USS Macon Crash – Officers and Crew

A list of the officers, crew, and guests aboard USS Macon when the ship crashed at sea off Point Sur, south of San Francisco, on February 12, 1935.  Of the 76 men aboard Macon, two died in the crash; their names appear in red.

Macon’s commanding officer, Herbert V.Wiley, was one of the three survivors of the USS Akron crash on April 3-4, 1933.

OFFICERS

Lt. Cdr. Herbert V.Wiley (right) assuming command of USS Macon from Cdr. Alger H. Dresel

Lt. Cdr. Herbert V.Wiley (right) assuming command of USS Macon from Cdr. Alger H. Dresel

Lt. Cdr. Herbert V. Wiley, Commanding
Lt. Cdr. Jesse L. Kenworthy
Lt. Cdr. Edwin F. Cochrane
Lt. Cdr. George H. Mills
Lt. Cdr. Donald M. Mackey
Lt. Cdr. Scott E. Peck
Lt. Calvin M. Bolster
Lt. Howard N. Coulter
Lt. Anthony L. Danis
Lt. Harold B. Miller
Lt. (jg) John D. Reppy
Lt. (jg) Frederick N. Kivette
Lt. (jg) George W. Campbell
Lt. (jg) Earle K. Van Swearingen
Lt. (jg) Leroy C. Simpler
Lt. (jg) Gerald D. Huff
Chief Boatswain William A. Buckley,
Chief Machinist Emmett C. Thurman

PASSENGERS/GUESTS

Cdr. Alfred T. Clay, Commanding Officer, NAS Moffett Field
Lt. Clinton S. Rounds

ENLISTED

USS Macon cook William F. Bucher

USS Macon cook William F. Bucher

Charles Ellis Adams (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
Herlie H. Ashcraft  (Sea1c | Seaman First Class)
William Alfred Baker (Aviation Machinist Mate)
William J. Bighouse (RM2c | Radioman 2d)
Dave Wesley Bounds (F2c | Fireman 2d)
Theodore C. Brandes (QM1c | Quartermaster 1st)
William F Bucher (SC1c | Ships Cook 1st)
Maximo Cariaso (Matt1c | Mess Attend. 1st)
Ansel Franklin Carroll (Aviation Machinist Mate)
William Henry Clarke (Cox | Coxswain)
Wilmer M. Conover   (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Joseph Robert Connolly (Cox | Coxswain)
Theodore Class (SC2c | Ships Cook 2nd)
Fred Mathew Culbert (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Ernest Edwin Dailey     (RM1c | Radioman 1st)
Cecil Myron Deforest Avn Mach. Mate
Francis S. Domian (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
Gifford Lavern Dunn     (F1c | Fireman 1st)
Florentino Edquiba (Matt1c | Mess Attend. 1st)
Max Felt (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Matthew G Fraas (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Albert Francis (CAerog | Chief Aerographer)
Andrew B. Galatian (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate)
James Nicholas Garner (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Arthur Glowacki (Sea1c | Seaman First Class)
James C. Gilmore  (Electrician’s Mate)
William F Germain (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Leo Edward Gentile (Cox | Coxswain)
John Beaty Hall (Sea2c | Seaman Second Class)
Worther M. Hammond (Cox | Coxswain)
William H. Herndon, Jr. (SC1c | Ships Cook 1st)
Bruce H. Herrington  (RM1c | Radioman 1st)
Sydney Hooper (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Paschal M. Jackson (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
James C. Jennings (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate)
Earle W Kirkpatrick (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
Emil Klaassen (Aviation Machinist Mate)
William S. Kosar (RM1c | Radioman 1st)
Leonard E. Lehtonen (Aviation Machinist Mate)
John Francis Leonard (Aviation Machinist Mate)
William A. MacDonald (Cox | Coxswain)
Julius Eugene Malak (Aviation Machinist Mate) [USS Shenandoah survivor] Kenneth H. McArdle (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Charles W Miller (BM2c | Boatswain’s Mate 2d)
Martin Oscar Miller (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate)
Edward Ross Morris     (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Vernon Thomas Moss  (Pharmacist’s Mate)
Arthur M. Oliver (Cox | Coxswain)
Clyde Charles Padgett (F2c | Fireman 2d)
Benjamin George Perks (QM1c | Quartermaster 1st)
Harry R. K. Probst (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate)
Paul Fitz Randolph (CRM | Chief Radioman)
Herbert Reginald Rowe (Sea1c | Seaman First Class)
David Reese Safford (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Leonard E. Schellberg (BM1c | Boatswain’s Mate 1st)
Emery E. Sherman (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Tom Morrell Sleek (F2c | Fireman 2d)
Charles Salem Solar (ACMM | Avn. Chf. Mach. Mate) [USS Shenandoah survivor] Joseph Edward Steele  (AMM3c | Avn. Mach. Mate 3d)
Hobart B. Sullivan (RM2c | Radioman 2d)
Warren A. Thompson (Sea2c | Seaman Second Class)
James Farley Todd (Aviation Machinist Mate)
Maurice Irving Walters (RM2c | Radioman 2nd)

