Mt. Greylock, MA. – October 9, 1957

April 16, 2026

Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts – October 9, 1957

     On October 2, 1957, a military plane with four men aboard went missing while in-route from New York to Burlington, Vermont , and a large search and rescue operation was initiated.  (The search lasted ten days.) One of the aircraft taking part in the search was an Army L-10 observation type aircraft with two men aboard.  While searching in the area of Williamstown, Massachusetts, the plane’s engine failed, and they crashed on the Williamstown side of Mount Greylock.  Neither man was seriously injured.   

     To see more info about the missing aircraft – click here.  

     Source:

     Evening Bulletin, “Army Fliers Bruised In Plane Crash”, October 10, 1957, pg. 23. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Cape Cod Bay – November 4, 1953

April 2, 2026

Cape Cod Bay – November, 4, 1953   

Grumman AF-2W Guardian (U.S. Navy photo.)

      On the evening of November 4, 1953, a navy AF-2W Guardian aircraft, (Bu. No. 130396), with three men aboard, took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island for a routine training flight.  At about 7:00 P.M., while over Cape Cod Bay, the engine failed, and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in the water about two miles off the shore of Sandwich, Massachusetts.  As the plane was going down an S.O.S. was sent.  

     Once in the water the crew scrambled out of the aircraft before it sank and inflated their one-man life rafts and lashed them together.  They then floated in the bay until rescued by a Coast Guard boat.  

     Sources:

     Providence Journal, “3 Quonset Fliers Saved In Crash”, November 5, 1953, pg. 7. 

     Aviation Safety Network

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Granville, MA. – October 19, 1954

April 1, 2026

Granville, Massachusetts – October 19, 1954   

T-33 Shooting Star – U. S. Air Force Photo

     On October 19, 1954, a Massachusetts National Guard T-33 trainer jet with two men aboard took off from Barnes Field in Westfield, Massachusetts, for a routine training flight.  After flying for about 15 minutes the plane developed engine trouble.  The aircraft was over a populated area and the men knew that if they bailed out the jet could caused injuries or fatalities to civilians on the ground.  Therefore, both men opted to stay with the aircraft and guide it over a rural area.  The jet crashed into a wooded hillside in the rural town of Granville and both men were killed. 

     The National Guard members were identified as:

     Lieutenant Richard G. Brown, 38, of Northampton, Mass.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/234043596/richard-george-brown

     Tec/Sergt. Austin A. Cooper, 28, of West Springfield, Mass. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44783238/austin-atherton-cooper

     Both men were assigned to the 131st Fighter Squadron based in Westfield, Mass. 

     Source:

     Evening Bulletin, (RI), “2 Mass. Guardsmen Die In Jet Crash”, October 20, 1954, pg. 51.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Canton, MA. – November 16, 1952

March 31, 2026

Canton, Massachusetts – November 16, 1952

     On November 16, 1952, two naval reserve officers were flying a twin-engine trainer aircraft on a cross-country flight over Massachusetts when they encountered thick fog.   While attempting to make a controlled approach to Boston’s Logan Airport the plane ran out of gas.  The cloud ceiling was only 100 feet so they were unable to select a landing place.  As they came out of the fog they crash-landed in a swampy area of Canton about a half-mile from Route 128. Despite damage to the aircraft, neither man was injured. 

     Source:

      Providence Journal, “2 Officers Unhurt In Navy Plane Crash In Bay State Swamp”, November 17, 1952, pg. 1.    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Hull, MA. – May 22, 1950

March 22, 2026

Hull, Massachusetts – May 22, 1950   

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On May 22, 1950, Midshipman Frank E. Specht was piloting an F8F-2 Bearcat fighter plane, (Bu. No. 122625), off the coast of Hull when the engine suddenly lost power and he was forced to make an emergency water landing.  The plane came down off Point Allerton Beach, and Specht was able to extricate himself before it sank. 

     The crash-landing was witnessed by two 14-year-old youths Donald McNeil and Raymond Chirillo, who’d been playing baseball near the beach.  They ran to an old rowboat lying near shore and put it in the water.  The boat lacked oars, so they improvised, and used boards from the seats to act as makeshift paddles. 

     Meanwhile, the Coast Guard had been alerted to the incident.  While the youths were 400 yeads off shore still attempting to reach the pilot, a Coast Guard boat arrived and plucked the pilot from the water.  Upon seeing this, the youths turned back towards shore, but as they did their boat foundered, and they were forced to swim back to shore.

     Their actions were recognized by the Navy, and the following week both youths were picked up at their homes in official vehicles and brought to the Squantum Naval Air Station where they were flown to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island where Midshipman Specht was based; assigned to VF-34.  At Quonset, the boys met with Specht who gave them a tour of the base. Afterwards, the boys met with Admiral Glover for lunch and were presented with the official insignia patch worn by the men of VF-34. 

     Sources:

     Providence Journal, “Quonset Will Fete Two Hull Boys For gallant Attempt To Save Flier”, “May 25, 1950, pg. 1.    

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – June 22, 1948

March 19, 2026

Atlantic Ocean – June 22, 1948   

F6F Hellcat
U. S. Navy Photo

 On the morning of June 22, 1948, a radio-controlled navy fighter plane, (a drone.), took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  The drone was a converted Grumman Hellcat which had been pained red, and was to be controlled by a signal from another aircraft that would shadow the drone.  

     The converted Hellcat was meant to be a target for anti-aircraft batteries aboard the cruiser U.S.S. Providence which was conducting training exercises off the Massachusetts coast.   

      Shortly after the drone became airborne the radio signal was lost, and the plane flew off on its own and disappeared from sight.  It carried enough fuel to remain in the sky for 2.5 hours. 

     An alert was sent to Quonset Point NAS, the Coast Guard station in Salem, as well as local airport control towers and law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the drone.  

     Around noon time the crew of a fishing boat, the Roberta D. observed the drone crash into the sea and recovered some wreckage, which they turned over to the Coast Guard. 

     There were no injuries. 

     Source:

     Evening Bulletin, (RI), “Drone Plane Runs Wild, Crashes In Sea”, June 22, 1948, pg. 30. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Norwell, MA. – December 13, 1954

March 19, 2026

Norwell, Massachusetts – December 13, 1954   

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

      On the night of December 13, 1954, an Air Force F-94C Starfire jet fighter, (Ser. No. 51-5628), took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for a routine flight.  The pilot was Lieutenant Alfred M. Yahanda, (25), who was accompanied by a radar observer.  While passing over the metro Boston area the aircraft caught fire.  The radio observer was ordered to bail out which he safely did, and came down in the town of Hanover.   Meanwhile Lt. Yahanda saw that they were over a populated area so he remained with the aircraft to prevent civilian casualties on the ground.  Seconds before impact he successfully ejected as the jet crashed and exploded in a wooded area of Norwell.  

     The men were assigned to the 58th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis Field. 

     The following year, Lt. Yahanda was honored by the town of Norwell by being mentioned in the town’s 150th annual report, thereby making his deed part of local history. 

     It appears that Lt. Yahanda remained in the service retiring a Lieutenant Colonel, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/271298668/alfred-minoru-yahanda

       Sources:

     Providence Journal, “Heroic AF Pilot Lands Firey Plane” December 14, 1954, pg. 14.  

     Evening Bulletin, (RI), “Town Report Cites Pilot’s Heroism”, March 7, 1955. 

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Airman Is Honored In Town Report”, March 11, 1955. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Uxbridge, MA. – August 28, 1942

March 12, 2026

Uxbridge, Massachusetts – August 28, 1942

     On the evening of August 28, 1942, what was described as a small Army reconnaissance plane with two officers aboard was passing over the Uxbridge area.  The pilot was ferrying the other officer to an unnamed location.  As they were doing so the plane ran out of gas and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at Taft Field off Rivulet Street in Uxbridge. 

     By the time the men had secured gasoline, it was too dark to take off.  The servicemen stayed at the home of a resident and took off the following morning. 

     Source:

     Woonsocket Call, “Army Plane Forced Down In Taft Field”, August 29, 1942.

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Martha’s Vineyard – February 11, 1945

January 23, 2026

Martha’s Vineyard – February 11, 1945   

F7F Tigercat

      On February 11, 1945, navy Lt. (Jg.) Ted Leon Hall, (25), of Lenoir, North Carolina, was piloting an F7F-2N Tigercat aircraft on a familiarization flight over Martha’s Vineyard.  While in the area of the Martha’s Vineyard Naval Auxiliary Air Station, those in the control tower stated that the aircraft appeared to be in difficulty for about thirty seconds before it went out of control and crashed and burned in an inaccessible wooded area about two miles from the station.  

     It was reported that Lt. Hall attempted to bail out but was unsuccessful.     

     The cause of the crash was reported in the press to be “unknown”.  

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54114507/ted-leon-hall

     Source:

     Vineyard Gazette, “Falls To His Death – Flier Killed When Plane Crashes In Woods”, February 16, 1945.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – December 18, 1925

January 14, 2026

Atlantic Ocean – December 18, 1925

     On December 18, 1925, naval aviator, Lieutenant Fred H. Decker, was test-flying an open-cockpit Wright airplane when he was caught in a strong gale over the area of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The winds were more than the small plane could handle and Decker was carried 175 miles out to sea.  For six hours Decker battled the storm eventually making an emergency landing at Kingston, Massachusetts.  There he spent the night in the home of a nearby farmer. 

     Decker had suffered serious injuries to his face due to the wind-chill and was hospitalized for treatment.  

     Source:

     Nashua Telegraph, “Aviator In Desperate Struggle”, December 19, 1925.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Douglas, MA. – August 17, 1924

November 30, 2025

Douglas, Massachusetts – August 17, 1924

     On the afternoon of August 17, 1924, Lieutenant H. I. Wells, was piloting an army stunt plane over Beacon Park in Webster when the engine suddenly stopped as oil sprayed from it onto the wings of his bi-plane.  Thousands of spectators were on the ground watching the exhibition at the time.  Choosing not to ditch in the lake bordering the park, he opted to make an emergency landing in an open field near the East Douglas Cemetery.  He landed safely, and repairs were attempted to the engine, but it still wouldn’t start, so the wings were removed and the plane was taken away by trucks. 

      Source: Webster Evening Times, (Ma.), “Aviator Has Close Call From Serious Accident”, August 18, 1924  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Shirley, MA. – January 30, 1957

November 6, 2025

Shirley, Massachusetts – January 30, 1957   

De Havilland L-20 Beaver
U. S. Army Photo

 On January 30, 1957, a U.S. Army de Havilland Canada L-20A “Beaver” aircraft with three servicemen aboard was making its final approach to land at Fort Devens when it crashed about 1.5 miles from the airfield.  The aircraft came down in a dense wooded area north of Rt. 2A near Kittredge Road in the town of Shirley. 

     Two of the men aboard perished in the accident.  They were identified as:

     Captain Clifford D. Tresidder, 26, of Minnesota.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120079757/clifford-d-tresidder 

     1st Lieutenant Richard B. Collett, 24, of Pennsylvania.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61190970/richard-bartholemew-collett

     The third man aboard suffered burns and a broken collar bone and was transported to Fort Devens Hospital.  He later recovered from his injuries. 

     At the time of the accident the aircraft was taking part in training exercises.  

     Sources:

     The Public Spirit, (Ayer, Mass.), “Military Services For Army Crash Victims”, February 7, 1957.

     www.findagrave.com

     Aviation Safety Network https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/168124

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Westover Air Force Base – January 19, 1963

January 12, 2025

Westover Air Force Base – January 19, 1963

     On January 19, 1961, a C-97 Stratocruiser with twelve men aboard was making its take-off run for a routine training flight when the front landing gear collapsed and sent the aircraft into a snowbank where it burst into flames.  Fortunately all about got out safely, with six men suffering minor non-life-threatening burns.  

     Source:

     The Sunday Star, (Wash. D. C. ), “12 Escape Injury In Bomber Crash”, January 20, 1963. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Atlantic Ocean – January 16, 1945

January 4, 2025

Atlantic Ocean – January 16, 1945

     On the night of January 16, 1945, Ensign William Joseph Monagle, Jr., took off from the Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Air Field in Charlestown, Rhode Island, for a training flight over the Atlantic Ocean and was lost when his aircraft crashed into the sea off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  The details of the crash are not known.  Neither the aircraft or his remains were recovered.  The type of aircraft is also unknown, but was likely an F6F Hellcat, like the type flown out of Charlestown at the time. 

     Ensign Monagle is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/246216063/william-joseph-monagle

     Sources:

     www.findagrave.com

     www.wikitree.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Westport, MA. – December 18, 1944

December 14, 2024

Westport, Massachusetts – December 18, 1944

     On December 18, 1944, a navy aircraft with three men aboard took off from Otis Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts, bound for Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  After becoming airborne, ice began forming on the fuselage and the plane began loosing altitude.  The pilot knew he had to reduce the weight of the aircraft so he ordered the two crewmen to bail out. 

     The men jumped and landed safely at Horseneck Beach in Westport.  Upon landing, both men made their way to a farm house and were driven to Otis Field.     

     Meanwhile, the airplane, with its weight reduced, made it safely to Quonset Point. 

     The type of aircraft wasn’t specified in the newspaper. 

     Source:

     Providence Journal, “Two Fliers bail Out Enabling Ice-Coated Navy Plane To Land”, December 19, 1944.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Pelham, MA. – July 20, 1968

July 30, 2024

Pelham, Massachusetts – July 20, 1968   

A-4 Skyhawk
U.S. Navy Photo

     On Friday, July 20, 1968, a flight of two navy A-4 Skyhawk aircraft took off from Cecil Field near Jacksonville, Florida, for a  routine flight to Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  The flight was uneventful until the planes reached Massachusetts  where they encountered fog and drizzle conditions.  It was now after sunset and darkness had set in.  At 9:45 PM, as the planes were making their approach to Westover, one of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 144881),  piloted by Lieutenant Commander John F. Tylunas, 34, suddenly disappeared from radar.  The other aircraft landed safely at Westover.

     A search was instituted and the following morning the wreckage of Lt. Cmdr. Tylunas’ aircraft was spotted from the air to be in a wooded area on the east side of Junket Hill in the town of Pelham.  His body was found still in the aircraft.        

     The air force had to bring in heavy equipment to create a road to the crash site in order to remove the wreckage.  

     Lt. Cmdr. Tylunas was from Meriden, Connecticut, and was assigned to the VA-831 attack squadron.  He enlisted as a private in the Marine Corps in 1952, and was later promoted to 2nd lieutenant in 1955, and to 1st lieutenant two years later.  In 1957 he entered flight training and flew Corsair aircraft in Cuba in 1960.  He later resigned from the Marines and attended San Jose State College in California and graduated after only three-and-a-half years.  In October of 1966 he took a job flying for Pan American Airlines.  In January of 1968  he was called back into active service after the capture of the USS Pueblo by North Korea.  He’s buried in Saint Boniface Cemetery in Meriden.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61759135/john-f-tylunas

     Sources:

     Belchertown Sentinel, “Navy A-4 Jet Hits Hill Near Quabbin Shore”, July 26, 1968.  (with photos)

     Unknown Paper -“Meriden Pilot Dies In Navy Jet Crash”, July 20, 1968 – source from VA-831 Skyhawk Association. 

     www.findagrave.com

     The Journal, (Meriden) “Crash Kills City Pilot”, July 20, 1968, p1. 

