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Douglass Seaton Turner, Jr.

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Seaton Turner, Jr. Douglass is honored on the following 1 monument(s) in our database:

466th Bomber Group 'Honor Roll' and Memorial Display

Name:
Seaton Turner, Jr. Douglass
Rank:
Flight Officer
Serial Number:
T-125539
Unit:
787th Bomb Squadron, 466th Bomb Group
Date of Death:
1944-09-16
State:
Arkansas
Cemetery:
Plot:
Block C
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:

Seaton Turner Douglass Jr. was born on October 16, 1923, in Arkansas. He was the son of Seaton T. Douglass and Mary Amelia Coppock Douglass. He enlisted in the service on February 7, 1943. He served in the 787th Bomb Squadron, 466th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Flight Officer and Pilotage Navigator of B-24H #42-95361, nicknamed ''Glad Ta See Ya'' during World War II.

On September 16, 1944, the “Glad Ta See Ya” was destroyed in a mid-air collision over Norfolk, England, while taking part in a formation practice mission with the 466th Bomb Group. The flight was a training exercise rather than a combat operation, with several B-24s practicing formation flying and simulated bombing maneuvers near RAF Bodney. After completing a simulated bombing run, the formation began turning toward the rally point. During the maneuver, “Glad Ta See Ya” made its turn too tightly and came up beneath the formation’s lead aircraft, B-24J 42-51331. The pilot of 42-95361 attempted to avoid the lead bomber by diving away, but the aircraft became caught in its propeller wash. As the two Liberators converged, their rear sections collided.

The impact caused severe damage to both aircraft and left them uncontrollable. “Glad Ta See Ya” went down following the collision, while 42-51331 broke apart in the air. Despite the severity of the accident, three men aboard “Glad Ta See Ya” managed to escape and parachute to safety, while the remaining men aboard were killed. The loss of 42-51331 was even more severe, with 1st Lt. Stuart M. Peace Jr. becoming the only man from that aircraft to escape by parachute. Altogether, four airmen survived the collision, three from “Glad Ta See Ya” and one from 42-51331.

Currently, we don't have details about his burial location, but he has a cenotaph located in Greenwood Cemetery, Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, USA.

Sources of information: www.findagrave.com, 453rd.blogspot.com