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Pat Friedrich
Pat Friedrich

This Blog has incorrect information. The Macon went down off the Big Sur Coast, that’s way SOUTH of San Francisco. Pleas correct this.

Henry
Henry

My grandfather was on the governmental commission that investigated the crash (A. V. de Forest). He was the metallurgical expert.

Robert
Robert

Do you know of any link beween A V de Forest and Harold Gould Henderson? There is a copy of Henderson’s 1934 anthology of Japanese haiku translations inscribed ‘to A V de F’.

Jill
Jill

My grandfather was David Reese Safford (Doc) he was also at Pearl Harbor his ship was sent out on maneuvers before it was bombed they crossed the international date line 5 times he was also stationed in Lakehurst and on the ground crew for the Hindenburg that fateful day

Bill Joyce
Bill Joyce

My family is related to Herbert Wiley. He survived both the Akron and Macon disasters. My family always credited his prowess as a swimmer. Perhaps, or, he just had the luck. Good information here. Thanks!

Richard Gaarenstroom
Richard Gaarenstroom

I am research the USS Macon Officers and Crew,looking for an Oregon connection. If anyone has any information on any of the officers or crew that have an Oregon Experience, I would like to hear from you. Family, relatives, schools, work, military service. My name is Richard Gaarenstroom, Oregon Military… Read more »

Troy⁷ Elliott Brooks
Troy⁷ Elliott Brooks

Hi Richard. Just poking around net about my Grandfather William Alfred Baker. He was on the Macon when it went down and swam with logs in his jacket. He went on to achieve Lieutenant Commander after starting enlisted. He worked at Lakehurst Navy Station all his life after he retired.… Read more »

Stefan spett
Stefan spett

Was anyone in the crew a survivor of J-3:s crash in 1933. Im unable to figure out their names.

Tracey Thurston
Tracey Thurston

My father served on the USS Macon as a radio man. His name is Robert Leslie Thurston. I have his Shirt his uniform and his flag. I wish to know his fate or survival. Thank you sincerely. Tracey A Thurston

Mike Santa Cruz
Mike Santa Cruz

My grand father was Vernon T Moss

Troy Brooks
Troy Brooks

My grandfather was William Alfred Baker on the Macon when it went down
Maybe or likely they knew each other. Have fun

Anthony Danis III
Anthony Danis III

My grandfather was Lt. Anthony Danis. He was on the Macon when it crashed.

Eric M. Smith
Eric M. Smith

ACCM Harry R.K Probst was my uncle. I wasn’t sure if he was on the airship at the time it crashed. Thanks to you website I now have more information for my Genealogy addiction.

Eric M. Smith
Eric M. Smith

ACCM Harry R. K. Probst was my uncle. I knew he had been assigned to the USS Macon at some time and I knew he died in 1945. I wasn’t sure if he was on the airship at the time of the crash. Thanks to your website I now have… Read more »