Patrick Air Force Base, formerly US Naval Air Station, Banana River, where a Martin Mariner rescue plane, PBM-5 "Squadron Training No. 49" would launch from and soon go missing itself.

BACKGROUND

At approximately 6:00 p.m. on 5 December 1945, an HF/DF signal fix was obtained for Flight 19, placing its location somewhere within a 100-mile radius off the east coast of Florida, but that would be the last trace of the squadron's existence. It wouldn't be the last tragedy of this story. Around 7:27 p.m., two Martin Mariner rescue planes were launched from NAS Banana River, FL to conduct a search. Three minutes later, one of the planes, PBM-5 "Squadron Training No. 49" would send its "out report" over the radio, but it too would never be heard from again. About 20 minutes later, a tanker cruising in the area, the SS Gaines Mills would report seeing an apparent explosion, with flames leaping 100 feet high and lasting for 10 minutes in the vicinity of where PBM-5 should have been. The ship would search for survivors or floating wreckage but would find only a pool of oil and it is believed all 13 crew members aboard PBM-5 perished in that explosion. At least with PBM-5, there is a likely explanation of their fate but with Flight 19, to this day there is none to be had. The lingering question may sound simplistic, but it can be put before every speculative answer ranging from the commonplace to the paranormal -- "Where did they go?"

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