     Unknown newspaper – “Jet Pilot’s Funeral Set For Wednesday” (Courtesy of the Meriden Public Library) 

     Unknown paper – “A Memorial To Tylunas” (courtesy of the Meriden Public Library)

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Phillipston, MA. – June 13, 1960

July 30, 2024

Phillipston, Massachusetts – June 13, 1960   

Lockheed F-104
U.S. Air Force Photo

 On June 13, 1960, Major Emmett S. Barrentine took off from Westover Air Force Base in a Lockheed F-104A fighter jet (Ser. No. 56-0806) for a routine test flight.  During the flight, while descending from high altitude over the town of Gardner, Mass., Major Barrentine noticed the low oil pressure light come on.  As he continued to descend he turned the aircraft towards Westover.  While passing over the town of Phillipston the engine seized and the major was forced to eject.  The aircraft came down on the farm of Frank Glasheen, while Major Barrentine landed safely in a wooded area about a quarter of a mile away.       

     Major Barrentine was assigned to the 337th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Westover AFB. 

Sources:

     The Lowell Sun, (Ma.), “Jet Pilot Bails Out In Crash”, June 14, 1960.

    Athol Daily News, (Ma.), “A Page From North Quabbin History: Military Jet Crash In Phillipston” by Carla Charter, March 7, 2023.   

     International F-104 Society 

     Aviation Safety Network

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Belchertown, MA. – June 21, 1963

April 16, 2024

Belchertown, Massachusetts – June 21, 1963   

     At about 1:00 a.m. in the morning of June 21, 1963, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Strato-Tanker, (Ser. No. 57-1498), was returning to Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, during a heavy rain storm when the aircraft crashed into the Granby side of Turkey Hill in Belchertown.  The crash site was in a heavily wooded area about one mile from the Granby/Belchertown town line.  The pilot, co-pilot, and navigator all survived the crash, but the (fuel) boom operator, Master Sergeant Daniel F. Donahue, 32, of Rye, New York, was killed. 

     The plane had been assigned to the 99th Air Refueling Squadron at Westover AFB. 

     Sources:

      Crown Sentinel, (Belchertown, Ma.), “Westover Refueler Crash”, June 28, 1963.      

     Book, “Voices From An Old Warrior – Why KC-135 Safety Matters”, by Christopher J. B. Hoctor, Mizzou Publishing, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., Copyright 2013.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Off Scituate, MA. – February 6, 1940

October 31, 2023

Off Scituate, Massachusetts – February 6, 1940 

     On February 6, 1940, an army BT-9 trainer aircraft, (Ser. No. 38-251), with two men aboard, took off from Hyannis, Massachusetts, bound for Boston.  As the plane was making its way to Boston ice began to quickly form on the wings.  As the plane was passing off the coast of Scituate, Massachusetts, the pilot was forced to make an emergency water landing about a half-mile from shore.  Both the pilot, Lt. Arthur Tappan, (27), and his mechanic, William Andrews, 23, escaped before the plane sank in 50 feet of water.  Both men swam to a nearby rock and were rescued by a Coast Guard boat.   Neither had suffered any serious injury. 

     Source:

     Record-Journal, “Army Plane Forced Down In Bay, Occupants Rescued”, February 7, 1940, pg.9.   (Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.)   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – April 7, 1945

October 29, 2023

Atlantic Ocean – April 7, 1945

 

F6F Hellcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On April 7, 1945, Ensign Robert M. Kirk, (23), was killed when the Hellcat airplane he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Martha’s Vineyard during a night-rocket training flight.  Witnesses said his aircraft failed to pull out of a steep dive while making a mock run at a floating target and crashed into the sea.   No further details are available as of this writing.

     Ensign Kirk had attended the University of Michigan and enlisted in the navy in November of 1942.  He received his officer’s commission in July of 1944.  To see a photo of Ensign Kirk, click on the link below. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50656999/robert-morris-kirk

     Sources:

     Unknown newspaper, “Ensign R. M. Kirk Killed In Crash Of His Navy Plane”, unknown date – posted on www.findagrave.com 

     Detroit Evening Times, “Memorial For Pilot”, April 16, 1945, pg. 8-C. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Rockland, MA. – October 2, 1956

October 24, 2023

Rockland, Massachusetts – October 2, 1956   

U.S. Navy
Grumman F9F Panther
U.S. Navy Photo – National Archives

     On October 2, 1956, navy Lieutenant  (Jg.) Donald R. Good, (27), of Natick, Massachusetts, perished when the Grumman F9F fighter jet he was piloting crashed and burned in a sandpit near Summer Street in Rockland.  The aircraft had narrowly missed a row of houses and clipped some trees prior to the crash.  Lt. Good did not eject, and instead stayed with the aircraft due to being over a populated area.  He’d been stationed at the South Waymouth Naval Air Station.  

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204950863/donald-ray-good

     Sources:

      The Boston Globe, “Natick Pilot Dies At Rockland – Navy Board Opens Probe In Fatal Jet Plane Crash”, October 3, 1956.  Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian. 

     Aviation Safety Network

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Ludlow, MA. – March 20, 1943

October 21, 2023

Ludlow, Massachusetts – March 20, 1943

     On March 20, 1943, an army fighter pilot took off from Westover Field in Massachusetts for a routing training flight.  At some point during the flight, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing, and crash-landed in an open field on the farm of Herbert Gates.  Fortunately, a recent warm spell had thawed the frozen ground thus making the landing softer.  Although the plane suffered heavy damage, the pilot didn’t receive any serious injuries. 

     The pilot’s name and type of aircraft were not state in the newspaper article. 

     Source:

     Transcript-Telegram, “Pilot Escapes In Ludlow Crash”, March 22, 1943, pg. 2.  (Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.)    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Off Cohasset, MA. – May 1, 1944

October 21, 2023

Off Cohasset, Massachusetts – May 1, 1944   

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On May 1, 1944, a flight of navy torpedo bombers from the Squantum Naval Air Station were on a training flight over the water off the coast of Cohasset, Massachusetts, when two of the planes were involved in a mid-air collision.  One of the aircraft was able to remain airborne and return to base, but the other was forced down in the water about 100 yards off Pleasant Beach in Cohasset.  The plane remained afloat long enough for the three occupants to escape in a life raft. 

     The crewmen were identified as Sub Lt. Peter F. Morris of Stratford-on Avon; Sub. Lt. James Rathbone of Waterford; and Air Gunner Patrick Sedgewick, of London.  All three were members of the Royal Navy Air Force.

     None of the men suffered serious injuries.  They were rescued by Raymond C. Hunt, a yachtsmen who’d seen the plane go down, and immediately set a course for it. 

     Although not specifically stated in the news article, the aircraft is believed to have been a Grumman Avenger.     

     Source:

     The Boston Globe, “3 British Flyers Saved Off Cohasset After Planes Collide”, May 2, 1944.  Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Mt. Greylock, MA. – May 8, 1943

October 20, 2023

    Mt. Greylock, Williamstown, Massachusetts – May 8, 1943

    On May 8, 1943, two Royal Navy Air Force Pilots took off in a single engine aircraft from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a training flight over Massachusetts.  For a reason that was never ascertained, while passing over the town of Williamstown, Massachusetts, the aircraft crashed into Mt. Greylock and exploded.   Both men were killed in the crash.  

     Sub-Lieutenant Edward William Sewers Berry, age 23. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15037573/edward-william_sewers-berry

     Leading Aircraft Fitter Richard Peter Sanford, age 20. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15037568/richard-peter_archibald-sandford

     Both men were born in England, and are buried in Newport Island Cemetery in Newport, R. I.   

     A crew from Westover Field in Chicopee, Mass. arrived and began a week-long cleanup of and removal of the wreckage. 

     The type of aircraft is unknown. 

     Sources:

     The Berkshire County Eagle, “Two Died In Navy Plane on Greylock”, May 12, 1943, pg. 18. Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian. 

     Town of Williamstown Death Records – Williamstown Town Hall. 

     www.findagrave.com 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Westwood, MA. – November 16, 1952

October 18, 2023

Westwood, Massachusetts – November 16, 1952

     On November 16, 1952, two naval officers were flying from Columbus, Ohio, to the Squantum Naval Air Station in Quincy, Massachusetts.  (The type of aircraft is unknown.) As they were approaching the Boston metropolitan area they encountered thick fog and switched to instrument flight rules.  

     The aircraft was unable to land at Squantum due to the fog, and was redirected to Boston.  As they circled waiting for clearance, the plane ran low on fuel.  The pilot radioed that he would be making an emergency landing, and began descending down through the fog. 

     “I couldn’t see where I was landing,” the pilot later told a reporter, “because the fog was pea-soup thick until we came under 100 feet.  Then it was too late to do anything.  We hit. We were just lucky.”  

      The plane came down in a swamp about four miles from the Norwood Airport, and a half mile off Rt 128.   Although the aircraft was wrecked, neither man aboard was hurt.  

     Due to fog, nobody at the airport had seen the plane go down, and due to miss-communication, rescue crews initially responded to the airport.  

     Source: 

      The Boston Globe, “2 Navy Men Unhurt In Crash Landing”, November 17, 1952, pg. 1.  Submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Webster, MA. – June 3, 1950

October 18, 2023

Webster, Massachusetts – June 3, 1950   

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo

     At 12:20 a.m. on the morning of June 3, 1950, Lieutenant Commander Gregory T. McLean, (28), took off from Anacostia Field in Washington, D. C., bound for the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  The aircraft was described in the newspapers as a “three-seater torpedo bomber”, which may indicate he was piloting a TBM Avenger.  While in-route Lt. Cmdr. Mclean encountered foul weather.  When he failed to arrive at Quonset a widespread search was instituted spanning the east coast and New England.  The search included more than 100 aircraft as well as numerous maritime vessels. 

     The following day the body of Lt. Cmdr. McLean was found in the wreckage of his aircraft which had gone down in a thickly wooded area of Webster, Massachusetts.  The cause of the crash is unknown.        

     Sources:

     Providence Journal, “Naval Pilot Cracks Up In Webster Mass., After Missing R. I. Base”, June 5, 1950, P1. 

     The Boston Globe, “Navy Pilot Dies As Bomber Crashes Into Webster Woods”, June 5, 1950, Pg. 15.  Article supplied by Eric Wiberg, author and historian. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Mt. Greylock, MA. – May 8, 1943.

October 11, 2023

Mt. Greylock, Williamstown, Massachusetts – May 8, 1943

     Little is known about this accident.      

     On May 8, 1943, a U. S. Navy aircraft with two men aboard took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  The pilot was a British flight officer, who had an American observer aboard.  The names of the men and the type of aircraft is unknown.  At some point the plane crashed into Mt. Greylock in Williamstown, Mass., and both men were killed. 

     Officials from Westover Air Field in Chicopee arrived at the scene and removed the wreckage.  

     Source:

     The Berkshire County Eagle, “Two Died In Navy Plane On Greylock”, May 12, 1943.  (Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.) 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Quincy, MA. – June 10, 1943

October 11, 2023

Quincy, Massachusetts – June 11, 1943

     On the afternoon of  June 11, 1943, a flight of three navy planes were passing over the city of Quincy when, according to witnesses, an eight-inch long, by three-inch-in-diameter, incendiary bomb fell from one of the aircraft.  The device landed in the city’s Wollaston neighborhood at the intersection of Watkins and Randall Street.  (The release of the bomb was accidental.)

     The bomb landed near five children who were walking home from school however none of them were injured.  The first to respond to the scene was Arthur Luke of Watkins Street, an air raid warden for the city, and the father of one of the children.  He stood by the device until officials from the Squantum Naval Air station arrived to remove it.    

     Source:

     The Boston Globe, “Incendiary Bomb From Navy Plane Imperils 5 Boys”, June 11, 1943, pg. 8.  (Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.)

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Needham, MA – June 6, 1944

June 7, 2023

Needham, Massachusetts – June 6, 1944   

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo

     Around 4 p.m. on June 6, 1944, two U. S. Navy, Grumman Avenger torpedo bombers, on loan to the British Royal Navy, were on a training flight over the Needham – Wellesley area when one of the aircraft developed engine trouble.  According to witnesses, the stricken aircraft, with its engine sputtering and backfiring,  circled the area apparently looking for a place to make an emergency landing.  It appeared to some that it was going to land at the Wellesley Golf Course, but then abruptly veered away.  As it did so the plane suddenly dove into the ground crashing and exploding in a wooded area on the Purdy Estate.  The impact happened in Needham, but in direct proximity of the Wellesley town line.

      Both men aboard perished in the crash.   They were later identified as: Sub. Lt. Albert John Dawson, (The pilot.) and Air Mechanic First Class Stanley Clive Wells.  Both are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, Massachusetts. 

     In 2005, a memorial marker honoring the sacrifice of both men was erected on a triangular plot of land at the intersection of Grove Street and Charles River Street in Needham.  The memorial is not far from the actual crash site.   

     Sources:

     Daily Boston Globe, “2 British Flyers Killed In crash At Needham”, June 7, 1944. 

     Wellesley Townsman, “Plane Crashes, Explodes And Burns On Purdy Estate” June 9, 1944.

     Needham Times, “Memory Of Royal Air Force Crash In Needham Survives In Witness Accounts”, July 16, 2021.

     Needham History Center & Museum – Needham, Mass. 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Boston, MA. – May 28, 1928

May 27, 2023

Boston, Massachusetts – May 28, 1928

     On May 28, 1928, Army Lieutenant Julian S. Dexter of Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., was taking off from the Boston Airport in what was described as a “pursuit plane”.  When the aircraft reached the altitude of 150 feet it lost power and crashed.  The aircraft was wrecked and Dexter received minor injuries, and was treated at the airport dispensary. 

     Source:

     New Britain Herald, (Conn.), May 29, 1928, pg. 16.     

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Lakeville, MA. – May 29, 1942

May 13, 2023

Lakeville, Massachusetts – May 29, 1942

 

B-25 Mitchel bomber

     On the morning of May 29, 1942, a U. S. Army B-25 bomber, (Ser. No. 40-2284), loaded with depth charges, took off from Westover Field in Massachusetts for an anti-submarine patrol off the New England coast.  The mission was uneventful, and as the plane was returning it reportedly developed engine trouble and the pilot ordered the crew to bail out.  The crew, consisting of three officers and three enlisted men, successfully bailed out, and the aircraft crashed in a unpopulated wooded area of Lakeville.  The area where it crashed was bordered by Hill Street, Montgomery Street, Pickens Street, and Precinct Street.  The exploding depth charges were heard for miles, and ignited several forest fires.  Fortunately there were no injuries to civilians or personal property on the ground. 

     Two men said to have witnessed the event told a reporter they were driving on the Taunton-New Bedford Highway when they saw the bomber begin trailing smoke before suddenly bursting into flames.  

     Two other witnesses, a man and his wife, also told of seeing “a flash of fire” in the sky followed by explosions. 

    Army authorities later released a statement that the cause of the crash was due to engine trouble.  

     The pilot of the aircraft was 1st Lt. Oscar Leland Wertz, of Kansas.  Lt. Wertz returned to duty and was later promoted to Captain and assigned to the 5th Air Force in the Pacific Theatre of Operations.  He was killed on July 23, 1943, when the B-25 he was piloting crashed while attacking a Japanese barge in Hanish Harbor, New Guinea.    

