
| to the Naval Air Station at Fort Lauderdale. | | | | channel instead of the now out-of-range |
| Our mission was to deploy in the Gulf Stream | | | | training frequency were ignored. Taylor |
| while fledgling pilots attempted to target us | | | | indicated he was fearful that if he switched |
| with dummy torpedoes set to run deep, under | | | | he might lose contact with his other |
| our hull.We replaced a sister Eagle which was | | | | planes.This was a fatal mistake that deprived |
| sunk when an errant torpedo, accurately | | | | him of accurate instructions. In his |
| aimed, tore all the way through the unlucky | | | | confusion he also failed to turn on his IFF |
| ship. Perhaps it, too, will be recovered | | | | signal which would have registered him on |
| someday and fuel again the legend of evil | | | | radar screens, and to turn on his automatic |
| forces lurking in the briny deep.Our last | | | | homing signal.Despite all, shore-based radio |
| mission was to assist in the search for a | | | | operators managed to get a radio direction |
| missing PBY "flying boat." The plane took off | | | | "fix" on Taylor's faint signal just before |
| from the Miami Naval Air Station on a patrol | | | | the planes ran out of gas about 8 p.m.Two PBY |
| flight and disappeared without word, taking | | | | flying boats, which had been standing by |
| 15 crewmen to their deaths. We recovered one | | | | since 4 p.m., were dispatched on different |
| body mangled by sharks.Shortly thereafter the | | | | courses to the fix at 29 degrees north and 79 |
| venerable Eagles were decommissioned, and I | | | | degrees west.The PBY "Mariner" did not radio |
| was honorably discharged. Before the year was | | | | a requested position one half hour after |
| over, Flight 19 hit the headlines. | | | | takeoff. Repeated attempts to raise the |
| Newspapers, magazines and radio (no TV yet) | | | | rescue craft were unavailing. That plane and |
| kept the story pumped up for weeks. | | | | its 13 crewmen also were missing! The next |
| Eventually a legend of hype was established. | | | | day a fishing trawler crew reported that they |
| I was doing a stint on the Detroit Free Press | | | | had seen the PBY explode and fall to the |
| rewrite desk and followed the story | | | | water.The second rescue plan reached the fix |
| closely.Here are the facts, confirmed over | | | | area without mishap and began an |
| the years by additional research.Flight 19 | | | | expanded-square search procedure. It was |
| consisted of five Grumman Avenger torpedo | | | | joined shortly by many more planes and ships. |
| planes. Each was loaded with 18,250 pounds of | | | | A six-day search of the South Atlantic, |
| fuel, enough for 1,000 miles of flight. All | | | | Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico did not find |
| were equipped with two magnetic compasses, | | | | life rafts, debris, bodies or oil slick. |
| radio, identification signal transmitters | | | | Nothing.Weather at the fix point was found to |
| (IFF) and electronic homing beams. All | | | | be limited visibility, winds of 35 knots and |
| pre-flighted OK.Three crewmen were assigned | | | | "turbulent seas."It was now clear what |
| to each plane and each man wore a "Mae West" | | | | happened.When Flight 19 turned north after |
| life jacket. Each plane also carried a rubber | | | | its bombing run it ran into a typical Gulf |
| life raft in an outside storage compartment, | | | | Stream summer squall. Overcast skies obscured |
| and the raft inflated automatically upon | | | | the sun, violent wind rocked the planes |
| contact with water. The flight leader was Lt. | | | | causing the compasses to rock to and fro. |
| Charles C. Taylor, an experienced instructor | | | | This is a condition well known to sailors and |
| recently transferred to the station.Taylor at | | | | airmen. Surely Taylor had encountered the |
| 1:15 requested to be relieved of the mission | | | | phenomenon so it is surprising that he |
| but gave no reason. His last-minute request | | | | panicked when he could not orient himself. He |
| was denied. One crewman also asked to be | | | | compounded his difficulty when he mistook the |
| excused because of illness; and, in this | | | | Bahama Cays for the Florida Keys.Perhaps |
| case, was granted. Clear WeatherThe flight | | | | Taylor was experiencing some physical or |
| took off on schedule at 2:10 p.m. in clear, | | | | mental problem that day that caused him to |
| bright weather. Their orders were to fly east | | | | ask to be excused and which later clouded his |
| 56 miles, simulate low-level bombing runs | | | | judgment. Certainly he persisted in |
| over Hens and Chickens Cay, continue on 67 | | | | zigzagging northeast against instructions |
| miles, turn north 73 miles to Grand Bahama | | | | from shore personnel. Even two of his |
| Island, then turn southwest 120 miles to home | | | | students were overheard imploring him to turn |
| base. The whole exercise was estimated to | | | | west. However, being disciplined officers, |
| take two hours.The first contact with Flight | | | | they followed their leader to the death of |
| 19 occurred at 3:40 p.m. when Lt. Robert F. | | | | all.Tragic, but not mysterious.March 7, |
| Cox, another instructor flying that day, | | | | 1987Click here to see this article on Lindsey |
| overheard Taylor talking to one of his | | | | Williams's websiteLindsey Williams is a Sun |
| students named Powers over the 4805 | | | | columnist who can be contacted at:Website: |
| training-flight radio channel: "What does | | | | with several hundred of Lin's Editorial & At |
| your compass read? I don't know where we are. | | | | Large articles written over 40 years.Also |
| We must have got lost after that last | | | | featured in its entirety is Lin's |
| turn."Cox cut in and asked if Taylor needed | | | | groundbreaking book "Boldly Onward," that |
| help. "Both my compasses are out and I am | | | | critically analyzes and develops theories |
| trying to find Fort Lauderdale, Florida," | | | | about the original Spanish explorers of |
| said Taylor. "I am over land, but it's | | | | America. |