US Navy Blimp Crash, Nanaimo, BC Jun 1944

[Temujin]

While search for something else, I came across newspaper articles that indicated a US Navy Blimp crashed while assisting the RCAF in locating a downed aircraft in June 1944 not from from Nanaimo, BC

When I first spotted the articles, of course I never new this, and went looking for the info on the Blimp (where it came from, it’s registration etc)......and found NOTHING

I did find the US Navy operated a Blimp Squadron 33 at Tillamook, Oregon (where the articles say it came from), but searching the war diaries of this Squadron......it makes NO MENTION of a Blimp loss in June 1944 or any date thereafter.

THEN, I thought, maybe this is just a “mistake”......but searching the papers, I found LOTS of references to the crash, the clean up and then I found mention (not many) in US papers, but no where does it give any detail on the actual Blimp (it’s, number, of names of crewmen etc)

So, I’ll post the article’s I found on this thread......and any help, clues, etc will be appreciated

[Temujin]

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[Temujin]

A follow up.

I had found the “war diaries” of Blimp Squadron 33 for Mar, Apr and Jun (their are no diaries for “May”

And in these diaries they list the Blimps that are “on strength” of the squadron......so I figure, the crashed Blimp must be one of the one’s that is NOT on the June List.......maybe

A search of the Blimp No’s came up blank, so I’ll post the documents here so all can look and give me advice or search

MARCH

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APRIL

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JUNE

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So, COULD the crashed Blimp be either K-20 or K-51 or K-83

[Temujin]

Found the record finally........needed to search using “Blimp Squadron Thirty Three”....NOT Blimp Squadron 33 (which was on all the other records...........

Blimp that crashed was K-83

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[Temujin]

Side Note, map of US Navy Airship Patrol bases during WW2 and a list of Navy Squadrons

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