Home » Home » 75 Years Ago a PM-3S Martin Mariner Seaplane Departed From Patrick Air Force Base and Never Returned

75 Years Ago a PM-3S Martin Mariner Seaplane Departed From Patrick Air Force Base and Never Returned

By  //  July 29, 2020

The disappearance of the plane and its crew of 12 young Navy men remains a mystery to this day

A PBM-3S Martin Mariner seaplane took off from Naval Air Station Banana River, now known as Patrick Air Force Base, 75 years ago this month – never to return. (920th Rescue Wing image)

BREVARD COUNTY • PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA –  A PBM-3S Martin Mariner seaplane took off from Naval Air Station Banana River, now known as Patrick Air Force Base, 75 years ago this month – never to return.

The disappearance of the plane and its crew of 12 young Navy men remains a mystery to this day.

The massive PBM’s regularly flew out of NAS Banana River on training and submarine hunting missions. This particular plane took off on a scheduled, round trip flight to the Bahamas on July 9, 1945.

Its disappearance resulted in one of the largest search and rescue efforts ever launched by the U.S. Navy which lasted over two weeks.

Nothing was ever found.

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The massive PBM’s regularly flew out of NAS Banana River on training and submarine hunting missions. This particular plane took off on a scheduled, round trip flight to the Bahamas on July 9, 1945. (920th Rescue Wing image)
A PBM-3S Martin Mariner seaplane took off from Naval Air Station Banana River, now known as Patrick Air Force Base, 75 years ago this month – never to return. It’s disappearance resulted in one of the largest search and rescue efforts ever launched by the U.S. Navy which lasted over two weeks. (920th Rescue Wing image)

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