World War II Database

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18 Apr 1947

ww2dbaseIn reply address not the signer of this
letter, but Bureau of Naval Personnel,
Navy Department, Washington 25, D.C.

Refer to No.
      Pers 2152-KFM

NAVY DEPARTMENT
BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL
WASHINGTON 25, D.C.
18 April 1947

MEMORANDUM

To:	Chief of History and Research, DCNO (Air), Attn: Mr. Van Wyen--Aviation History, Room 4929.
Subj:	Aviation Personnel Fatalities in World War II.
Ref:	(a) Telephone request from OP50D-1 of 14 April 1947.
Encl:	(A) Aviation Personnel Fatalities in World War II from 7 December 1941 to 31 December 1946.

1. Enclosure (A) is forwarded herewith in answer to reference (a).

/signed/
Very respectfully
J. R. LEEDS
OinC, Personnel Accounting and
Statistical Control Section

CC to: Op55F1 (Capt. B.S. CUSTER, USN)

---

AVIATION PERSONNEL FATALITIES IN WORLD WAR II /1
From 7 Dec. 1941 Through 31 Dec. 1946

			OFFICERS			ENLISTED
	GRAND TOTAL	TOTAL OFFICERS	USN	USNR	TOTAL ENLISTED	USN	USNR
TOTAL DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES	12133	5563	507	5056	6570	1818	4752
DEATHS--ENEMY ACTION	3618	1602	163	1439	2016	648	1368
Air Combat	2891	1425	151	1274	1466	499	967
Other Action	727	177	12	165	550	149	401
DEATHS PLANE CRASHES--OPERATIONAL	3632	1261	98	1163	2371	657	1714
DEATHS PLANE CRASHES--OTHER THAN OPERATIONAL /2	3257	2434	184	2250	823	167	656
DEATHS IN AVIATION ACCIDENTS--OTHER THAN PLANE CRASHES /3	143	37	3	34	106	23	83
DEATHS IN AVIATION ACCIDENTS NOT UNDER MILITARY JURISDICTION	12	8	1	7	4	1	3
DEATHS ALL OTHER CAUSES	1471	221	58	163	1250	322	928
Accidents other than Aviation Accidents	998	93	15	78	905	242	663
Disease	342	97	34	63	245	47	198
All Other	131	31	9	22	100	33	67
Missing Not Declared Dead   (Not Included in Above Totals)	4	3	2	1	1	1

/1 Aviation Personnel as defined in these data by the Records Division, to be all personnel classified and attached to Air Activities in Continental U.S. and Foreign Ashore; and Aviation Squadrons and Units Afloat. Ship's Company of Aircraft Carriers and Auxiliaries are not included. These statistics are undergoing revisions and represent changes processed through March 1947.

/2 Training and Ferrying.

/3 Not actually in flight, such as one occurring by being struck by propeller.

Enclosure (A) ww2dbase

Source(s):
United States Navy Naval History and Heritage Command

Added By:
C. Peter Chen

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