     For more info, click here: http://peacememorial101.org/those_who_served/101/Wertz_Oscar.html

     Sources:

    Army Air Corps Technical report Of Aircraft Accident Classification Committee #42-5-29-1

     The Standard Times, (New Bedford, Ma.), “Bomber Crashes, Burns In Lakeville”, May 30, 1942, pg. 1 

     The Standard Times, (New Bedford, Ma.), “Engine Blamed In Plane Crash”, May 31, 1942

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Lenox, MA. – May 27, 1957

March 7, 2023

Lenox, Massachusetts – May 27, 1957   

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

      On the afternoon of May 27, 1957, two Air Force F-86 Sabre jet fighters were partaking in a mock dog-fight over Lenox, Massachusetts, when one of the aircraft, (#51-5950), piloted by 1st Lt. Francis Lee Revere, (25), stalled, and then went into a dive, crashing nose first into the ground.  The jet crashed and exploded on the Roberts Farm on New Lenox Road leaving a wide 12-foot deep crater and scattering debris. 

     Lt. Revere perished in the accident. 

     There had been no contact between the two aircraft.

     The other F-86 returned to Westover Air Force Base 

     The incident was witnessed by hundreds of people on the ground who’d been watching the to aircraft for about thirty minutes prior to the crash.      

     Lieutenant Revere was assigned to the 33rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts. 

     Sources:

     The Berkshire Eagle, “Jet Pilot Plunges To Death; Hundreds See Lenox Tragedy”, May 28, 1957, pg. 1.

     The Berkshire Eagle, “Eyewitness Tells Story Of Fatal Jet Plane Crash”, May 28, 1957, pg. 27.

     The Berkshire Eagle, “Sabrejet Pilot in ‘Dogfight’ Air Force Ace In Korean War”, May 28, 1957, pg. 27. 

     Aviation Safety Network

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – February 1, 1957

December 13, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – February 1, 1957   

RB-47E Stratojet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On February 1, 1957, a B-47E Stratojet, (#53-6198), took off from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for a routine flight.  When the aircraft was about 11 miles off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, it caught fire in flight and was seen by fishermen to crash into the ocean.  All four crewmen aboard perished.  

    The dead were identified as:

     Pilot: Captain Alexander A. Wawrzynak, 35, of Braddock, Pennsylvania.        

     Instructor pilot: Captain Orrin W. Snyder III, 31, of Memphis, Tennessee.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120621985/orrin-william-snyder

     Flight Observer: 1st Lieutenant Stanley N. Partridge, 23, of Cleveland, Ohio.  

     1st Lieutenant Stanley D. Jenkins, Jr., 28, or Pendelton, Oregon.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66346014/stanley-dale-jenkins

     The men had been assigned to the 100th Bomber Wing.

     Sources:

     The Woonsocket Call, (R.I.), “B47 Jet Bomber Crashes Off Mass, 4 Feared Dead”, February 2, 1957  

     Fall River Herald News, (Ma.), “Four-Man Crew Feared Dead In Crash Of Big Bomber”, February 2, 1957, pg. 9

     The Aviation Safety Network. #236943

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Cape Cod Bay – June 24, 1956

December 13, 2022

Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts – June 24, 1956   

(And Boston Harbor)

U.S. Air Force F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

      On June 24, 1956, a flight of three Massachusetts National Guard F-94 Starfire fighter jets left Langley Air Force Base in Virginia bound for Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  As the planes neared the New England coast they encountered thick fog and began to circle the area. One of the jets ran low on fuel and the crew was forced to eject while over Cape Cod Bay.  The pilot, Captain Kenneth B. McKay, and the radar observer 1st Lieutenant Harry Crook landed safely.  The aircraft went down in the water. 

     A short time later, a second Starfire in the formation disappeared and was reported as “missing”, and a search was instituted.   The pilot was 1st Lieutenant Robert H. Springer, 28, of Needham, Massachusetts. It was unknown if the pilot bailed out or went down with his aircraft, and as of this writing no further information is known.  

    The third Starfire in the formation landed safely at Otis AFB.

     As part of the search for the missing Starfire, a Coast Guard helicopter with three crewmen aboard was dispatched from the Salem Coast Guard Station.  Search aircraft had to deal with foggy conditions and on coming darkness.  As darkness came on, the helicopter was ordered to land at Logan Airport.  As the helicopter was approaching Logan, it went down in the waters of Boston Harbor a short distance from the end of the airport runway.    

     Two of the crewmen escaped the sinking helicopter and were rescued a short time later, but HM1 John J. Kohan, remained trapped inside and drowned. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72676494/john-j-kohan

     Another accident occurred when a crash-rescue boat from Otis AFB struck a submerged object and began taking on water.  It had to be towed two miles to shore by the Coast Guard. 

      Source:

     The Woonsocket Call, “Missing Flier In Jet Crash Sought On Cape”, June 25, 1956 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Off Provincetown, MA. – December 21, 1936

April 20, 2022

Off Provincetown, Massachusetts – December 21, 1932

     On the afternoon of December 21, 1936, a U. S. Coast Guard twin-engine “Flying Ambulance” was off the coast of Cape Cod when one of the engines suddenly lost all power.  The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in rough seas about five miles off Race Point.  The pilot then attempted to taxi towards shore but the seas were too rough so a distress call was sent out.  A rescue boat was dispatched and after attaching a tow line, towed the disabled plane towards shore.  The trip was slow going and dangerous, but the plane was finally beached near the Wood End Coast Guard Station.  There it was pulled from the water by two tractors.  None of those aboard the aircraft were injured.   

     The newspaper did not report if the plane was carrying a patient or not. 

     Source:

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Coast Guard Plane Forced Down”, December 24, 1936    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Off Graves Light, MA. – July 17, 1947

March 11, 2022

Off Graves Light, Massachusetts – July 17, 1947

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On July 17, 1947, Lt. Cmdr. Russell F. Craig took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in a F6F-5N Hellcat, (Bu. No. 71995), for a “special night project” in which he was to test an experimental fire control tracking device.  He proceeded to the outer bay of Boston Harbor and began making simulated attack runs on the Graves Lighthouse.   While passing the lighthouse, the engine of his aircraft suddenly began to sputter and loose power.  The pilot attempted to gain altitude, but the engine froze and lost all power.  The oil pressure gage at that moment read zero. 

     With great skill, the pilot was able to make an emergency water landing northeast of the lighthouse.  When the plane hit the water it flipped onto its back trapping the pilot inside, but he managed to free himself and floated in the water until rescued by a passing yacht.   

     The navy did not recover the aircraft, so the cause of the engine failure could not be determined.  

     Lt. Cmdr. Craig was a combat veteran of WWII having served in the Pacific Theatre.  He retired from the navy at the rank of Captain in July of 1972 after serving for 31 years.  

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report, dated July 17, 1947.

     Boston American, “Flier Tells Of Escape From Cockpit Of Sinking Hellcat”, July 18, 1947 

     Seattle Post Intelligencer, “Seattle Navy Flyer Saved After Crash:, July 17, 1947 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Fall River, MA. – May 29, 1954

February 22, 2022

Fall River, Massachusetts – May 29, 1954

 

B-25 Mitchel bomber
USAF Museum photo

     On the morning of May 29, 1954, a B-25 Mitchell Bomber, (Ser. No. 44-31321), with four men aboard, took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, bound for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.  A short time later the left engine caught fire and the plane began loosing altitude.  Fog and low clouds obscured the ground creating low visibility as the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing at Fall River Airport.  As the pilot attempted to line up on a runway the B-25 crashed in a wooded area about one mile east of the airport.  The wings and fuselage broke apart but there was no fire. 

     The pilot, 1st Lieutenant Henry D. Woltz, was killed.  The co-pilot, 1st Lt. T. T. Monutz, and the crew chief, Airman 2/c Edward Crowther, were seriously injured.  A passenger aboard, Captain Joseph Smith, was able to drag the co-pilot from the gasoline soaked wreck.  He then made his way towards the airport for help. 

     Sources:

     Fall River Herald News, “Airman Is Killed In Plane Crash Here”, May 29, 1954, page 1, with photo.    

     The Provincetown Advocate, (no headline), June 3, 1954. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – October 20, 1944

February 16, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – October 20, 1944

     Little information was released about this accident. 

     At around midnight on October 20, 1944, a flight of navy planes were in formation off Cape Cod when one plane was seen to fall out of formation and crash into the sea about ten miles east of Provincetown, Massachusetts.  There had been a pilot officer and enlisted radio operator aboard.  The bodies of both men were found floating in a rubber life raft a few hours later.  Some doubted they’d died of exposure because the weather had been mild, however, the region had experienced heavy rain.  An inquest was held at the Chelsea Naval Hospital, the results of which are unknown.

     The type of aircraft, and the names of the two deceased men were not included in the newspaper article.    

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.), “Mystery In Plane Deaths”,  October 21, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Truro, MA. – June 9, 1944

February 16, 2022

Truro, Massachusetts – June 9, 1944 

     Very little information was released about this accident. 

     On June 9, 1944, a navy pilot and enlisted man were critically injured when their aircraft struck a power cable in north Truro and crashed into the water just off shore.  Both were transported to Provincetown for treatment by a civilian doctor.  A navy doctor from the Squantum Naval Air Station was sent for to determine if the men could be safely moved to the Chelsea Naval Hospital. 

     The name of the men and the type of aircraft were not released. 

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.) “Navy Plane Hits Cable, Two Hurt”, June 9, 1944, page 16

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Chatham, MA. – June 8, 1918

February 12, 2022

Chatham, Massachusetts – June 8, 1918 

     On the night of June 8, 1918, a U. S. Navy dirigible at the Chatham Naval Air Station was maneuvering towards its hangar when its rudder was rendered inoperable after it came into contact with a pole.  A strong wind was blowing at the time, and the rudderless ship was carried out to sea with three men aboard.  They were rescued the following day by a patrol boat.  The dirigible was towed to Hyannis, Mass. and brought back to Chatham by truck and trailer.  The dirigible was valued at $40,000.     

     Source:

     The Falmouth Enterprise, “Dirigible Blown Out To Sea”, June 15, 1918, page 8. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Leicester, MA. – August 21, 1948

February 10, 2022

Leicester, Massachusetts – August 21, 1948

     On Friday, August 20, 1948, seven military aircraft left Mitchell Field on Long Island, N. Y., bound for the Worcester Airport in Worcester, Massachusetts to take part in an airshow over the weekend.  As one of the aircraft, (An F-61 “Black Widow”), neared Worcester Airport, the pilot, Lt. Col. Vinton E. Broidy, 33, radioed that he was having engine trouble.  A short while later the aircraft crashed and burned on a hill near the airport killing him instantly.     

     Lt. Col. Broidy had been in the service since 1939, and had served with the Air Transport Command in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II.  He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49220017/vinton-e-broidy

     Sources:

     Evening Bulletin, (RI), “Pilot Killed In Plane Crash At Worcester”, August 21, 1948, pg. 4 

     The Evening Star, (Washington, D. C.) “District-Born Pilot Killed As F-61 Crashes In Massachusetts”, August 22, 1948 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Nantucket, MA. – April 6, 1944

February 9, 2022

Nantucket, Massachusetts – April 6, 1944

 

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo

     On April 6, 1944, a TBM-1C Avenger, (Bu. No. 25488) was returning to the Nantucket Naval Air Station from an anti-submarine flight when the engine failed.  The pilot made an emergency wheels down landing on rough terrain near the field which caused the plane to flip over onto its back, pinning the pilot inside.  He was rescued without further incident.  No injuries were reported. 

     The aircraft was assigned to VC-69.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report, dated April 6, 1944, #44-12983.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – October 4, 1944

February 9, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – October 4, 1944

     On October 4, 1944, two navy TBM Avenger “torpedo” planes out of Quonset Point, Rhode Island, crashed in mid-air over the water  reportedly “…a short distance from Nantucket, Island.”  Two officers and three enlisted men were “missing”. 

     The Newport Mercury (Newport, R. I.), identified the men as:

     Ensign Arthur D. Fulton, Jr., 22.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/109798149/arthur-davis-fulton 

    Ensign Bailey Badgley, of San Marino, California. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/246243798/bailey-badgley

    ARM3/c Charles E. Ford, 17, of Island Park, Michigan.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/658943/charles-e-ford

    AOM3/c Charles M. Lovell of Chicago. 

   ARM3/c Thomas S. Daly, of Philadelphia. 

     On October 9, 1944, the Detroit Evening Times reported that none of the bodies had been recovered. 

     Sources:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Six Navy Flyers Presumably Lost”, October 5, 1944, page 13. 

     Detroit Evening Times, “Detroiter Air Victim”, October 9, 1944, pg. C-3.   (This article stated five fliers had been lost.)

     Newport Mercury, (Newport, R. I.), “Lost Fliers Identified”, October 13, 1944, page 3. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – April 25, 1945

February 8, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – April 25, 1945

 

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the night of April 25, 1945, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 68997), with three men aboard, was taking part in a night gunnery strafing exercise six miles south of Nantucket Island when it failed to come out of a dive and crashed in the water.  All aboard perished. 

     Pilot: Ensign Roy Bacon, Jr. – Missing.

     ARM3/c Forest Edward Schultz, 18.  He enlisted on his 17th birthday, January 13, 1944.  He’s buried in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Cemetery, in Kittery, Maine.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71686404/forest-edward-schultz

     ARM3/c Eugene A. Sands, 19, of Illinois – Missing

     The men were assigned to Night Torpedo Squadron 52, VT(n)-52, at Martha’s Vineyard Auxiliary Naval Air Station. 

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy Accident Report dated April 25, 1945

     The Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.), “Torpedo Bomber Mishap Kills 3”, April 25, 1945, pg. 1

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – April 18, 1944

February 8, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – April 18, 1944

 

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo

     On April 18, 1944, a flight of navy TBM-1C Avengers were taking part in a gunnery training flight a few miles south of Nantucket Island when two of the aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision and went down in the water. 

     The aircraft contained the following crews:

     Bu. No. 45729

     Pilot: Ensign Laurence D. Egan – rescued.

     AMM3/c D. M. Sawyer – rescued. 

     ARM3/c Earlie L. Story, 20, of Groveland, Florida.  Died when the plane sank.  Missing. 

     Bu. No. 25617

     Pilot: Ensign Claude J. DuVall, Jr., 20, of St. Louis Missouri.  Died when the plane sank. Missing.

     ARM3c Edward J. Rennert, 20, of Astoria, N. Y..  He parachuted safely, but drowned before rescued.  Body recovered.  

     The aircraft and crews were assigned to VT-301. 

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy Accident Report dated April 18, 1944.  

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Nantucket Crash Claims Three Lives”, April 21, 1944, page 16.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Off Aquinnah, MA. – May 1, 1958

February 7, 2022

Off Aquinnah, Massachusetts – May 1, 1958

     Very little information is available on this accident.  What is known is that a navy aircraft went down in the water between Cuttyhunk and Nomansland off Aquinnah.   The type of aircraft, and number of crew, or any casualties, is unknown.

     The search and rescue operation involved three aircraft, two helicopters, and two navy destroyers.  The following day it was reported that the search was called off, and that divers would inspect the wreckage.    

