Today In History logo TIH
Five Navy bombers lifted off from Fort Lauderdale with fourteen men aboard. Two
1945 Event

December 5

Flight 19 Vanishes: Five Planes Lost in Bermuda Triangle

Five Navy bombers lifted off from Fort Lauderdale with fourteen men aboard. Two hours in, the squadron leader's compass spun uselessly. "We don't know which way is west," he radioed. "Everything looks wrong." They had fuel for four more hours. Search planes found nothing — not a single piece of wreckage, no oil slick, no life rafts. A rescue seaplane with thirteen crew vanished the same night while searching. Twenty-seven men and six aircraft gone. The Navy's explanation: the leader got disoriented, flew northeast instead of west, ran out of fuel over the Atlantic. But they never proved it. No bodies. No debris. Just ocean.

December 5, 1945

81 years ago

Key Figures & Places

What Else Happened on December 5

Talk to History

Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.

Start Talking