Canal Creek air crash

File:Canal Creek war memorial site photo ii.jpg

The Canal Creek air crash occurred on 19 December 1943, when a C-47 aircraft of the 22d Troop Carrier Squadron 374th Troop Carrier Group crashed at Canal Creek, Queensland, {{Convert|50|km|abbr=on}} north of Rockhampton, killing all 31 people on board.{{citation|last1=Roberts|first1=Alice|last2=Mackay|first2=Jacquie|date=22 May 2012|url=https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/05/22/3507888.htm|title=A site to remember: Canal Creek air disaster|publisher=ABC Capricornia|access-date=27 August 2019|archive-date=10 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310153148/https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/05/22/3507888.htm|url-status=live}}

The aircraft was en route from Townsville to Brisbane with a scheduled stop in Rockhampton.{{cite web |url=https://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld56.htm |title=Crash of C-47 of 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Transport Group 30 miles north of Rockhampton |website=Oz at War |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060521/https://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld56.htm |url-status=live }} The crash is believed to be caused by a fire in one engine, which caused an explosion, destroying part of the aircraft and causing it to disintegrate and crash.{{cite web |date=24 July 2015 |url=https://news.defence.gov.au/media/stories/canal-creek-memorial-service |title=Canal Creek Memorial Service |website=Department of Defence |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060535/https://news.defence.gov.au/media/stories/canal-creek-memorial-service |url-status=live }}

Those killed included twenty United States Armed Forces personnel, eight Australian Defence Force personnel, an Australian war photographer, a representative from the YMCA and an adjutant from the Salvation Army.{{cite web|url=https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/ww2/display/96121-canal-creek-air-crash|title=Canal Creek Air Crash|website=Monuments Australia|access-date=27 August 2019|archive-date=17 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017225558/https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/ww2/display/96121-canal-creek-air-crash|url-status=live}}

Due to wartime censorship, there was very little press coverage of the accident, with the few newspaper articles that were published focusing on the non-combatants on-board such as Harold Dick (war photographer), Nigel James MacDonald (YMCA) and William Tibbs (Salvation Army).{{cite news |date=21 December 1943 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42053976 |title=Cameraman dies in crash |work=The Courier-Mail |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060518/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42053976 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=30 December 1943 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11802325 |title=YMCA man killed in air crash |work=The Argus |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060516/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11802325 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=31 December 1943 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/192726733 |title=Tributes to Adjutant W B Tibbs, Salvationists honour gallant comrade |work=The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060517/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/192726733 |url-status=live }} However, those stories only mentioned that they had been "killed in a plane accident" with no specific details about the disaster.

File:Canal Creek war memorial description.jpg

With many locals still unaware of the disaster and no historic marker in its place, Yeppoon resident John Millroy began campaigning in 2011-2012 for a permanent memorial at the crash site to commemorate those who died.{{cite news |date=5 January 2012 |url=https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/rsl-plans-memorial-at-Canal-Creek/1226760 |title=RSL plans memorial at Canal Creek |work=The Morning Bulletin |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060532/https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/rsl-plans-memorial-at-Canal-Creek/1226760/ |url-status=live }} After securing $14,000 in government funding, a monument was unveiled by World War II servicemen Neville Hewitt and Yeppoon RSL president Wayne Carter on 16 June 2012.{{cite web |last1=Robinson |first1=Paul |date=18 June 2012 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-18/memorial-recognises-wwii-plane-crash-victims/4076828 |title=Memorial recognises WWII plane crash victims |publisher=ABC News |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=31 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031021916/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-18/memorial-recognises-wwii-plane-crash-victims/4076828 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |date=18 June 2012 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-18/wayne-carter-and-neville-hewitt-unveil-the-stone/4076884 |title=Wayne Carter and Neville Hewitt unveil the stone at the Canal Creek plane crash memorial |publisher=ABC News |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=18 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150718070237/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-18/wayne-carter-and-neville-hewitt-unveil-the-stone/4076884 |url-status=live }} Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow and Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley attended the ceremony. Wensley said it was good the tragedy was being remembered while Strelow praised Millroy for his part in organising the memorial.

Annual memorial services are now held at the crash site.{{cite news |date=15 July 2015 |url=https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/canal-creek-memorial-world-war-2-plane-crash/2705585 |title=Canal Ck memorial service to honour lives lost in crash |work=The Morning Bulletin |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060531/https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/canal-creek-memorial-world-war-2-plane-crash/2705585/ |url-status=live }} A 75th anniversary commemoration was held in 2018.{{Cite news |date=18 December 2018 |title=CQ community commemorates 75th anniversary of air disaster |work=Rockhampton Morning Bulletin |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/cq-community-commemorates-75th-anniversary-of-air-disaster/news-story/75f0ad26612619bd6fad1bfff78f3233}}{{cite news |date=20 December 2018 |url=https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/gallery-75th-canal-creek-air-disaster-memorial/3606412 |title=75th Canal Creek air disaster memorial |work=The Morning Bulletin |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060542/https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/gallery-75th-canal-creek-air-disaster-memorial/3606412/ |url-status=live }}