     Source:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Air Search Ends”, May 2, 1958 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Atlantic Ocean – December 7, 1954

February 7, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – December 7, 1954

 

U.S.A.F. F-86 Fighter Jet

     On December 7, 1954, 1st Lt. Edward Dillon of Naugatuck, Connecticut, took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, in an F-86D Sabre, (Ser. No. 52-4248).  He was taking part in what was reportedly an “interception mission” off outer Cape Cod, and disappeared.  His last known location was in the area of Monomoy Island off the town of Chatham.   It was believed his aircraft went down in the ocean. 

     He was assigned to the 60th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 33rd Fighter Group.       

     Source:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Rescue Boats Continue Search For Lost Plane”, December 10, 1954, page 5. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – October 23, 1957

February 7, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – October 23, 1957

 

F-89 Scorpion
U. S. Air Force Photo

     At 7:45 P. M. 0n October 23, 1957, an F-89 Scorpion with a crew of two aboard took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for was was described as a “routine air defense mission”.  The aircraft was scheduled to return to base at 9:15 P.M., and when it failed to so it was declared “missing”.  The last contact with the F-89 put its location approximately east of Plymouth and north of Provincetown.  No distress message had been received. 

     It was presumed that the aircraft went down in the ocean.  

     The crew were identified as :

     Pilot: 1st Lt. Cletus L. Corn, age 25, of High Point, North Carolina.  He was married, and had recently bee living at the Bellows Trailer Court in Falmouth.  He enlisted in the Air Force in March of 1955.     

     Radar Observer: 1st Lt. Michael W. Clemmons, age 22, of Kansas City, Kansas.  He enlisted in the Air Force in January of 1954.

     Both men were assigned to the 58th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. 

     Source:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Two Airmen Lost On Routine Flight From Otis Base”, October 25, 1957 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Bedford, MA. – July 23, 1942

February 5, 2022

Bedford, Massachusetts, – July 23, 1942

 

Curtis P-40 Aircraft
U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     On July 23, 1942, a flight of P-40 aircraft were returning to Bedford Field after a formation training flight.  One of those aircraft, (Ser. No. 41036509), piloted by 2nd Lt. Clyde W. Kaffenberger, crashed into a wooded hillside while making his landing approach.  Kaffenberger did not survive. 

     Source:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Holland, MA. – September 1, 1943

February 5, 2022

Holland, Massachusetts – September 1, 1943

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On September 1, 1943, 2nd Lt. Charles J. Collins, (26), took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, in a P-47C fighter plane, (Ser. No. 41-6147), for a high altitude gunnery practice flight.  When he failed to return to Westover Field he was declared missing, and an intensive search followed, which included  military aircraft and a Navy blimp from Lakehurst, New Jersey. 

     On September 4th it was reported that the wreckage of his plane had been found on the bank of the “Connecticut River”.  The same paper placed the crash site in Fiskdale, Massachusetts, which is actually a village in the western portion of Sturbridge, bordering Long Pond and East Brimfield Lake near the Holland/Brimfield town line.  Both lakes are fed by the Quinebaug River, which continues south from Brimfield to Holland.  Therefore, it is believed that the aircraft wreck was discovered along the banks of the Quinebaug, and not the Connecticut. 

     It was also reported that a “huge S.O.S.” had been found marked on a clay bank, presumably along the river.  This led investigators to believe that Lieutenant Collins had successfully bailed out of the plane, and may be lying injured in the dense woodlands.   Nearly 1,500 military, fire, police, and civilian personnel took part in searching the rural forested woodlands.   

     The body of Lieutenant Collins was found on September 8th, about two miles from his plane, in a wooded area of eastern Brimfield.  He’d suffered a severe injury to his right leg while bailing out and died from loss of blood. 

     There had been no witnesses to the crash, no radio distress message had been received, and due to the total destruction of the aircraft, investigators were unable to determine the cause for the accident.     

     Lieutenant Collins is buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Baraboo, Wisconsin.  

     Sources:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Search For Crash Pilot”, September 4, 1943.

     The Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “Body Of Pilot Missing Since September 1 Found”, September 11, 1943, page B-6.

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, By Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006. 

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Belchertown, MA. – November 19, 1943

February 5, 2022

Belchertown, Massachusetts – November 19, 1943

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On November 19, 1943, a B-24J, (Ser. No. 42-7662), took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a high altitude bombing mission.  While at 22,000 feet the #2 engine began running erratically then quit.  The pilot turned the plane back towards Westover and began to descend.   At some point the other three engines began losing fuel pressure and the pilot ordered the crew to bail out.  Six of the ten crewmen bailed out, and all were injured in the process, but all landed safely.  The pilot, the navigator, the bombardier, and the tail gunner, remained with the aircraft and were still aboard when it crashed in a wooded area of Belchertown.  There was no fire, and investigators later determined that this was due to the fuel tanks running dry due to erroneous  readings of the fuel gauges. 

     The aircraft came down in a swampy area on the Loftus Farm. 

     The pilot, 2nd Lt. Arthur C. Davis, of Santa Monica, California, and the navigator, 2nd Lt. Howard R. Cunningham, of Lowell, Massachusetts, both perished as a result of injuries they received n the crash. 

     The bombardier, 2nd Lt. John C. Christiansen and the tail gunner, Sgt. Paul D. Martin, were seriously injured, but survived.       

     Sources:

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Bomber Crash Takes Lives Of Army Men”, November 20, 1943

     Pioneer Valley History Network – Disasters – “Airplane Crash In Belchertown”, by Cliff McCarthy.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – March 10, 1945

February 4, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – March 10, 1945

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the morning of March 10, 1945, a B-24J Liberator, (Ser. No. 42-50975), with twelve men aboard, took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a gunnery training flight off Montauk Point, New York. The aircraft was last heard from at 8:30 A. M. when the crew radioed that they were over the target area.  At 1:oo P.M. a civilian boat happened upon floating aircraft wreckage about seven miles southwest of Montauk Point and notified the Coast Guard.  It was noted that the sea was smooth and calm, and that the horizon line was difficult to distinguish, which may have contributed to the accident. 

     The crew were identified as:

     Pilot: 2nd Lt. Howard Bruce Tolle, 24, of Hillsboro, Ohio.  

     Co-pilot: Flight Officer George Francis Ruf, Jr., age 21-22, of Louisville, Kentucky. 

     Navigator: 2nd Lt. David Henderson Richey, 20, of Detroit, Michigan.   To see a phot of Lt. Richey, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143629665/david-henderson-richey

     Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Raymond G. Bushee. 20, of Chicago. 

     Gunner: Cpl. Russell L. White.  (No info.)

     Radio Operator: Cpl. Philip Ward Ayers, 19, of Sussex, New Jersey. 

     Radio Operator: Cpl Carl E. Carlson.  (No info.)

     Radio Operator: Cpl. William F. Budka, 18, of Jefferson, Maine.  To see a photo of Cpl. Budka, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120649754/william-f-budka

     Gunner: Cpl. John W. Shedlock, 20, of Cleveland, Ohio.   

     Engineer: Cpl. Charles Richard Clark, Jr., 19, of Gaston, Indiana. To see a photo of Cpl. Clark, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104130570/charles-richard-clark  

     Engineer: Cpl. Donald J. Finger, 19, of St. Claire Shores, Michigan.

     Gunnery Instructor:  Tech. Sergeant Harold E. Falk, 30, of Pittsburgh, Penn. 

     Sources:

     The Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “Three Killed, 9 Are Missing In New York Bomber Crash”, March 12, 1945, page A-6.

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941 – 1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006. 

     www.findagrave.com 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Westover Field – January 26, 1945

February 4, 2022

Westover Field – January 26, 1945 

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On January 26, 1945, Flight Officer James E. Sonnenmeir exited a B-24 Liberator parked on the tarmac at Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, while the engines were running.   As he was walking under one of the wings, he slipped on ice and slid into a spinning propeller causing fatal injuries.  

     Source:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941 – 1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Granby, MA. – December 20, 1944

February 4, 2022

Granby, Massachusetts – December 20, 1944 

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the evening of December 20, 1944, a B-24J Liberator, (Ser. No. 42-109868), with nine men aboard, took off from Mitchell Field,  on Long Island, New York, bound for Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a cross-country navigational flight.  As they were approaching Westover Field the aircraft encountered poor visibility conditions.  As the plane circled the field at 2,000 feet two of the four engines began to “run away”.  As the pilot tried to reduce the RPMs, cockpit instruments indicated a fire in one of the engines.  Then the remaining two engines began to lose power and the pilot ordered the crew to bail out, and five did so.  The pilot, co-pilot, navigator and a gunner remained with the aircraft.    

     The aircraft came down on a farm in Granby about two miles from Westover Field.  After skidding on snow, crashing through some trees, it went into a farmhouse, but none of the home’s occupants were injured.   The pilot, 2nd Lt. James E. Webster, 25,  and the co-pilot, Flight Officer George H. Slack, 20, received serious injuries, but the navigator and the gunner were killed.  Additionally,  one of the men who bailed out also perished.   

     The dead were identified as:

   

      Navigator: 2nd Lt. George E. Bennett, 19, of Brockport, New York.  He’s buried in Lakeview Cemetery in Brockport, New York. 

 

      Bombardier: 2nd. Lt. Julian Berger, 19, of Baltimore, Maryland.  He perished as a result of injuries received when he bailed out of the aircraft.  He’s buried in Oheb Shalom Cemetery in Baltimore. 

     Gunner: Cpl. Stanley Saffer, 19, of New York City. He’s buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Maspeth, New York.  To see a photo of him, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123182763/stanley-saffer

     As to the other four members of the crew, all received injuries, two required hospitalization.  

     The rest of the crew were identified as: Cpl. Kenneth A. McPhail, Cpl. Robert H. Risdon, Pfc. Fred Lopez,  and Pfc Walter E. Oparowski

     Sources: 

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Two Army Fliers Killed In Crash”, December 21, 1944, page 2.

     The Brockport Republic & Brockport Democrat, Obituary for Lt. George E. Bennett, December 28, 1944, page 4. 

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941 – 1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – April 7, 1944

February 1, 2022

     Atlantic Ocean – April 7, 1944

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 7, 1944, two B-24 Liberator bombers took off from Westover Air Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, on what was to be a high altitude gunnery training flight off Montauk Point, Long Island, N. Y.  One of the B-24s was Ser. No. 42-7525, with eleven men aboard, piloted by 2nd Lt. Kenneth W. Wignes. 

     The bombers were attached to the 804th Bomber Squadron, 471st Bomb Group, stationed at Westover Field. 

    While over the target area, Lt. Wignes radioed the other B-24 that he was having engine problems and was returning to Westover.  When the aircraft didn’t arrive at Westover it was declared missing and presumed to have gone down in the ocean.  It was speculated that the aircraft had suffered an inflight fire or explosion. 

     The crew consisted of:

     Pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Wignes, 23, of Iowa.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62764862/kenneth-eugene-wigness

     Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Gene W. Sloan, age 21-22, of Kansas.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90692131/gene-w-sloan

     Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Fred G. Rhodes, 24, of Pennsylvania. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62765149/frederick-g-rhodes

     Navigator: 2nd Lt. Rufus R. Nelson, 26, of Iowa. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62765231/rufus-ronald-nelson 

     2nd Lt. Martin J. Kew, 22-23, of Indiana. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195411201/martin-j-kew 

     Radio Operator: S/Sgt. Edward J. Clancy, of Wisconsin. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62765409/edward-j-clancy 

     Engineer: S/Sgt. Robert G. McLaughlin, 21, of Alabama.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13414269/robert-g-mclaughlin

     Sgt. Chester Webb, age 22-23.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62765594/chester-webb 

     Gunner: Sgt. George W. Wilson, Sr., age 34.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36408207/george-w-wilson 

     Gunner: Sgt. Joseph L. Hartzell.

     Gunnery Instructor: S/Sgt. Joseph A. Jachim, age 24-45, from Chicago.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62765777/joseph-albert-jachim 

     Sources:

     Greenfield Recorder – Gazette, (Greenfield, Mass.), “Westover Bomber With Crew Of 11 Missing Off L. I.”, April 8, 1944, pg. 1.  

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.

     www.findagrave.com

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wellfleet, MA. – July 18, 1943

January 29, 2022

Wellfleet, Massachusetts – July 18, 1943 

 

A U.S. Army RB-34
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 18, 1943, a twin-engine RB-34 “Target Tug”, (Ser. No. 41-38052), with four men aboard took off from Otis Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts, to participate in a tracking exercise with the anti-aircraft batteries at Camp Edwards.  The crew was part of the 1st Tow Target Squadron stationed at Otis. 

     At some point bad weather moved in and the crew found themselves surrounded by thick low-lying clouds, beginning at 1,500 feet and extending up to 10,000 feet.   The plane circled, with the pilot flying on instruments, trying to make radio contact with Otis, but the radio wasn’t working.  When the aircraft finally broke through the clouds it was very low on fuel, so the pilot decided to ditch in shallow water near the shore, and advised the crew to bail out, which they did.  One crewman landed in a tree, the other two came down in the water and were rescued by a Coast Guard boat. 

     Meanwhile, the pilot successfully let the plane down in Wellfleet Harbor, but was unable to extricate himself before it sank. 

     The pilot was identified as Flight Officer Clyde Rogers, (24), of Cleveland, Georgia. 

     Sources:

     The Falmouth Enterprise , “Camp Edwards” (News), July 23, 1943.   

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, By Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Westover Field, MA. – December 27, 1944

January 28, 2022

Out of Westover Field – Mattituck, Long Island, New York

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the evening of December 27, 1944, a U. S. Army Air Force B-24J Liberator, (Ser. No. 42-51034), with eleven men aboard took off from Westover Army Air Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a cross-country navigational training flight to eastern Long Island, New York, and back. As the plane crossed Long Island sound it encountered a snowstorm and low lying clouds obscuring visibility.  When the aircraft reached the northern fork of eastern Long Island it began to circle, possibly looking for the Suffolk County Army Air Field. The control tower at the airfield attempted to contact the circling plane but without success.  At about 6:20 P.M. the Liberator crashed and exploded on the farm of J. Dwight Reeves in Mattituck, and all aboard perished. 

     Pilot: Flight Officer Victor F. Belotti, age 20-21.  He’s buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Hackensack, New Jersey.     

     Co-Pilot: Flight Officer William D. Sanders, age 23.  He’s buried in Henry’s Chapel Cemetery, Troup, Texas. 

     Navigator: Flight Officer Clifford J. McElwee, age 23.  He’s buried in Evergreen Memorial Park, Hobart, Indiana.  

     Bombardier: Flight Officer Louis P. Pernala, age 22.  He’s Buried in Calvary Cemetery, in Duluth, Minnesota. 

     Engineer: Cpl. Lawrence L. Tench, age 21.  He’s buried in Glenwood Mausoleum in Clark’s Summit, Pennsylvania. 

     Radio Operator: Cpl. George H. Reis, Jr.  Age and burial information unknown. 

     Gunner: Cpl. Vito D. Ferrano.  Age and burial information unknown. 

     Gunner: Cpl. John H. Benner, age 36.  He’s buried in Birch Hill Cemetery in Burnham, Pennsylvania.  

     Gunner: Cpl. Roger D. Westervelt, age 18.  He’s buried in Hopeland Cemetery in Buda, Illinois. 

     Gunner: Cpl. Joseph Mastorana.  Age and burial information unknown.

