B-24 Tulsamerican
Protected Area
JI strana o. Visa
Why dive here
With 138+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, octopuses, sea turtles and cuttlefish - B-24 Tulsamerican offers some of Vis & Biševo's richest wreck diving.
Dropping onto the B-24 Tulsamerican is like stepping back into a moment frozen in time. This isn’t just a pile of metal; it’s a sombre, almost perfectly preserved piece of history resting upright on the seabed. We love the way the light catches the aircraft's intact fuselage, wings, and engines, making the whole scene feel incredibly dramatic, especially when the thermoclines dance around it. The sheer scale is impressive, and exploring the cockpit section, even from the outside, gives you a real sense of its past. Look for the resident conger eels peeking out from the bomb bay and schools of delicate anthias fluttering around the gun turrets. This dive is definitely for experienced wreck enthusiasts, requiring careful buoyancy and a deep appreciation for its story. We’d suggest going in the late morning when the sun hits the wreck just right, illuminating its details and enhancing the visibility.
Typical B-24 Tulsamerican Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
B-24 Tulsamerican Wreck History
Year Sunk
1944
Vessel Type
aircraft
Cause
combat
The B-24 Liberator known as the 'Tulsamerican' was no ordinary bomber. It was the very last of 5,000 B-24s to be built at the Douglas Aircraft plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Its construction was funded by the factory workers themselves through a war bond drive, making the plane a symbol of home-front pride and dedication. Adorned with nose art of a pin-up girl riding a bomb, the Tulsamerican was assigned to the 765th Bomb Squadron and flew missions out of Italy.
On December 17, 1944, the Tulsamerican was on a bombing run over German-occupied Poland when it was severely damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Losing altitude and with some of the crew injured, the pilot, Lt. Eugene Ford, attempted a desperate flight to the Allied-held emergency airfield on the Croatian island of Vis. They almost made it, but with the aircraft failing, Ford was forced to ditch the plane in the sea just off the coast. While most of the crew were rescued, three men were tragically lost.
Resting at a depth of around 40 meters, the Tulsamerican is considered one of the best-preserved B-24 wrecks in the world and a premier technical dive in the Adriatic. The aircraft sits upright on the seabed as if ready for takeoff. The cockpit glass is still intact, the machine guns remain in their turrets, and the wings stretch out in near-perfect condition. Diving on the Tulsamerican is a breathtaking and somber experience, offering a glimpse of a perfectly preserved moment from the height of World War II.
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