The Canal Creek air crash occurred just a month after the Rewan air crash near Rolleston, in which 19 Australian and American personnel were killed{{cite web |date=23 April 2004 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-04-23/memorial-to-honour-war-crash-victims/174620 |title=Memorial to honour war crash victims |publisher=ABC News |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027201724/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-04-23/memorial-to-honour-war-crash-victims/174620 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/ww2/display/101310-dakota-c-47-air-crash-memorial |title=Dakota C-47 Air Crash Memorial |website=Monuments Australia |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060519/http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/ww2/display/101310-dakota-c-47-air-crash-memorial |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld63.htm |title=Crash of a C-47A Dakota on Rewan Station, south of Springsure |website=Oz at War |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827060518/https://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld63.htm |url-status=live }} and six months after the Bakers Creek air crash near Mackay in which 40 military personnel were killed.{{cite news |last=Meixner |first=Sophie |date=14 June 2018 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-14/bakers-creek-plane-crash-75th-anniversary/9827764 |title=Remembering Australia's worst air disaster and the cover-up that echoed for decades |publisher=ABC News |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002115906/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-14/bakers-creek-plane-crash-75th-anniversary/9827764 |url-status=live }}

Crew and passengers

The crew and passengers on board were:{{Cite book |last=O'Brien |first=Mary |title=The 1943 Canal Creek Air Crash and other aircraft disasters in Central Queensland during WW2 |publisher=Capricorn Host Historical Society |year=2013}}

class="wikitable"

!Name

!Country

!City

Pilot

|2nd Lieutenant William R. Crecelius

|USA

|Indiana

Co-Pilot

|2nd Lieutenant John B. Rowell

|USA

|Michigan

Engineer

|Technical Sergeant John L. Shupe

|USA

|Virginia

Radio Operator

|Seargeant Robert S. Fazio

|USA

|New York

Passenger

|Technical Sergeant Carlos M. Bane

|USA

|Pennsylvania

Passenger

|Seargeant Charles F. Dolan

|USA

|New York

Passenger

|2nd Lieutenant Harry Gillies

|USA

|New York

Passenger

|2nd Lieutenant William B. Graham

|USA

|Pennsylvania

Passenger

|Captain Orlen N. Loverin

|USA

|California

Passenger

|Warrant Officer Herbert R. Johnson

|USA

|New York

Passenger

|Private Herbert J. Mathias

|USA

|Indiana

Passenger

|Major Hoyt A. Ross

|USA

|Minnesota

Passenger

|Captain Robert J. Simmons

|USA

|Florida

Passenger

|Chief Warrant Officer Thomas W. Smith

|USA

|Georgia

Passenger

|Captain George K. Snyder

|USA

|Pennsylvania

Passenger

|Gunner's Mate Frank J. Carline

|USA

|Massachusetts

Passenger

|Lieutenant William W. Samuelsen

|USA

|New York

Passenger

|Gunner's Mate Jack H. Staggs

|USA

|California

Passenger

|2nd Lieutenant Ernestine M. Koranda

|USA

|Minnesota

Passenger

|2nd Lieutenant Rebecca M. Williams

|USA

|Pennsylvania

Passenger

|LAC Donald C. Cameron

|Australia

|Texas, Queensland

Passenger

|Captain Alexander W.R. Geddes

|Australia

|Waratah, New South Wales

Passenger

|Captain Crawford D. Mollison

|Australia

|South Yarra, Victoria

Passenger

|Leading Aircraftman Raymond K. Oster

|Australia

|Maitland, South Australia

Passenger

|Private Benjamin Rasmussen

|Australia

|Merrick, Queensland

Passenger

|Corporal Thomas W. Shard

|Australia

|Ipswich, Queensland

Passenger

|Corporal William B. Sleep

|Australia

|Brisbane, Queensland

Passenger

|Captain John H. Weir

|Australia

|Melbourne, Victoria

Passenger

|Harold (Arnold George) Dick

|Australia

|Sydney, New South Wales

Passenger

|Nigel James Bruce MacDonald

|Australia

|Neutral Bay, New South Wales

Passenger

|William Bramwell Tibbs

|Australia

|Sydney, New South Wales

Pilot

File:William Randall Crecelius.jpg

2nd Lieutenant William Randall "Randy" Crecelius was born on November 21, 1918 in Gibson County, Indiana. He was the first of five children born to Henry Crecelius and Maude Miley Crecelius.

Crecelius enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on September 26, 1940. He was eventually assigned to the 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group. This Squadron operated the Douglas C-47 Skytrain in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during the war.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on May 29, 1943. His citation included the following: "He took part in more than fifty missions, dropping supplies and transporting troops over territory that was continually patrolled by enemy fighter aircraft. Often landings were made on fields only a few miles from Japanese bases. These operations aided considerably in the recent success in this theatre."

After his death, it took more than four years to return his body to the United States. He was buried on March 11, 1948 in the family plot of Warnock Cemetery in Princeton, Indiana.

A scholarship in his name was established at Oakland City University in 1983.

Canal Creek air crash

Crew and passengers

Pilot

References

Further reading