     Gunnery Instructor: S/Sgt. Nicholas M. Carusone, age 26.  He’s buried in St. Ann’s Cemetery in Cranston, Rhode Island.

     Sources:

     The Suffolk County News, “11 Die As Army Plane Crashes In Mattituck During Storm; Investigation Now Underway”, December 29, 1944, page 1.

     The Waterbury Democrat, “B-25 Crashes In Long Island Area”, December 28, 1944.  Headline should have said “B-24”, not B-25. 

     Book:”Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The Unites States, 1941-1945″, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006. 

     www.findagrave.com.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Westover Field, MA. – June 20, 1943

January 28, 2022

Westover Field, MA. – June 20, 1943

 

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On June 20, 1943, a flight of P-47 aircraft were returning to Westover Filed from a training flight.  One plane, (Ser. No. 42-22358), piloted by 2nd Lt. Richard M Burdick, (19), made a normal landing and coasted to a normal taxi speed.  A second P-47, (Ser. No. 41-5953), piloted by another second lieutenant, came in “hot” and bounced along the runway before crashing into Lieutenant Burdick’s aircraft.  Both pilots received serious injuries, and Lieutenant Burdick passed away the following day.    

     Both pilots were assigned to the 321st Fighter Squadron. 

     Lieutenant Burdick is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Boardman Township, Ohio. 

     Source:

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.

     www.findagrave.com 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Topsfield, MA. – May 14, 1943

January 28, 2022

Topsfield, Massachusetts – May 14, 1943

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On May 14, 1943, a flight of five U. S. Army P-47 aircraft took off from Bedford Field in Bedford, Massachusetts, for a formation training flight.  While in formation at 6,500 feet over the Topsfield area, one aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-6643) piloted by 2nd Lt. Ernest W. Hagar, (20), began trailing white smoke.  As Lt. Hagar left the formation to attempt an emergency landing his engine lost all power, forcing him to bail out.  Once he left the aircraft his parachute didn’t fully deploy and he perished.  The aircraft crashed on the Steward Estate, on Perkins Row, in Topsfield.   

     Lt. Hagar was assigned to the 370th Fighter Squadron at Bedford.  He’s buried in Sweetwater Cemetery in Sweetwater, Texas.  To see a photo of him click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15515087/ernest-wayne-hagar   

     Sources:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The Unites States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

     www.findagrave.com  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

New Bedford, MA. – April 4, 1943

January 27, 2022

New Bedford, Massachusetts – April 4, 1943

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 4, 1943, 2nd Lieutenant Fred V. Bright, Jr. took off from Hillsgrove Army Airfield in Warwick, Rhode Island, for a routine training flight in a P-47C Thunderbolt, (Ser. No. 41-6562).   While over New Bedford, Massachusetts, Lt. Bright radioed the control tower at Hillsgrove that he was having problems with the aircraft and would be making an emergency landing at the New Bedford Airport which he happened to be passing over at the time.  As he was making his final approach his plane was seen to crash and burn about 100 yards from the end of the runway.   

     Lt. Bright was survived by his wife living in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126299560/fred-v-bright

     Sources:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Pilot Identified”, April 5, 1943

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Boston Harbor, MA. – March 1, 1943

January 26, 2022

Boston Harbor – March 1, 1943

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the morning of March 1, 1943, a flight of two P-47 Thunderbolts took off from Bedford Field for a simulated combat training flight.  One of those P-47s, (Ser. No. 41-6646), was piloted by 2nd Lt. Stanley Jankowski.  

     The aircraft made their way over the Boston area and engaged in aerial maneuvers.  While doing so, another P-47 entered the area and took part in the exercise.  Then a flight of four other P-47s arrived.  During the exercise, Lieutenant Jankowski’s aircraft was seen to go into a steep dive and plunge into Boston Harbor.  It was speculated that he may have blacked out. 

     Source:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Canton, MA. – October 13, 1942

January 26, 2022

Canton, Massachusetts – October 13, 1942

 

Curtis P-40 Aircraft
U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     On October 13, 1942, Staff Sergeant Watkins Mayo, (19), of Tulia, Texas, was piloting a Curtis P-40F, (Ser. No. 41-14099), over the area of Canton, Massachusetts, on an authorized aerobatic training flight.  He was observed making loops and rolls over the (now defunct) Boston Municipal Airport in Canton.  The airport was located on the northeast side of Neponset Street, just southeast of the Neponset River.  It was while he was practicing aerobatics that his plane crashed and burned in a wooded area near the airport.   

     S/Sgt. Mayo was assigned to the 317th Fighter Squadron.

     S/Sgt. Mayo is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Tulia, Texas.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/235598250/watkins-mayo

     Sources:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Cause Of Crash”, October 14, 1942, page 2. 

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, By Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Peru, MA. – August 15, 1942

January 24, 2022

Peru, Massachusetts – August 15, 1942 

     On August 15, 1942, a flight of eleven Army transport planes took off from Pope Field, North Carolina, bound for Hyannis, Massachusetts.  The aircraft were transporting paratroopers assigned to the 502nd Parachute Battalion. 

     The planes made a scheduled refueling stop at Mitchell Field on Long Island, N. Y.  By this time weather conditions had significantly deteriorated at both Long Island and Hyannis, so the flight was diverted to Hillsgrove Airfield in Warwick, Rhode Island.  However, once airborne again the formation found itself in thick clouds and the planes became separated as they lost visual contact with each other and the ground.  It was now nighttime, and the pilots were forced to fly on instruments.  

     At about 9:30 P.M. one of the aircraft, a C-53 troop transport, (Ser. No. 42-6463), with nineteen men aboard, crashed into the side of Garnet Peak in the town of Peru, Massachusetts.  All but three men perished. 

     The only man aboard who was not injured in the crash was Sergeant Robert Lee, who managed to extricate four men from the flaming wreckage, all while suffering severe burns to himself in the process.  Two of those rescued by Sgt. Lee perished, but two others survived, thanks to his bravery.  The men besides Sgt. Lee who survived were Private James Fern, and Private Alonzo L. Pearson. 

     Those who perished in the crash were identified as:

     Pilot:  2nd Lt. Joseph J. Fields, of Atlanta, Georgia.

     Co-Pilot: Staff Sergeant Charles M. Scott, of York, Pennsylvania.

     Engineer: Staff Sergeant Robert W. Lamon, (23), of Shawnee, Oklahoma. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92476969/robert-wesley-lamon

      Pfc. Hyman B. Flinkman of Baltimore, Maryland.

      S/Sgt. Samuel B. Hathorn, of Princess, Mississippi. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40605321/sam-benton-hathorn

     Sgt. John H. Kelly, of Titus, Alabama. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30123329/john-harmon-kelley

     Cpl. Frank A. Lastosky, of Sykesville, Pennsylvania. 

     T-5 Joseph C. Neurohr, of Brooklyn, New York. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157864980/joseph-c-neurohr

     Pvt. Jack E. Palmer, of Antigo, Wisconsin. 

     1st Lt. Gardner V. E. Plain, of Ransomville, New York. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184895640/gardner-van_etten-plain

     Pfc. Stanley E. Racine, of Pensacola, Florida. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108383586/stanley-edward-racine

     Pfc. Norman Sands, of Chicago. 

     Pvt. Steven E. Schollin, of Oak Haven, Illinois

     Pvt. James F. Thompson, of Los Angeles.

     Cpl. Austin E. Weeces, of Craig, Nebraska. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16371027/austin-e-weeces  

     Pfc. James D. Westbrooks, of Andrson, South Carolina. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89746541/james-d-westbrooks

     Today there is a monument honoring these men on Garnet Peak in Peru.  https://www.townofperuma.com/about-us/slideshows/garnett-mountain-peak

     Sources:

     PDF Document “Garnet Peak Plane Crash”, by Joe Stergis, 2008

     The Berkshire Eagle, “Peru Residents Remember Paratroopers Lost In 1942 Plane Crash On Garnet Peak” by Patricia LeBoeuf, 2007. 

     New England Public Media, “Peru, Mass., To Mark 75th Anniversary Of Military Plane Crash”, by Adam Frenier, August 14, 2017.

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

     www.findagrave.com 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

North Reading, MA. – July 18, 1942

January 24, 2022

North Reading, Massachusetts – July 18, 1942

 

B-17G “Flying Fortress”
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 18, 1942, a B-17B “Flying Fortress”, (Ser. No. 39-8), left its base in Grander, Newfoundland, bound for Middletown, Pennsylvania, to have some equipment updated.  While passing over Massachusetts the aircraft encountered thick clouds and ground fog.  It was speculated that the while the pilot was letting down through the scud the aircraft developed “wing flutter” which caused one of the wings to break away.  The plane went down in a wooded area of North Reading and all aboard perished.       

     The crewmembers were identified as follows:

     Pilot: 1st Lt. Marion R. Klice

     Co-Pilot: 1st Lt. Donald H. Johnson

     Bombardier: 1st Lt. James N. Phillips, Jr., (24), buried in Jasper Cemetery, Jasper, Arkansas.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33052049/james-phillips 

     Navigator: 2nd Lt. Orville Drue Andrews, (22), buried in Pineview Cemetery, Rocky Mount, North Carolina.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143781613/orville-drue-andrews

     Master Sergeant Archie R. Jester, Jr. (32), buried in Salem Cemetery, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28156667/archie-raymond-jester

     Engineer: Staff Sergeant William E. Perkins, (21), buried in Evergreen Memorial Park, Portsmouth, Virginia. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37691634/william-e-perkins

     Radio Operator: Corporal Stephen Bilocur, (20), buried in St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173569551/stephen-bilocur 

     Staff Sergeant Robert J. Aulsbury, (23 or 24), buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Jennings, Missouri. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202569263/robert-j-aulsbury

     PFC. Sidnney Samuel Koltun (24), buried in Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in St. Louis Missouri.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/41980784/sidney-samuel-koltun  

     Corporal Charles H. Torrance

     There is a memorial to these men on the town green in North Reading. 

     Sources:

     North Reading Transcript, “Veterans Day Ceremony To Memorialize 1942 B-17 Bomber Crash”, November 2, 1995, page 13. 

     North Reading Times, “May Their Noble Deeds Live Forever”, November 16, 1995, page 1

     North Reading Transcript, “B-17 Bomber Crash Was 59 Years Ago This Week”, July 12, 2001, page 14.     

     North Reading Transcript, B-17 Bomber Crash In Town Happened 65 Years Ago Next Week”, July 12, 2007, page 6. 

    North Reading Historical Commission Blogspot.  

     www.findagrave.com

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wellfleet, MA. – August 7, 1959

January 20, 2022

Wellfleet, Massachusetts – August 7, 1959

 

Grumman S-2 Tracker
U. S. Navy Photo

     On August 7, 1959, a Grumman S-2F Tracker with three men aboard took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air station in Rhode Island to partake in a training exercise off the eastern shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  During the exercise, the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in the water.  Prior to doing so, the pilot gave the option to bail out, and Aviation Machinist’s Mate Chief Petty Officer Walter F. Palmer bailed out, but his parachute failed to open.  The pilot and co-pilot remained with the aircraft and rode it down to the water. 

     The airplane crashed about 100 feet off shore but the crew was able to extricate themselves before it sank, and swam to shore. 

     The aircraft and its crew were normally assigned to New Orleans, but were in New England for a two week training course at Quonset Point.  

     Chief Palmer’s remains were not recovered until August 31. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1057964/walter-farris-palmer

     Sources:

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Coast Guard Look For Lost Flyer”, August 13, 1959

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Crash Victim Believed Found”, September 3, 1959

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – September 22, 1948

January 20, 2022

Atlantic Ocean – September 22, 1948

 

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

    On the afternoon of September 23, 1948, navy reserve Lieutenant Carl Thomsen, Jr., (24), took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station in an F4U-4 Corsair, (Bu. No. 81647).  The purpose of the flight was to take part in a gunnery practice exercise about ten miles off the eastern coast of Truro, Massachusetts.  During the exercise the aircraft developed engine trouble and he was forced to make an emergency landing in the sea.  The aircraft sank in twenty seconds, but Thomsen was able to extricate himself and inflate his yellow life vest.  Fortunately, the fishing trawler “North Sea” out of Gloucester, Massachusetts, was nearby and had seen the plane crash.  Within five minutes the crew had rescued the pilot, who was shaken, but not injured.     

     Sources:

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Pilot Is Rescued By Fishing Craft”, September 23, 1948 

     Aviation Safety Network

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Cape Cod Bay – September 11, 1944

January 19, 2022

Cape Cod Bay – September, 11, 1944

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On September 11, 1944, Ensign Henry Karl Klein was piloting a F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 41497), over Cape Cod Bay while participating in a dive bombing training exercise.  He was seen to begin his dive run from 7,000 feet.  His section leader would later report that he saw pieces of Klein’s aircraft break away during the dive.  A fisherman who’d been watching the exercise from a distance later told investigators that he saw a wing break off the aircraft just before it hit the water.  Ensign Klein’s aircraft plunged into the water and he did not survive. 

     The cause of the accident was determined to be structural failure of the aircraft for reasons unknown.   

     Ensign Klein had been assigned to VF-48.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy Accident Report, dated September 11, 1944    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – August 26, 1950

January 18, 2022

Squantum Naval Air Station – August 26, 1950

 

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

     On August 26, 1950, a U. S. Navy F4U-4 Corsair, (Bu. No. 82015), was in the process of taking off from the Squantum Naval Air Station when the engine lost power.  The aircraft ran off the end of the runway and flipped onto its back.  The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, but the pilot was not injured.  

     The aircraft was assigned to VF-915. 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 26, 1950

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Squantum, MA. – September 24, 1945

January 18, 2022

Squantum Naval Air Station – September 24, 1945

 

SNJ Trainer Aircraft
U. S. Navy Photo

     On September 24, 1945, a U. S. Navy SNJ-3, (Bu. No. 7006), was landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station in Massachusetts, when the wheels collapsed.  The aircraft skidded to a stop and there was no fire.  Neither of the two men aboard were injured.  The aircraft was returning from a familiarization flight.  The aircraft required a major overhaul. 

 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated September 24, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Westport, MA. – September 20, 1945

January 18, 2022

Westport, Massachusetts – September 20, 1945      

SNJ Trainer Aircraft
U. S. Navy Photo

     On September 20, 1945, a flight of eight U. S. Navy SNJ trainer aircraft left Buffalo, New York, for a routine ferry flight to the Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Air Field in Charlestown, Rhode Island.  As the flight neared Rhode Island it encountered bad weather and once over Charlestown found themselves above the cloud cover. 

     The flight circled the area for about 20 minutes, after which one of the section leaders radioed that he was low on fuel and requested a vector to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, R.I.  After receiving the information, the section leader set course for Quonset, and the two other planes of his section followed.  Unfortunately they discovered that the vector information was incorrect, and when they broke through the clouds they found themselves over the town of Westport, Massachusetts.   

     At this point all three planes were low on fuel, and due to the bad weather, and the uncertainty of locating the Quonset NAS, the section leader decided to make a wheels up landing on Horse Neck Beach.  The other two pilots did the same, and although the aircraft were damaged, none of the pilots were injured.

     The aircraft involved had Bu. Numbers of 91065, 91066, and 43890.  Aircraft 91005 was not repairable, for although there was only slight damage to the fuselage, the tide came in before salvage crews could reach the scene and the plane was submerged causing salt water damage to the engine and electronics.   

