2LT. Charles Morgan Head was a Bombardier and Navigator with the 12th Air Force; 57th Bombardment Wing; 310th Bombardment Group; 380th Bombardment Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO).

His Hometown was Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, where his Father, Roy Carlton Head, had his Candy Company, Head Candies, Inc.

Sunday, 25 July 1943
380th BS War Diary: While testing his plane, Lieut. Stutts was unable to bring the ship out of a test dive and crashed into the sea off Tabarka. The following men were members of the crew and are carried in the Sqdn. Records as killed in line of duty:

310th B OMBARDMENT GROUP (M) OFFICE OF THE OPERATIONS OFFICER NEW HALL
25 July 1943

OPERATIONS ORDER: NUMBER 136-1:

1. In compliance with verbal orders, Commanding Officer, B-25-D, Aircraft Number 41-30388 and crew listed below will, on or about 25 July 1943 proceed on a local test hop for the purpose of checking major repair on left wing:

Crew
Pilot- Stutts, Earl L. 1st Lt. 0-789846
Nav.- Head, Charles M. 2nd Lt. 0-669045
Eng.- Jensen, Alfred S. S/Sgt. 19059782

For the Group Commander:

WILLIAM M. BOWER, Lt. Col., Air Corps, Operations Officer.

380th BS: Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 207:

A/C B-25D; Serial No. 41-30388; MACR-207; crashed at sea;
P Stutts, Earl Leeman, 1Lt - MIA, KNB
CP Jensen, Alfred S., S/Sgt (aerial engineer) - MIA, KNB
N Head, Charles M., 2Lt - MIA, KNB
B None
E None
R None
G None

F None

Description of eyewitnesses compiled by JAMES F. GAVIN, Major, M.C.

14. At about 1000 hours July 25th a pink colored B-25 was seen flying low over the beach at Tabarka. After two or three trips up and down the beach, the airplane flew toward Rome, gaining altitude. A turn was made and the airplane was then flying east at about 8000 to 10,000 feet altitude. When about five miles north of the Tabarka lighthouse, there was a change in the sound of the engines and the airplane went into a dive and then a spin. Two or three turns were made before it hit the water. No parachutes were seen to leave the airplane. A large geyser of water was seen when the airplane hit the water, but no wreckage was visible.

Description of the extent of the search:

15. A small boat went out from the Port of Tabarka with Major Gavin and several others and reached the approximate scene of the crash at about 1215 hours. No wreckage at all was found at this time. A two-hour search was made from the air (1400 to 1600) by Capt. Clyde L. Grow and a crew in a B-25. A dark spot of oil was sighted, and an oil film was visible extending over a large area. Several yellow objects were floating in this area, and appeared to be two life vests, a pillow, life raft cover, and a partially-inflated life raft. No signs of the crew members were available. The B-25 went out and searched again for another two hours (1645 to 1845), working in co-operation with the search boat which was out in the crash area again. Smoke bombs were dropped near some of the objects to guide the boat to them. None of the crew members were sighted and the search was given up.

310th BOMBARDMENT GROUP (M) OFFICE OF THE OPERATIONS OFFICER NEW HALL
26 Jul 1943

SUBJECT: Crash of Aircraft No. 41-30388 on 25 July 1943
TO: COMMANDING OFFICER, 310th Bombardment Group (M), New Hall.

1.The following are statements received from witnesses by Major Gavin, M.O.

Lt. Charles F. Eckert, 0-1290038
29th Finance Dispensing Section:

A British soldier brought news to the Town Major’s Office that an airplane had crashed in the area. Previously to this a pink colored B-25 had been flying low over town and beach. Not able to say same plane as crashed. Did not see plane crash. Went to French for boat and went out to locate area. Was not able to do so. Flying low both ways on beach. Observed this from just in front of Gendarmes building.

