USS Akron Crash – Officers and Crew
A list of the officers, crew, and guests aboard USS Akron when the ship crashed at sea April 3-4, 1933. Of the 76 men aboard Akron, only three survived the crash; their names appear in blue.
Six of the men killed in the wreck of the Akron had survived the crash of USS Shenandoah in 1925.
Akron Executive Officer Herbert V. Wiley was in command of USS Macon when the Macon crashed at sea north of San Francisco on February 12, 1935.
OFFICERS:
Rear Admiral William A. Moffett
Cdr. Frank C. McCord, Commanding
Lt. Cdr. Herbert V. Wiley, Executive Officer
Lt. Cdr. Harold E. McClellan
Lt. George Calnan
Lt. Herbert M. Wescoat
Lt. Richard F. Cross, Jr.
Lt. (jg) Hammond J. Dugan
Lt. (jg) Charles F. Miller
Lt. (jg) Morgan Redfield
Lt. (jg) Wilfred Bushnell
Lt. (jg) Cyrus Clendening
Chief Machinist George C. Walsh
PASSENGERS/GUESTS
RAdm. William A. Moffett, Chief of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics
Cdr. Fred T. Berry, CO NAS Lakehurst/CO Rigid Airship Training & Experimental Squadron
Cdr. Harry B. Cecil (Aide to Rear Admiral Moffett)
Lt. Joseph H. Severyns
Lt. (jg) Robert E. Sayre
Lt. (jg) Charles H. Calloway
Col. Alfred F. Masury, U.S. Army Reserve (V.P., Mack Truck Co.)
USS Akron Survivors Moody Erwin (left), Herbert V. Wiley (center), Richard Deal (right)
ENLISTED
Anderson, Victor C. (AMM3C | AVN. MACH. MATE 3D)
Angeles, Maximo (Matt1c | Mess Attend. 1st)
Arthur, Wellington K. (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate)
Austin, Wilton G. (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
Ballard, Henry A. (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d) [USS Shenandoah Survivor]
Barnhart, Bennie, (Cox | Coxswain)
Baughman, Harold R. (F3c | Fireman 3d)
Boelsen, Peter (AMM2c | Avn. Mach. Mate 2d)
Boswell, Henry L. (CBM | Chief Boatswain’s Mate) [USS Shenandoah Survivor]
Carlson, Arthur E. (CBM | Chief Boatswain’s Mate) [USS Shenandoah Survivor]
Carr, Stewart S. (CEM | Chief Electricians Mate)
Cooper, Fred (AMM2c | Avn. Mach. Mate 2d)
Copeland, Robert W. (CRM | Chief Radioman)
Cridlin, Stanley L. (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d)
Deal, Richard E. (CBM | Chief Boatswain’s Mate)
Dean, Carl C. (CBM | Chief Boatswain’s Mate)
Duncan, Lester G. (F3c | Fireman 3d)
Engler, Ralph (Cox | Coxswain)
Erwin, Moody E. (AM2c | Aviation Metalsmith 2d)
Eschette, Horace P. (SC1c | Ships Cook 1st)
Fahey, Lawrence E. (AMM2c | Avn. Mach. Mate 2d)
Fennessy, Edward (ACOM | Aviation Chief Ordnanceman)
Fink, Elmer E. CTM
Graves, Hilbert N. (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d)
Hackett, Earl P. (CAerog | Chief Aerographer)
Hill, William T. (PhM1c | Pharmacist’s Mate 1st)
Hoover, Paul S. (SC3c | Ships Cook3d)
Hulting, Lewis O. (Cox | Coxswain)
Jandick, Paul A. (CBM | Chief Boatswain’s Mate)
Johnson, Rufus B. (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
Latham, W.R. (CBM | Chief Boatswain’s Mate)
Lamkin, H.R. (Sea1c | Seaman First Class)
Liles, Leon D. (CAerog | Chief Aerographer)
Lipke, Donald H. (AMM1c | Avn. Mach. Mate 1st);
Magnuson, Fridolf R. (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d)
McLellan, Benjamin C. (AMM2c | Avn. Mach. Mate 2d)
Molen, Herschel L RM1c; Oronez, Mario (Matt1c | Mess Attend. 1st)
Quernheim, August C. (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate) [USS Shenandoah Survivor]
Rader, Leonard G. (Cox | Coxswain)
Russell, William A. (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate) [USS Shenandoah Survivor]
Rutan, Lucius W. (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate)
Rytell, John (AMM1c | Avn. Mach. Mate 1st)
Shauger, Paul R. (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d);
Shevlowitz, Joseph (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate) [USS Shenandoah Survivor]
Slayton, Douglas C. (RM3c | Radioman 3d)
Starr, Fred W. (Sea1c | Seaman First Class)
Stine, Ralph C. (QM1c | Quartermaster 1st)
Swidersky, Tony F. (Cox | Coxswain)
Thigpen, Benjamin J.,Jr. (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d)
Tomes, Gerald L. (F3c | Fireman 3d)
Ulrich, Oliver (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
Walck, Lewis T.(AMM2c | Avn. Mach. Mate 2d)
Weeks, John L (Sea2c | Seaman Second Class)
Wind, Nobart (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d)
Zanetti, Joseph (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d)
Zimkus, Joseph J. (BM1c | Boatswain’s Mate 1st).