     Source: 

     U. S. Navy Accident Report dated September 20, 1945.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Off Cape Cod – October 12, 1953

May 13, 2021

Off Cape Cod – October 12, 1953

 

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

      At 4:55 a.m. on the morning of October 12, 1953, 1st Lt. Joseph F. Grollinger, and 2nd Lt. Louis G. Sebralla took off from Otis Air Force base in an F-94C Starfire, (Ser. No. 50-1027), in investigate an unidentified aircraft which had appeared on air defense radar.  The weather was rainy with thick upper clouds which affected radio communications and radar signals.   Lt. Grollinger’s call sign that morning was “Mailbag  White”.  

     A short time after take off  Otis tower received a last radio  transmission from the aircraft with only the words, “Mailbag 42”, which was not the designated call sign.  No further radio contact could be established.   At about that time, residents of outer Cape Cod reported hearing a loud boom.  

    A large scale air-sea search was instituted.  At mid-afternoon on the 12th, an oil slick was spotted about three miles off shore from Orleans, Massachusetts, but it was too diluted to be conclusively identified as jet fuel.  Investigators later determined the slick likely came from a fishing boat whose captain admitted to pumping oil overboard in the same area.  None-the-less, dredging operations were commenced in the vicinity, but nothing was found.   

     On October 15th, a Coast Guard crew from the Nauset Lifeboat Station was dispatched to investigate a reported sighting of possible aircraft wreckage floating in the water off the town of Brewster, but nothing was found. 

     A two-man inflatable raft that was recovered on October 16th by a Navy boat off Provincetown, Massachusetts.  Air Force authorities didn’t believe it came from the missing jet as those carried aboard the F-94C were of a one-man type. 

     Based on the numerous reports of people hearing a loud boom, some speculated that the F-94 had suffered some sort of catastrophic malfunction, but others theorized that the loud noise could have been the result of the pilot initiating the jet’s afterburner.      

     On October 31st, a fishing boat crew reported they saw an aircraft wing bobbing in the water north of Boston, but didn’t attempt to retrieve it, and a Coast Guard helicopter sent to investigate found nothing.

     Eventually the search was called off with no conclusive answers as to the fate of the F-94 and its crew. 

     The aircraft and its crew were assigned to the 437th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis AFB. 

     Another F-94C from Otis AFB was lost fifteen days later off Cape Cod while investigating an unidentified aircraft that had appeared on air defense radar.  For more information click here: http://newenglandav.s431.sureserver.com/off-falmouth-ma-october-27-1953/ 

    Sources:

     Unites States Air Force Crash Investigation Report # 53-10-12-5, dated 12, October, 1953

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “2 Otis Flyers Are Missing In Jet Plane”, Oct. 13, 1953, 1.

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Plane Makes Forced Landing At Provincetown”, Oct. 14, 1953

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “No Trace Of Jet Found By Searchers”, Oct. 14, 1953

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Cape Squadron Continues Search”, Oct. 14, 1953

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Search Continued For Jet Aircraft”, Oct. 15, 1953

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Air Search For Jet Plane Is Ended, Oct. 16, 1953, 1

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Life Raft Found, Will Be Examined”, Oct. 17, 1953, 2

     The Lowell Sun, “Push Search For Missing Jet Airmen”, Oct. 13, 1953, 1.

    

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Taunton, MA. – May 22, 1984

February 16, 2021

Taunton, Massachusetts – May 22, 1984

     On the morning of May 22, 1984, a lone naval reserve pilot left the South Weymouth Naval Air Station in a Beechcraft T-34B Mentor, (Reg. No. N812Z), training aircraft, bound for the Taunton Municipal Airport on a certification flight.  As the aircraft was approaching the Taunton Airport witnesses reported seeing yellow smoke trailing, and the engine running erratically. The plane went down in a wooded area of Massasoit State Park about 1.5 miles from the airport.  The unidentified pilot was killed in the crash. 

       Source: Providence Journal, “Navy Reserve Pilot Killed In Plane Crash”, May 22, 1984, page A-4.  

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Otis Air Field – September 19, 1945

January 23, 2021

Otis Air Field – September 19, 1945

 

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On September 19, 1945, a pilot was making practice carrier landings at Otis Field when the Curtiss Helldiver aircraft he was piloting crash-landed during one of the landings.  The aircraft, (Bu. No. 60177), was damaged, but the pilot was not injured. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated September 19, 1945.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Otis Field – September 18, 1945

January 22, 2021

Otis Field – September 18, 1945

 

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On September 18, 1945, a mechanic was working on a U. S. Navy Curtiss Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60110), which was parked near another Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60182).  The mechanic started the engine and turned it up to full power, which caused the aircraft to jump its wheel chocks and drive itself into the other Helldiver.  The airplane that the mechanic was working on was damaged beyond repair, while the second plane suffered heavy damage.  There were no injuries.  

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated September 18, 1945

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Carlisle, MA. – July 9, 1948

January 20, 2021

Carlisle, Massachusetts – July 9, 1948

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On the evening of July 9, 1948, two Air Force lieutenants took off from Bedford Air Base in an AT-6C Texan trainer aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-32895).  According to witnesses, the plane was at an altitude of about 1,000 feet when it went into a spin and crashed in an orchard on the estate of Dr. George Towle.  Both men perished in the accident. 

      The men were identified as: 

      Lieutenant Kenneth F. Pushee of New Hampshire.  (No further info available at this time.) 

      First Lieutenant Grant D. Bowker, (25) of Worcester, Massachusetts.   Lt. Bowker left his junior year at Hamilton College to enlist in the Army Air Corps on September 1, 1942.  He served as a bomber pilot with the 91st Bombardment Group in Europe.  He’s Buried in Rural Worcester Cemetery in Worcester.  To see a photo of Lt. Bowker, click here:  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25421516/grant-davenport-bowker

     The aircraft came down about 50 yards to the rear of Dr. Towle’s home near a barn.  There was no fire upon impact. The Doctor and another man ran to the scene but there was nothing they could do. 

     Sources:

     The Nashua Telegraph, “Two Lieutenants Are Killed In Mass Air Crash”, July 10, 1948. 

     The Lowell Sun, “Two Air Force Reservists Killed In Carlisle Crash”, July 10, 1948

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Westfield – Barnes Airport – May 30, 1947

January 12, 2021

Westfield – Barnes Airport – May 30, 1947

     On May 30, 1947, an airshow was in progress at the Westfield-Barnes Airport in Westfield, Massachusetts.  One of the performers was piloting a Vaultee BT-13; a former military trainer aircraft.   At one point during the show the Vaultee went into a steep dive from which the aircraft did not recover.  The airplane hit some trees and then broke apart as it tumbled for 200 yards.   The 23-year-old pilot did not survive. 

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Air Hero Is Dead In Crash”, May 31, 1947.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Melrose, MA. – September 24, 1945

January 11, 2021

Melrose, Massachusetts – September 24, 1945

Updated February 4, 2022

B-25 Mitchel bomber
USAF Museum photo

     On September 24, 1945, a twin-engine B-25J, (Ser. No. 43-36088), with six men aboard, took off from Grenier Field in Manchester, New Hampshire, for a training flight to Boston.  

    The airplane made it safely to Boston, and later took off to return to Manchester.  On the return trip, while approaching the area of Saugas, Massachusetts, the plane developed engine trouble, and before long one of the engines caught fire.  The pilot, Major Doak A. Weston, (30),  gave the order to bail out, and all five crewmen did so and landed safely.  Because the airplane was over a populated area, Major Weston opted to stay with the aircraft hoping to find a safe place to crash-land.  As the plane dropped lower he circled over the towns of Melrose, Malden, Saugus, and Wakefield.  Then he saw the Mount Hood Golf Course in Melrose and aimed for it.   

     The aircraft was now too low for Major Weston to bail out.  As the plane neared the ground witnesses reported seeing a flaming wing drop away.   The B-25 crashed and exploded at the 8th green of the gold course, killing Major Weston instantly.   A portion of the burning plane came through the wall of a nearby private home setting it on fire, but firemen were able to extinguish it before too much damage was done to the structure. 

     There were no injuries on the ground.   

     Major Weston’s actions no doubt saved the lives of people on the ground.   

Photo by Eric T. Wiberg
Click on image to enlarge.

     On September 24, 2010, sixty-five years after the crash, the Town of Melrose honored Major Weston’s sacrifice with a ceremony held at the site where his plane crashed, which included the unveiling of a small monument engraved with the crew’s names.  The ceremony was attended by Major Weston’s son, who was only three years old at the time of the incident.  

     Some sources state that Major Weston was from Denver, Colorado, and others state Aptos, California.  

     Major Weston had survived a previous aviation crash on February 23, 1943, when a B-25C, (Ser. No. 41-13289), he was piloting crashed into Lake Murray in South Carolina.  (He was a 1st Lieutenant at the time.) In that instance, He was flying low over the lake on a skip bombing training mission when the plane went into the lake and sank in 125 feet of water.  He was reportedly thrown clear of the aircraft as it cartwheeled across the water, and despite being seriously injured, was able to swim to shore.  Unfortunately the other five men aboard perished.   

     Those who perished were:   

     Co-pilot: 2nd Lt. Marshall S. Hawke, 26, of Muncie, Indiana.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97277246/marshall-s-hawke

     1st Lt. Clifford O. Sherry, 24, of Chicago.  

     2nd Lt. Harold L. Feineuer, of Bay City, Michigan. 

     2nd Lt. John E. Handcock, 27, of Carmel, Pennsylvania. 

     Sgt. George W. Rhine, 22, of Inglewood, California. 

     Deep water divers were sent to attempt to recover the bodies.  It is unknown if the aircraft was recovered, or allowed to remain where it was. 

     Sources:

     The Nashua Telegraph, “Grenier Field Plane Goes Up In Flames On Way To Saugus”, September 24, 1945.

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Army Checks Bomber Explosion”, September 25, 1945, page 9. 

     Imperial Valley Press, (California), “Five Army Fliers Die In Carolina”, February 24, 1943, page 5. 

     Detroit Evening News, “Bay City Flier killed In Crash Of Bomber”, February 24, 1943, page 4. 

     Detroit Evening News, “Bomber Hits Lake, 5 Killed”, February 25, 1943, page 12. 

     Book: Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945″ by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.

     www.findagrave.com

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Bedford, MA. – June 15, 1945

December 25, 2020

New Bedford, Massachusetts – June 15, 1945

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On June 15, 1945, a navy SBW-4E Helldiver , (Bu. No. 60107), violently ground-looped while making a landing at New Bedford.  The aircraft suffered substantial damage but the crew was not hurt. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated June 15, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Otis Air Field – June 14, 1945

December 25, 2020

Otis Air Field – June 14, 1945

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On June 14, 1945, a navy SBW-4E Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60102), ground-looped off the runway during a landing at Otis Air Field and went into an open ditch causing major damage to the aircraft, but the crew was not hurt. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated June 14, 1945

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Otis Air Field – July 23, 1945

December 25, 2020

Otis Air Field – July 23, 1945

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On July 23, 1945, a navy SBW-4E Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60120), was participating an a flight-carrier-landing-practice exercise at Otis Field,  Upon touchdown on the runway the landing gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded to a stop on its belly.  The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but the pilot was not hurt. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated July 23, 1945 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Otis Air Field – July 1, 1945

December 25, 2020

Otis Air Field – July 1, 1945 

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On July 1, 1945, a navy SBW-4E Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60100), was engaging in a flight-carrier-landing-practice exercise at Otis Air Field.  As the aircraft was making an approach to land a wingtip struck some trees causing a crash.  The aircraft was damaged beyond repair but the pilot was not injured.   

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated July 1, 1945. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Otis Air Field – June 29, 1945

December 25, 2020

Otis Air Field – June 29, 1945

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On June 29, 1945, a flight of navy Helldivers belonging to VB-74 were participating in a night flight carrier landing practice exercise at Otis Field when one aircraft, (Bu. No. 60105), was hit with a cross-wind causing the port wing to drop and hit the runway.  The aircraft spun 45 degrees and as it did so the landing gear collapsed.  The aircraft continued to skid for another 200 feet before coming to rest.  Although the aircraft sustained major damage, the pilot was not hurt. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated June 29, 1945

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Otis Air Field – May 5, 1945

December 23, 2020

Otis Air Field – May 5, 1945

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On May 5, 1945, a navy SBW-4E Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60116), was attempting to land at Otis Field with an overheating engine.  It was the pilot’s first flight in such an aircraft.  Just before touchdown, while at an altitude of about twenty-five feet, the aircraft dropped and crashed onto the runway, suffering two bent wings, a buckled fuselage, bent propeller, and damage to the engine.  The pilot was not injured. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated May 5, 1945.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Hyannis, MA. – March 25, 1945

December 23, 2020

Hyannis, Massachusetts – March 25, 1945

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On March 25, 1945, a navy TBF-1C Avenger, (Bu. No. 24329), was in the process of taking off from Hyannis when the aircraft lost power twice.  The pilot attempted to abort the take off and applied the brakes.  The aircraft went off the end of the runway onto soft ground where the wheels dug in and the landing gear was torn away.  The aircraft nosed over and skidded for an additional sixty feet before coming to rest.  There were no injuries. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated March 25, 1945. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Barnstable, MA. – June 23, 1945

December 23, 2020

Barnstable, Massachusetts – June 23, 1945 

(And Truro, Mass. )

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the morning of June 23, 1945, a flight of six navy SBW Helldiver aircraft were in a “tail-chase” formation 3,000 feet over the town of Truro, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.  One aircraft, (Bu. No. 60112), was flying in the third position, and Bu. No. 60142 was following it in the fourth position about 400 feet behind.  When the formation entered a climbing turn, the third aircraft unexpectedly flipped over onto its back and began to fall.  The pilot of the fourth aircraft tried to avoid a collision but was unsuccessful.   

     The right wing of the fourth aircraft was sheared off about six feet from the tip. The pilot attempted to maintain control but was unable to, so he climbed to 4,000 feet and gave the order to his gunner to bail out.  Both men reported having trouble getting clear of the cockpit before jumping.  The aircraft crashed in Barnstable Harbor.  The pilot and his gunner also came down in the water and were rescued by fishermen.   Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries. 

     Meanwhile, the pilot of the other aircraft found his controls frozen after the collision and ordered his gunner, ARM3c Kenneth E. Kubik, (19), to bail out.  The pilot later reported that he too had difficulty leaving the aircraft, but he landed safely with non-life-threatening injuries.  ARM3c Kubik was unable to leave the aircraft and was killed when it crashed and exploded one mile northeast of Truro. 

     ARM3c Kubik was from Caldwell, Kansas, and assigned to VT-74.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report  dated June 23, 1945   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Nantucket, MA. – June 12, 1945

December 4, 2020

Nantucket, Massachusetts – June 12, 1945

     On June 12, 1945, an FG-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 76561), was returning to the Nantucket Naval Auxiliary Air Field when the aircraft ground-looped upon landing.  The aircraft suffered significant damage, but the pilot was uninjured. 