S.P.N. R.B. Wilson, 1093828, 854 Quartering Co. R.E.:

Stunting over harbor, flying low over water between land and Island. Went toward Bone, turned and came back. Flying very high turned to go back toward Bone and seemed to drop “Like a stone”, spun, and hit water nose first. Went under in large splash of H-2-O. Seemed as though a parachute came out at 200 - 300 feet, but did not open fully. There were two or three other planes around at time. Time 1030 - 1100. Reported to American Major.

L-Corp. Roberts, E., 1914515, 854 Quartering Co. R.E.:

Flying low between Island and town two or three times along beach came up toward Bone at about 10,000 feet, dived and went spinning into water, making two or three turns before striking H-2-O. Struck nose first. Large splash of water, saw nothing floating afterwards. Did not see parachute. Explosions after plane hit, seemed to come from water. Was a pink colored plane, twin tailed.

Vaughan, C.A., 2142606, 854 Quartering Co. R.E.:

Came up and down beach two or three times flying low. Circled around island twice, went toward Bone flying high. Turned and came back flying high went into dive. Heard loud roar of engines, then plane hit water nose first. Saw nothing afterwards. Time 1015 - 1100. Saw nothing leave plane on way down. Hit water 5-6 miles north of Tabarka lighthouse. Two lightnings around area afterwards.

Le Boudoir, Le Call, Robert. (Lighthouse Keeper):

Plane from West to East very high, 2000 - 2500 ft. Suddenly went into dive. Noise of motor suddenly changed. Spun two or three times. Nothing came out of plane before it hit water. Called Commander of Merchant Marine. Saw plane before it went into dive. No smoke or fire from motor. Seemed as though motor stopped before it went into dive.

WILLIAM M. BOWER, Lt. Col., Air Corps, Operations Officer.

380th BS: Extracts from Report of Aircraft Accident # 237:
29 Jul 1943
SUBJECT: Aircraft Accident.
TO: Commanding Officer, 310th Bombardment Group (M).

1. Under the provisions of Operations Order No. 136-1, 310th Bombardment Group (M), AAF, APO #520, U.S. Army, dated 25 July 1943, aircraft No. 41-30388 of the 380th Bombardment Squadron (M) piloted by 1st Lt. Earl L. Stutts, 0-789846, was cleared for the purpose of testing and checking a major repair on the left wing. The crew was as follows: 1st Lt. Earl L. Stutts, 0-789846, pilot; S/Sgt. Alfred S., Jensen, 19059782, co-pilot (aerial engineer); and 2nd Lt. Charles M. Head, 0-669045, navigator. The aircraft cleared the field at 0942, 25 July 1943.

2. Between 1015 and 1100 hours on 25 July 1943, a pink B-25 was seen to crash into the sea, 5 to 6 miles north of Tabarka lighthouse. This aircraft was seen with two or three others flying up and down the coast. It was stated by several witnesses to have spun from 8000 to 9000 feet with no parachutes appearing. The consolidated statements of the above mentioned witnesses are attached. The definite cause of the accident is unknown. The cloud ceiling and visibility was unlimited.

3. One aircraft was sent out on search when the base was notified of the accident. The pilot was Captain Clyde L. Grow. This aircraft made two searches, one at 1400 hours and another at 1645 hours. At the same time a search was conducted by Major James F. Gavin in a boat, the combined report being included in the “Missing Air Crew Report” attached. Several yellow objects were seen from the air, and appeared to be two life vests, a pillow, a life raft cover, and a partially inflated life raft. There were no bodies visible at the scene of the accident or the above mentioned items, only a large oil slick, on the arrival of the boat.

4. Aircraft No. 41-30388 and crew have been missing since 25 July 1943 and would have been in the vicinity of the above described accident. It is believed that the aircraft that crashed is aircraft No. 41-30388, piloted by 1st Lt. Earl L. Stutts.

HARVEY H. HINMAN, Lt. Col., Air Corps, Investigating Officer.

Charles M Head