After a two-year search, a dive team has found the shattered wreck of a TBF-1 Avenger torpedo bomber on the murky bottom of Clear Lake in northern California. The discovery could end 60 years of discomfort for 96-year-old Morton Pinz, whose younger brother Lt. Robert Pinz was flying the plane. The body of radio operator David Herget washed ashore a few days after the crash on Dec. 4, 1944, but the Pinz family was always distressed that the pilot’s body was never recovered. The body still hasn’t been located but divers may return to the wreck to see if it’s there. The wreckage is scattered over about 2,000 feet and the largest piece is about the size of a truck tailgate, according to local potato farmer John Prosser, who led the search. A private research vessel with a side search sonar located the wreck, along with three divers from the Klamath Falls, Ore., police department.
Avenger Wreckage Found In Lake
Key Takeaways:
- After a two-year search, the shattered wreck of a TBF-1 Avenger torpedo bomber, which crashed on December 4, 1944, was found at the bottom of Clear Lake, northern California.
- The discovery offers potential closure for the family of pilot Lt. Robert Pinz, whose body was never recovered, causing 60 years of distress.
- While the radio operator's body was found shortly after the crash, Lt. Pinz's remains have not yet been located within the widely scattered wreckage, though divers may conduct further searches.
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