     The aircraft was assigned to VBF-74B.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated June 12, 1945 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Nantucket, MA. – April 6, 1945

December 4, 2020

Nantucket, Massachusetts – April 6, 1945 

 

     On April 6, 1945, a navy Fg-1D Corsair aircraft, (Bu. No. 76648), was returning to the Nantucket Naval Auxiliary Air Field from a training flight when the engine began to cut out while the aircraft was still at 5,500 feet.  As the pilot came in for an emergency landing the engine lost all power.  The aircraft made a hard landing on the right wing and flipped over on its back.  The pilot suffered non-life-threatening injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.  

     The pilot was assigned to VBF-92.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated April 6, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Cape Cod Beach – May 8, 1942

December 3, 2020

Cape Cod Beach – May 8, 1942

 

U.S. Navy Wildcat Fighter
U.S. Navy Photo

      On May 8, 1942, Ensign Arthur J. Cassidy was piloting an F4F-4 Wildcat, (Bu. No. 4085), just off Cape Cod on a routine navigational training flight. About 40 minutes into the flight, the 30 gallon reserve fuel tank ran low, so he switched to the main tank, and when he did so the fuel suction was lost and could not be regained.  His engine lost power, but he was able to make an emergency landing on a beach on Cape Cod.  (Unfortunately the navy report on this incident does not state which specific beach, or the town it was located in.)

     Cassidy’s aircraft suffered heavy damage during the landing, but he was not injured.

     He was assigned to VF-41. 

     Ensign Cassidy was later promoted to Lieutenant (j.g.).  He lost his life on March 30, 1943 when his aircraft disappeared over Massachusetts and was never heard from again.  To read about his disappearance click here. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report #4140, dated May 8, 1942.

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Buzzards Bay, MA. – February 13, 1950

August 21, 2020

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts – February 13, 1950

 

Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the morning of February 13, 1950, a flight of navy AD-3 Skyraider aircraft took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island for a dive-bombing training flight over Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, in the area of the Elizabeth Islands.  One of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 122849), was piloted by Midshipman Philip Kuehl. 

     At 10:02 a.m., Midshipman Kuehl was making a high-speed dive-bomb run at a surface target when his aircraft inexplicably crashed into the water  and exploded on impact in the area between Gull Island and Nashawena Island. (41-26N, 70-54W) 

     Neither the aircraft or the pilot were recovered.   The exact cause of the accident could not be determined by the naval investigation board.    

Philip Kuehl
High School graduation, 1946
Courtesy of Paul Kuehl.

 Midshipman Kuehl was assigned to VA-34 at Quonset Point NAS. 

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report dated February 13, 1950, courtesy of Paul D. Kuehl, nephew of the pilot.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nantucket Sound – November 10, 1949

August 7, 2020

Nantucket Sound – November 10, 1949

 

Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo

     On November 10, 1949, a navy AD-2 Skyraider, (Bu. No. 122299), was participating in a dive bombing training exercise over Nantucket Sound.  At one point, after successfully coming out of a steep dive, the cockpit began to fill with smoke.  After declaring an emergency, the pilot was able to make it to the Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Air Field in Rhode Island where he made a successful forced landing. 

     The aircraft was assigned to VA-94 at Charlestown, R. I.      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Westport, MA. – August 10, 1927

January 24, 2020

Westport, Massachusetts – August 10, 1927

     On the morning of August 10, 1927, two army reserve officers, Lieutenant Paul Green of South Bedford, Mass., and Lieutenant Raymond Taplin of Quincy, Mass., left East Boston Airport in an army biplane for a training flight.  They flew south towards New Bedford, where they circled the new landing field on the estate of Colonel Edward Greene.  After doing so, they turned back for Boston, and shortly afterwards their fuel supply ran out.  The pilot attempted to switch to the reserve tanks but they were empty.  The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in the northern portion of the town of Westport.  In doing so, the plane struck a stone wall and burst into flames.  Both men escaped with minor injuries, but the airplane was destroyed.    

     Source: New Britain Herald, (Connecticut), “Reserve Fliers In Escape From Death”, August 10, 1927 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Squantum NAS – April 6, 1952

December 14, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – April 6, 1952

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On April 6, 1952, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 53112), was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a routine familiarization flight.  As the pilot approached Runway 26 from over the water, there was a strong crosswind blowing.  Just before landing, the aircraft suddenly dropped below the level of the runway, and the landing gear struck the erosion preventing rip-rap at the end of the runway.  The impact tore the landing gear away and the aircraft came down on its belly and skidded 200 feet to a stop.  There was no fire. The pilot was not injured, but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.  

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated April 6, 1952. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Otis NAAF – June 30, 1947

December 14, 2019

Otis Navy Auxiliary Air Field – June 30, 1947

     On June 30, 1947, a navy Culver TD2C-1, target drone, (Bu. No. 120128), was scheduled to take off from Otis Field for a remote radio control test flight.  Aboard was a safety pilot assigned to VU-5.  

     The aircraft was to be controlled by a radio signal originating from a transmitting device on the ground, operated by a radio control officer.  The safety pilot was to take over if something should go wrong with the radio signals. 

     After a pre-flight inspection, the aircraft was cleared for take off, and the radio officer took control of the plane.  The aircraft started down the runway, and after covering about 1,500 feet it lifted from the ground in a slightly nose-high attitude.  When it reached an altitude of about 25 feet it suddenly began to wobble from side to side, and lose altitude.  The left wing struck the runway and the drone cartwheeled across a ravine and came to rest 75 feet from the initial point of impact. 

     Remarkably the safety pilot wasn’t injured, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.  

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated June 30, 1947

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

South Weymouth, MA. – December 3, 1948

December 13, 2019

South Weymouth Naval Air Station – December 3, 1948

      On December 3, 1948, a navy Culver TD2C – 1 target drone, (Bu. No. 120259), was returning to the South Weymouth Naval Air Station after a gyro flight test.  On approach, the pilot throttled back to reduce air speed, and when he attempted to apply more throttle the engine quit.  The pilot glided the aircraft over some trees at the end of Runway 22 and after doing so, aimed the nose downward to pick up flying speed, but due to loss of speed and the small surface of the elevators on this type of aircraft, he could not raise the nose.  The aircraft stalled and nosed into the ground at a twenty degree angle.  The aircraft was damaged beyond repair but the pilot was not injured.

     The aircraft was attached to VU-5.

     Source:  U. S. Navy accident report dated December 3, 1948 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – July 29, 1949

December 12, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – July 29, 1949

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On July 29, 1949, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 86167), lost power immediately upon take off at the Squantum Naval Air Station.  The aircraft fell back onto the runway but there wasn’t enough distance left to stop.  The aircraft went off the end of the runway and into a saltwater marsh.  The pilot was not injured, and the two other crewmen aboard suffered minor injuries.  The aircraft was severely damaged and a recommendation was made to scrap it.

Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated July 29, 1949. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Otis Field – November 1, 1948

December 11, 2019

Otis Field – November 1, 1948

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On November 1, 1948, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 85811), was making practice touch-and-go landings when the landing gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded for 225 feet on its belly.  Although the aircraft sustained damage, there were no injuries.   

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated November 1, 1948

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Field, MA. – April 19, 1946

December 5, 2019

Otis Air Field, Massachusetts – April 19, 1946

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On April 19, 1946, a flight of five navy TBM Avengers belonging to VT-82 were taking part in a practice carrier landing and take-off exercise at Otis Air Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  After making several successful landings and take offs, one aircraft, (Bu. No. 85682), had its landing gear collapse upon touchdown.  The aircraft then skidded on its belly for 125 yards before coming to rest.  The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft suffered significant damage. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated April 19, 1946

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Field, MA. – September 13, 1946

December 5, 2019

Otis Air Field, Massachusetts – September 13, 1946

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On September 13, 1946, a group of several navy TBM Avengers were participating in a practice carrier landing training exercise during which each aircraft was making touch-and-go landings and take offs.  At one point, (Bu. No. 91437), made a perfect approach and landing, but just after take off went into a near vertical climb.  At the top of the climb the aircraft stalled and as it began to fall the pilot bailed out.  The aircraft crashed and exploded.  The pilot’s parachute deployed, but he suffered non-life-threatening injuries upon hitting the ground.  There was nobody else aboard the plane at the time of the accident.    

     The aircraft was assigned to VT-42.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated September 13, 1946. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Squantum, MA. – May 2, 1946

December 4, 2019

Squantum, MA. – May 2, 1946

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On May 2, 1946, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 86286), was making its final approach to the Squantum Naval Air Station when the engine suddenly stopped.  The aircraft crash-landed 450 ft. short of the runway and slid 300 feet before coming to rest in a marshy area.  There was no fire.  The aircraft suffered extensive damage, but nobody aboard was injured. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated May 2, 1946.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Squantum, MA. – February 13, 1946

December 4, 2019

Squantum, Massachusetts – February 13, 1946

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On February 13, 1946, a navy TBM-3 Avenger, (Bu. No. 23077), was taking off on a training flight from the Squantum Naval Air Station in Massachusetts, bound for the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  Immediately after leaving the ground the engine vibrated, backfired, and lost all power.  The aircraft fell back to the runway with its wheels still locked and down.  Upon landing, the pilot was forced to put the airplane into an intentional ground loop to avoid crashing into some ground obstructions.   Due to the speed at which this occurred, the aircraft suffered substantial damage, but the pilot was not hurt. 

     The aircraft was assigned to VJ-15

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated February 13, 1946. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Otis Filed, MA. – November 19, 1945

December 4, 2019

Otis Field, Massachusetts – November 19, 1945

 

TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On November 19, 1945, a TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 69004), with a lone pilot aboard, was was taking part in a training exercise making practice carrier landings and take-offs at Otis Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  While orbiting in a “traffic circle”, the pilot noted fluctuations in the fuel flow to the engine so he switched tanks.  The engine ran smoothly for a few seconds and then suddenly quit, forcing the pilot to make an emergency wheels-up landing.  The aircraft came down hard, crushing the bomb-bay doors and causing other serious damage to the plane.  There was no fire upon impact, and the pilot was not injured.     

     The aircraft was assigned to VT-43

     Source:  U. S. Navy accident report, dated November 19, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Marion, MA. February 4, 1943

October 19, 2019

Marion, Massachusetts – February 4, 1943 

 

Douglas A-20 Havoc
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On February 4, 1943, a U. S. Army, Douglas A-20C Havoc, (Ser. No. 41-19637), left Cumberland Air Base in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with four men aboard.  The purpose of the flight was to take part in a joint-training exercise with members of the 3rd Armored Division in the vicinity of the town of Lebanon, about twenty-five miles to the east.  Once over the Lebanon area, the crew was to remain airborne and establish radio contact with armored division forces on the ground.  When the exercise was over, the aircraft was scheduled to return to Harrisburg.  

     The aircrew consisted of the pilot, Major Arnold J. Bailey; the gunner, Sergeant Albert D. Reposa; and the radio operator,  Sergeant Donald T. Robinson; all assigned to the 3rd Air Force.  Also aboard was Major Charles H. Cooke of the 3rd Armored Division who was acting as an observer, and occupied the bombardier’s position in the nose of the aircraft.      

    As the aircraft flew towards Lebanon it encountered poor forward visibility due to low cloudy conditions, and at the time the pilot didn’t have a current instrument flight certification.  Therefore he climbed and executed a 180 degree turn and began heading back towards Harrisburg.  While making their way back to Harrisburg the pilot once again saw the ground, but the overcast continued to close in so he climbed to nearly 4,000 feet to get above it. 

     At Harrisburg he attempted two unsuccessful instrument landings before setting a southern course towards Baltimore, Maryland, flying between layers of clouds as he did so.  Upon arriving at Baltimore he found conditions to be the same as they were at Harrisburg, and set a northeast course towards New England.  However, the weather continued to grow worse, and as the plane neared the New England coast it encountered heavy rain.    

     As the aircraft passed over eastern Rhode Island the pilot noted that the fuel was low.  He then took the plane to 13,000 feet and gave the order to bail out. 

     Major Bailey landed safely in a wooded area at Mayflower Ridge, near the Wareham River, in the town of Wareham, Massachusetts.  He then hiked thought the woods carrying his parachute until he came to the Wareham Country Club where he obtained a ride to Camp Edwards.

     Nobody had seen or heard the plane come down, therefore the location of where it crashed was not immediately known.  Initial reports indicated the plane had gone down in the water somewhere between Swansea, Massachusetts,  and Bristol, Rhode Island.  Later reports indicated the plane had gone down in Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts.   The wreckage was finally located in a wooded area on the grounds of the RCA wireless station in the coastal town of Marion, Massachusetts.      

     Major Cooke’s body was recovered at the crash site, but Sergeants Robinson and Repoza were missing, and after a five day search had not been found.  A parachute belonging to one of the men was found offshore in the water and it was presumed that both men had landed in the frigid water and drowned.

     Sgt. Reposa’s body was later recovered in May of 1943 on the shore of Wareham.          

     Sources:

     Unites States Army Air Force accident investigation report #43-2-4-7

     The Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “District Army Officer Dies In Plane Crash In Massachusetts”, February 6, 1943.

     Daily Boston Globe, “Body Found Near Plane, Army Silent, Bomber Lost”, February 6, 1943

     Wareham Currier, “Bomber Crashes In Marion”, February 11, 1943.  (Article courtesy of the Trustees of the Wareham Free Library, Celia Epstein Stone Research Room.)

     Fall River Herald, “ARP Units Aiding In Search For Missing Army Plane”, February 5, 1943, page 1

     Fall River Herald, “Two Aviators Still Sought”, February 8, 1943, page 2.

     Fall River Herald, “Wrecked Bomber Found At Marion”, February 6, 1943, page 1.

     Wareham, MA., death records.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Camp Edwards, MA.- December 22, 1942

September 25, 2019

Camp Edwards, Massachusetts – December 22, 1942 

 

Curtis P-40 Aircraft
U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     On December 22, 1942, a flight of three U. S. Army P-40 fighter planes took off from the Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, for a tactics-training flight.   All aircraft were part of the 317th Fighter Squadron, 325th Fighter Group, then stationed at Hillsgrove. 

     While over Cape Cod, and practicing mock attack and evasion maneuvers, one of the aircraft, (41-36510), piloted by 1st Lt. Bartholemew  J. Judge, Jr., (24), went missing.  Attempts to make contact by the other two aircraft were unsuccessful, and both were ordered to return to Hillsgrove. 

     When Lt. Judge failed to return he was declared missing.  A search was instituted but nothing was found. 

     Three months later, on March 22, 1943, Lt. Judge’s remains were found near the wreckage of this aircraft in a wooded area of Camp Edwards, about five miles north of Otis Filed.  There was evidence that he’d tried to bail out but his parachute didn’t open. 

     The wreckage was found by Chief Clarence Gibbs, a member of the Camp Edwards fire department, when he saw a glint of sunlight reflect off a piece of metal in a wooded area in a remote portion of the artillery range.  

     Lt. Judge is buried in Saint Catherine’s Cemetery, in Moscow, Pennsylvania. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174721141/bartholemew-j-judge

     Lt. Judge had survived an earlier plane crash in Stafford Springs, Connecticut on August 7, 1942.  In that instance, he and an instructor were in a BT-14 trainer aircraft, (Ser. No. 40-1209). 

     Sources:

      The Waterbury Democrat, “Pilots Injured”, August 8, 1942, page 2.

      The Evening Star, (Washington, DC), “Lt. Judge, Former G.W.U. Student, Reported Missing”, December 26, 1942,page A-8

     Fall River Herald, “Two Aviators Still Sought”, February 8, 1943, page 2.

