TRIVIA---legendary big band leader Glenn Miller had 16 #1 hits and 69 top ten hits in four years, which surpass the hits of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. During World War II, Miller was a major in the Army where he and his band entertained troops. On December 15, 1944, Miller boarded a C-46 Norseman in England to fly to Paris for a Christmas concert for US troops. Miller and his fellow passengers were never seen again which led to one of aviation history's greatest mysteries. Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson starred in THE GLENN MILLER STORY which followed Miller's musical career, his marriage and the disappearance of his plane over the English Channel.
There are four theories about Glenn's disappearance.
Theory One claims Miller's C-46 was accidentally destroyed when an RAF Lancaster bomber dropped its bombs on the C-46 after it returned from an aborted mission over Germany. The Lancaster's navigator, Fred Shaw, said, "We got about as far as south of Brussels when we received a message to the effect we were to return and jettison our bombs in the English channel. I never seen bombs exploding from a plane before. I put my head in a little observation blister where I could look vertically down, there sure enough 4000lb cookies were exploding and I could see the blast waves were radiating outward. As I was watching the bomb aimer said "there is a kite down there", and I looked down and saw a small tiny high wing monoplane... I saw him flip over to port he looked like he was going into a spin, he dived in and splash, then he disappeared under the wing."' Shaw's story was confirmed by the Lancaster's pilot, Victory Gregory.
Flight Engineer Derek Thurman said three members of the Lancaster's crew saw the bombs hit Miller's plane, "The three people who saw it were absolutely convinced that they saw a small aircraft going in the opposite direction when we released the bombs."
He added, "The raid was aborted when we were south of Brussels because our fighter escort couldn't get airborne and we had to jettison our bomb load before we could land. We went to an area that was specifically set aside for that purpose, that was clear of shipping and no other aircraft should have been in that area at all. Nobody anticipated there being an aircraft there at all. There was a shout that there was someone there. The navigator shot out of his seat to look and saw it whip by, then the rear gunner said 'It's gone in, flipped over and gone in'."
Theory Two claims that Miller never boarded the C-46, but instead was ordered by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower to participate in secret negotiations for Germany's surrender, but Miller was assassinated during the mission.
Theory Three claims that Miller did arrive in Paris where he suffered a fatal heart attack while having sex with a prostitute in a Parisian bordello.
Theory Four claims the C-46, which was known for its defective carburetor heater, flew in freezing weather over the English Channel where its fuel line froze which caused the plane to crash.
In the PBS series HISTORY DETECTIVES: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GLENN MILLER, Dennis Spragg, historian and investigator for the College of Music's American Research Center and the Miller family, refuted three of the theories.
Theory One claims Miller's plane was destroyed by an RAF Lancaster dropping its bombs after an aborted mission. Spragg said the estimated time and location of where Miller's plane and the bombs being dropped do not match. He claimed the Lancaster theory began in 1984 when a group of former Lancaster pilots began telling tall tales in a South African bar
Theory Two claims Miller was not on the C-46 and was later assassinated on a secret mission for Germany's surrender. Spragg said over a dozen witnesses saw Miller board the C-46 on December 15.
Theory Three Miller died in a Paris bordello. Spragg said this theory was originated by German Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering as a propaganda tool.
Theory Four claims a defective carburetor heater caused Miller's C-46 to crash when the fuel line froze. Spragg, who supports this theory said, “The guy flew right into freezing conditions...This was a non-survivable accident with immediate trauma. Anybody who thinks this plane could have been ditched has rocks in his head, but even if it could, they would have survived just 20 minutes in the water because of the temperature.”
In January, 2019 The International Group for Historic Aviation Recovery (TIGHAR) said a retired British trawlerman possibly found the C-46 wreckage in the English Channel, but he dropped it back into the Channel because it was an omen of bad luck, although he recorded the coordinates. TIGHAR Executive Director Richard Gillespie said the trawlerman's story and his coordinates are," totally credible...The Miller aircraft is the only Norseman that's unaccounted for. So, if you find that, you've found the Miller aircraft."
Maj. Glenn Miller and his band entertain troops during World War II.
Jimmy Stewart starred in THE GLENN MILLER STORY.
Theory One of Miller's disappearance claims an RAF Lancaster accidentally dropped its bombs on Miller's C-46 after an aborted bombing mission. Investigator Dennis Spragg said the time and location between where Miller's C-46 was thought to be and the Lancaster's bomb drop do not match.
Theory Two claims Miller was not on the C-46, but was assassinated on a secret mission for Germany's surrender. Spragg said over a dozen witnesses saw Miller get on the C-46.