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Some how someway I acquired photo’s of the USS Akron, in two of the photo’s are a sailor and his two parent. I can’t make out his name. He ,looks similar to Richard Deal in the above photo.
Hi-Just found a one of the 4 1/2″ Duralum bookmarks of my mothers. Does anyone know of any significance of her name (Schnaufer) and date (7-19-31) being engraved on the flat part of the bookmark? I read the Akron was first flown in August of that year so was wonderig why she had one with that earlier date on it. Thanks for any info!
I have 6 post cards from a member of the crew I am assuming, written to his brother telling him about Mrs. Hoover was going to be christening the airship later that afternoon, 8/8/31. They are quite interesting to see & to picture this man being so excited by the Akron & all the happenings that are going on.
I recently found Henry Barton Cecil’s grave while graving an his stone has the inscription: Lost in the US Navy Airship Akron disaster, and I had never heard of it so went googling and found this. Thank you for the site.
He is buried in Scott County, TN, Reed Cemetery, New River.
The Macon went down south of San Fransico, check your facts rick
Did anyone mention where the airship went down, and what was picked up by the navy, and what was left behind??? I cann’t seem to find any info on that!!! Help shed so light on the subject. rick
I know Herbert Victor Wiley passed away in 1954, can someone tell me when Moody Erwin and Richard Deal died?
A reader very kindly emailed me a photo of Moody Erwin’s gravestone in response to your question, indicating that he died in 1989.
Seamon 2nd class John Louis Weeks was my father’s brother–my unlce whom I never knew. My Dad, Ray Weeks Sr., was 13 when he lost his brother. My dad served with the USMC from 1940 until 1947, 32 months of that time in the South Pacific with the 7th marine Regiment, 1st Marne Division. Former Ssgt R. Weeks passed away in 1986. John Weeks is survived by his younger sister Helen (Weeks) Scott who resides in Florida.
I am a retired Marine Officer and both my sister and her husband are former Naval Officers.
I am putting together a video honoring John’s naval service aboard the Akron using photes and a video clip of an interview with the Lt Cmdr Wiley, one of the survivors of the crash. Any assistance with background and memorabilia, etc. is appreciated. Send to me at my email address weeksr@optonline.net
Henry L. ( Leroy ) Boswell was my Grandfather’s ( William Bernie Boswell ) younger brother. They are from Bagdad, Florida, Santa Rosa County There home was on Pond Creek by bridge on Henry St. I have an antique pic and frame of Henry Leroy Boswell in uniform head to toe. A family keepsake given to me by my grandmother Bessie C. Bengtson Boswell. Henry’s sister in law.
Henry was my grandfather’s father. My grandfather is Franklin Wallace Boswell. His mother was married to Henry when he died. Her name is Doris. Could you please contact me at 252 422 0039.
Is there any way to get a scan of that photo of Henry L. Boswell? Henry was my step-daughter’s great grandfather and she would kill for a picture of him.
Thanks – feel free to email me at 1doggiecop@gmail.com anytime
Hi Joseph,
Henry Leroy Boswell was my great grandfather. I would love to see a scanned copy of that picture of him in uniform. If this is possible, please let me know!
Thanks!
Henry L Boswell was my grandfather, and my father’s (Franklin W. Boswell) dad. Dad was an only child and was born 26 Nov 1932 (5 months old at the time of Henry’s death) Henry was married to Doris, my grandmother. I have 4 brothers, Frank jr (deceased), jeffery, Mark, and Christopher leroy boswell. I have 4 daughters and 8 grandchildren. I also have a picture of Henry in uniform.
I’m retired Marine Corp and have always wondered about that side of the family. My daughter Rebekah discovered this info while doing a school project
I had the pleasure of knowing and meeting a engineer’s mate who served aboard the Akron. He got into a car accident and was hospitalized when the Akron went down off the Jersey Coast. Talk about lucky breaks!
Stu, was that person, by any chance, John Lust. My dad was flying on the Los Angeles and knew John Lust. I published a letter in the Navy Lakehourst Historical Society’s news letter and John called me. It was really great to be able to talk with him. He passed away about a year or so later.
blackmaraduder@earthlink.net
Yes; the very same.
He was a sharp guy and loved talking about LTA.
I did a 12 page written report on the US Navy program for my history class in High School. The teacher ignored my subject and gave me a scathing critique on the presentation, and took a ball point pen and crossed off each page. When I met up with John some weeks later, I showed him my report to get his opinion and he loved it and offered to belt my history teacher in the jaw. He gave a me much needed support for my work, and I always appreciated him for that. Thanks for your reply.