Theory Three claims Miller suffered a fatal heart attack in a Paris bordello. Spragg said this theory was originated by German Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering as a propaganda tool.
Theory Four claims claims a defective carburetor heater caused Miller's C-46 Norseman, which was notorious for its defective carburetor heater, to crash when the fuel line froze.
There are four theories about Glenn's disappearance.
Theory One claims Miller's C-46 was accidentally destroyed when an RAF Lancaster bomber dropped its bombs on the C-46 after it returned from an aborted mission over Germany. The Lancaster's navigator, Fred Shaw, said, "We got about as far as south of Brussels when we received a message to the effect we were to return and jettison our bombs in the English channel. I never seen bombs exploding from a plane before. I put my head in a little observation blister where I could look vertically down, there sure enough 4000lb cookies were exploding and I could see the blast waves were radiating outward. As I was watching the bomb aimer said "there is a kite down there", and I looked down and saw a small tiny high wing monoplane... I saw him flip over to port he looked like he was going into a spin, he dived in and splash, then he disappeared under the wing."' Shaw's story was confirmed by the Lancaster's pilot, Victory Gregory.
Flight Engineer Derek Thurman said three members of the Lancaster's crew saw the bombs hit Miller's plane, "The three people who saw it were absolutely convinced that they saw a small aircraft going in the opposite direction when we released the bombs."
He added, "The raid was aborted when we were south of Brussels because our fighter escort couldn't get airborne and we had to jettison our bomb load before we could land. We went to an area that was specifically set aside for that purpose, that was clear of shipping and no other aircraft should have been in that area at all. Nobody anticipated there being an aircraft there at all. There was a shout that there was someone there. The navigator shot out of his seat to look and saw it whip by, then the rear gunner said 'It's gone in, flipped over and gone in'."
Theory Two claims that Miller never boarded the C-46, but instead was ordered by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower to participate in secret negotiations for Germany's surrender, but Miller was assassinated during the mission.
Theory Three claims that Miller did arrive in Paris where he suffered a fatal heart attack while having sex with a prostitute in a Parisian bordello.
Theory Four claims the C-46, which was known for its defective carburetor heater, flew in freezing weather over the English Channel where its fuel line froze which caused the plane to crash.
In the PBS series HISTORY DETECTIVES: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GLENN MILLER, Dennis Spragg, historian and investigator for the College of Music's American Research Center and the Miller family, refuted three of the theories.
Theory One claims Miller's plane was destroyed by an RAF Lancaster dropping its bombs after an aborted mission. Spragg said the estimated time and location of where Miller's plane and the bombs being dropped do not match. He claimed the Lancaster theory began in 1984 when a group of former Lancaster pilots began telling tall tales in a South African bar
Theory Two claims Miller was not on the C-46 and was later assassinated on a secret mission for Germany's surrender. Spragg said over a dozen witnesses saw Miller board the C-46 on December 15.
Theory Three Miller died in a Paris bordello. Spragg said this theory was originated by German Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering as a propaganda tool.
Theory Four claims a defective carburetor heater caused Miller's C-46 to crash when the fuel line froze. Spragg, who supports this theory said, “The guy flew right into freezing conditions...This was a non-survivable accident with immediate trauma. Anybody who thinks this plane could have been ditched has rocks in his head, but even if it could, they would have survived just 20 minutes in the water because of the temperature.”
In January, 2019 The International Group for Historic Aviation Recovery (TIGHAR) said a retired British trawlerman possibly found the C-46 wreckage in the English Channel, but he dropped it back into the Channel because it was an omen of bad luck, although he recorded the coordinates. TIGHAR Executive Director Richard Gillespie said the trawlerman's story and his coordinates are," totally credible...The Miller aircraft is the only Norseman that's unaccounted for. So, if you find that, you've found the Miller aircraft."
Maj. Glenn Miller and his band entertain troops during World War II.
Jimmy Stewart starred in THE GLENN MILLER STORY.
Theory One of Miller's disappearance claims an RAF Lancaster accidentally dropped its bombs on Miller's C-46 after an aborted bombing mission. Investigator Dennis Spragg said the time and location between where Miller's C-46 was thought to be and the Lancaster's bomb drop do not match.
Theory Two claims Miller was not on the C-46, but was assassinated on a secret mission for Germany's surrender. Spragg said over a dozen witnesses saw Miller get on the C-46.
Theory Three claims Miller suffered a fatal heart attack in a Paris bordello. Spragg said this theory was originated by German Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering as a propaganda tool.
Theory Four claims claims a defective carburetor heater caused Miller's C-46 Norseman, which was notorious for its defective carburetor heater, to crash when the fuel line froze.