     The Falmouth Enterprise, “Dead Flyer Found”, March 26, 1943 

     Aviation Safety Network, Wikibase 102913

     www.findagrave.com, #174721141

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Otis Field – April 23, 1946

July 15, 2019

Otis Field, Massachusetts – April 23, 1946

 

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     At 4:36 p.m., on the afternoon of April 23, 1946, a navy SB2C Helldiver, (Bu. No. 85265), was coming in to land at Otis Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts, when the aircraft stalled on approach and crashed, ending up on its back and bursting into flames.  The pilot was rescued, but suffered severe burns and a lacerated scalp.   

     The pilot had come from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island and was assigned to Fighter Bomber Squadron 18, (VB-18).

     There was nobody else aboard the aircraft at the time of the accident.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated April 23, 1946.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard, MA. – February 19, 1946

July 13, 2019

Martha’s Vineyard – February 19, 1946

Cape Poge – Chappaquiddick

 

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     At 10:48 a.m. on the morning of February 19, 1946, Ensign Cecil M. Richards, 21, and his gunner, Arm2c William Robert Garrett, 20, were in a U. S. Navy  SB2C-4E Helldiver, (Bu. No. 21083), participating in an aerial bombing exercise over Cape Poge, Chappaquiddick Island, at Martha’s Vineyard.  Ensign Richards began his dive at 6,750 feet.   After releasing the training bombs on a designated target area, the aircraft was seen to continue in its dive, then roll over and crash into the water at high speed.  Both Richards and Garret were killed instantly.  

     The cause of the accident is unknown.

     Both men were assigned to Fighter Bomber Squadron 18, (VB-18), at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  

     In 2016, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers began removing potentially dangerous ordinance from the Cape Poge area and discovered the propeller, one machinegun, and other pieces from Ensign Richards’ aircraft. 

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated February 19, 1946.

     (Martha’s) Vineyard Gazette, “Two Fliers Lost – First Fatality Since War, Off Cape Pogue”, February 22, 1946.

     Vineyard Gazette, “World War II Bomber Found Buried At Cape Pogue”, by Noah Asimov, May 2, 2019  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Bedford, MA. – December 11, 1944

July 9, 2019

New Bedford, Massachusetts – December 11, 1944

 

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

     On December 11, 1944, a navy F4U-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 82206), made an accidental wheels-up landing at New Bedford NAAF.  The aircraft skidded to a stop and there was no fire.  The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft suffered substantial damage. 

     The aircraft was assigned to Fighter Squadron 10, (VF-10) 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated December 11, 1944.

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

New Bedford, MA. – December 7, 1944

July 9, 2019

New Bedford, Massachusetts – December 7, 1944 

 

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

     On December 7, 1944, a pilot was making carrier practice landings at New Bedford NAAF in an F4U-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 82205).  After making several successful landings, he attempted to make another.  Just before touchdown a strong gust of wind caused the left wing to dip.  The pilot attempted to correct, but the aircraft went into a ditch. The pilot suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and the aircraft was seriously damaged. 

     The pilot was assigned to Fighter Squadron 10, (VF-10).

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated December 7, 1944.     

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Haverhill, MA. – November 4, 1944

July 8, 2019

Haverhill, Massachusetts – November 4, 1944

 

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of November 4, 1944, Ensign Robert E. McLaughlin, (22), was piloting an F4U-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 50636), over the town of Haverhill when the aircraft was observed to go into a roll and then dive into the ground at high speed and explode off Hilldale, Avenue. 

     Ensign McLaughlin was assigned to Carrier Air Service Unit 22, (CASU-22) at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.  He enlisted in the Naval Air Corps V-5 program on September 30, 1942, training at Amherst College in Amherst Massachusetts, and further training in North Carolina, Florida. Illinois, and Texas.  He earned his wings at Corpus Christi, Texas, on July 28, 1944.        

     Ensign McLaughlin is buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Haverhill.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35825894/robert-e-mclaughlin

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated November 4, 1944.  

     www.findagrave.com   

     Haverhill During WWII

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard – March 25, 1944

June 16, 2019

Martha’s Vineyard – March 25, 1944 

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the night of March 25, 1944, a navy TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 05880), was returning to the Martha’s Vineyard Naval Auxiliary Air Field after a night familiarization flight.   As the pilot was making his landing approach, he was waved off due to another aircraft which had just landed still being on the runway.  The Avenger circled around and came in for a second approach.  As it touched down it made a wheels up landing, and skidded on its belly for 900 feet before coming to rest.  The propeller, the bomb bay doors, and the starboard wing were heavily damaged, but there were no injuries.  

     The aircraft was assigned to VT-81.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-12653, dated March 25, 1944.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Beverly, MA. – August 31, 1945

June 14, 2019

Beverly, Massachusetts – August 31, 1945

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On August 31, 1945, a navy SNJ-4 trainer aircraft, (BU. No. 90667), crashed while landing at the Beverly Naval Auxiliary Air Field.  The two men aboard received non-life-threatening-injuries, and the plane was a total loss.  

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 31, 1945. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – May 25, 1945

June 14, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – May 25, 1945

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On May 25, 1945, a navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 27007), landed at the Squantum Naval Air Station in a strong cross-wind and ground looped at high speed causing damage to the left wing, left aileron, propeller, and both landing wheels.  The pilot was not injured.    

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated May 25, 1945.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – March 12, 1949

June 13, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – March 12, 1949 

     On March 12, 1949, a navy FG-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 92326), was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a training flight when the aircraft landed half-way down the runway and was unable to stop before going off the end and nosing over.  The plane was damaged but the pilot wasn’t hurt.

     Source:

 U. S. Navy accident report dated March 12, 1949.    

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Hyannis, MA. – January 22, 1949

June 12, 2019

Hyannis, Massachusetts – January 22, 1949 

     On January 22, 1949, a navy FG-1D Corsair , (Bu. No. 92700), was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a bomb training flight when the engine began to run roughly, and then began trailing black smoke.  The pilot was directed to land at the Hyannis Airport.  As he approached the airport the motor froze, and the pilot glided the aircraft down and made a successful wheels up landing.  The aircraft was extensively damaged but the pilot was unhurt.  

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated January 22, 1949

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – September 15, 1948

June 12, 2019

Atlantic Ocean – September 15, 1948

     On September 15, 1948, a navy FG-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 66072), from the Squantum Naval Air Station in Massachusetts, was on a gunnery practice flight over the ocean about twelve miles east of Cape Cod. During the exercise the aircraft engine began running rough and the pilot,  Commander Willard T. Grove, was cleared to return to Squantum.  While at 7,000 feet the engine suddenly stopped and the pilot put the plane into a glide as he tried to restart the engine, but he was unsuccessful.  The pilot made an emergency landing in the water about four-and-a-half miles east of Cape Cod, and suffered serious injuries upon impact because the safety-harness lock failed.  He was rescued, but the aircraft was lost at sea.        The pilot was rescued while floating in a yellow life raft by Coastguardsmen using a DUCK vehicle under the command of Boatswain Mate 1c Arthur Silva and seaman 1c Joseph Sheahan.  Then a Coast Guard rescue plane arrived and the pilot was transferred to the aircraft and flown to Squantum NAS.  

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated September 15, 1948. 

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Coast Guard Saves Pilot After Crash”, September 16, 1948

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Crash Pilot Identified”, September 23, 1948

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Ayer, MA. – July 12, 1945

May 31, 2019

Ayer, Massachusetts – July 12, 1945

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On July 12, 1945, an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 68260), was approaching the Ayer Naval Auxiliary Air Field to land.  The pilot didn’t touch down until he was half-way down the 2,000 foot runway, after which time he was unable to stop the aircraft before it went off the end of the runway and flipped over onto its back.  There was substantial damage to the aircraft, and the pilot sustained non-life-threatening injuries.       

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated July 12, 1945. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Norwood, MA. – August 5, 1944

May 30, 2019

Norwood, Massachusetts – August 5, 1944

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the morning of August 5, 1944, the pilot of a navy F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 58931), was practicing glide-angle training runs over the Norwood, Massachusetts, area when a sudden “jolt” occurred in the engine compartment followed by sections of cowling falling away, and oil spraying the windshield.  Immediately afterwards the aircraft began trailing smoke.  The pilot nursed the aircraft up from 1,500 feet to 2,500 feet where he bailed out.  The plane came down and was destroyed.  The pilot landed safely with a lacerated hand.     

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 5, 1944

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ayer, MA.- July 10, 1944

May 30, 2019

Ayer, Massachusetts – July 10, 1944

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On July 10, 1944, an F6F-3 hellcat, (Bu. No. 26333), was taking off at Ayer Navy Auxiliary Air Field when the aircraft lost power just after becoming airborne and fell back onto the runway.  The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, but the pilot survived, receiving non-life-threatening injuries. 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated July 10, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ayer, MA. – August 8, 1944

May 29, 2019

Ayer, Massachusetts – August 8, 1944 

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of August 8, 1944, Ensign Henry Clayton Youngdoff took off in an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 58125), from the Ayer Naval Auxiliary Air Field in Ayer, Mass.  The purpose of the flight was to participate in rocket firing dive exercises.   After completing a practice dive over the airfield, Ensign Youngdoff climbed to 6,000 feet where he joined up with the division flight leader.  Just after doing so, Youngdoff’s aircraft began trailing blue smoke and loosing power.  After declaring an emergency, he was granted permission by Ayer tower to make an emergency landing.  Ensign Youngdoff turned towards the field but due to the loss of power his aircraft began loosing altitude.  When he was about three miles from the field he was only at 1,000 feet and still dropping, so he turned the aircraft towards a small lake.  The terrain below was rugged and hilly.  As he headed towards the lake the engine froze, and realizing he wouldn’t make it to the lake he bailed out.  Unfortunately his parachute didn’t fully deploy and he was killed.  The aircraft crashed and burned about a mile away.  Nobody on the ground was injured.  

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 8, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – August 3, 1944

April 25, 2019

Squantum NAS – August 3, 1944 

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On August 3, 1944, a U. S. Navy SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 54546), made a normal landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station.  Just after touchdown, while the aircraft was still rolling at high speed, the landing gear suddenly collapsed dropping the plane onto the runway where it skidded on its belly to a stop.  The two-man crew was not injured, but the aircraft required a major overhaul.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 3, 1944. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Otis Field – September 10, 1944

April 24, 2019

Otis Field, Falmouth, Massachusetts – September 10, 1944

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     Just after 2 p.m. on September 10, 1944, a U. S. Navy SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 54180), with two men aboard, took off from Otis Filed.  The pilot was a navy ensign.  The second man was Army Sergeant James Edwin Senter, (21 or 22). 

     The aircraft was seen to climb several hundred feet before it suddenly went into a downward spin to the left.  The pilot managed to jump clear of from an altitude of 500 feet, and his parachute opened just before he hit the ground.  Although injured, he would survive.

     Meanwhile the aircraft crashed just twenty feet away killing Sergeant Senter.

     Sergeant Senter is buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  He enlisted in the army in 1940 at the age of 18.  To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com, Memorial #173920812.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated September 10, 1944.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cape Cod Bay – October 3, 1944

April 16, 2019

Cape Cod Bay  – October 3, 1944

 

OS2U Kingfisher
U. S. Navy Photo

     On October 3, 1944, a U. S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft was flying 700 feet over Cape Cod Bay when a muffled thud was heard from the motor followed by an immediate loss of power.  The pilot made an emergency landing in the water and awaited rescue from a nearby Coast Guard boat.  The aircraft was towed to shore by the Coast Guard.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated October 3, 1944.     

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Squantum NAS – January 15, 1944

April 16, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – January 15, 1944 

 

OS2U Kingfisher without float
U. S. Navy Photo

     On January 15, 1944, a flight of U. S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft were returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after an anti-submarine patrol.  The pilot of one of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 5564), was allowed to make a touch-and-go landing at an auxiliary air field located near the tip of Cape Cod so as to familiarize himself with the field. When the aircraft touched down, the left wheel hit a rut which damaged the left wheel strut of the landing gear.   The pilot was able to keep the aircraft airborne and advised his flight leader of the situation.  The flight leader then flew near #5564 and viewed the damage from his aircraft, and advised the pilot to jettison his bombs. (This was done three miles off Brant Rock.)  Afterwards the damaged aircraft continued to the Squantum NAS where preparations were made for an emergency landing.  When the pilot landed at Squantum the left landing gear collapsed and the plane ground-looped.  The aircraft required extensive repairs, but the pilot was not hurt.   

     This same aircraft had been involved in another accident a year earlier.  On January 10, 1943, the aircraft’s landing gear collapsed after a hard landing.  There were no injuries.    

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-10990, dated January 15, 1944.

     U. S. Navy accident report #43-5635, dated January 10, 1943.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Salem Harbor, MA. – December 21, 1943

April 16, 2019

Salem Harbor, Massachusetts – December 21, 1943

 

OS2U Kingfisher
U. S. Navy Photo

     On December 21, 1943, a U. S. Navy OS2U-3 Kingfisher aircraft, (Bu. No. 5769), was landing in Salem Harbor when a sudden gust of wind tipped the plane causing the left wing and float to strike the water.  The aircraft came to an abrupt stop with the left side partially submerged.  The aircraft failed to right itself, so the pilot and his radioman climbed out onto the fuselage where they waited the arrival of a nearby crash boat.  After being tossed a line, the pilot secured it around the engine hub.   After this was done, the pilot and his radioman were taken aboard the boat, and the boat began to tow the aircraft towards shore.  However, the line snapped while in-route, and the current quickly carried the aircraft away and dashed it into some rocks.  Once recovered, the aircraft required a major overhaul.  There were no injuries.    

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated December 21, 1943

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Squantum NAS – January 31, 1944

April 15, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station  – January 31, 1944

 

OS2U Kingfisher without float
U. S. Navy Photo

     On January 31, 1944, an OS2U-3 Kingfisher aircraft, (Bu. No. 5369), was landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station when the landing gear collapsed just after touchdown causing major damage to the aircraft.  The crew was not injured.  The caused of the accident was determined to be mechanical failure.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-11356, dated January 31, 1944.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

New Bedford, MA. – April 18, 1944

April 12, 2019

New Bedford, Massachusetts – April 18, 1944

     On April 18, 1944, a U. S. Navy Howard NH-1 aircraft, (Bu. No. 44905), took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island, bound for New Bedford’s auxiliary air field.  Upon landing at New Bedford, the aircraft went off the runway and flipped onto its back.  The plane was badly damaged, and the three men aboard received non-life-threatening injuries.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-13365, dated April 18, 1944.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Otis Field – May 12, 1944

April 12, 2019

Otis Field, Massachusetts – May 12, 1944

     On May 12, 1944, a U. S. Navy Howard NH-1 aircraft, (Bu. No. 44913), ground looped after landing at the Otis Army Air Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  The right wing and aileron were damaged but no injuries were reported.

     Source:

     U.S. Navy accident report #44-44085, dated May 12, 1944. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Otis Field – May 5, 1944

April 12, 2019

Otis Field, Massachusetts – May 5, 1944

     On May 5, 1944, a U. S. Navy Howard NH-1 aircraft, (Bu. No. 29446), was landing in a strong crosswind at Otis Army Air Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts, when the plane ground looped after touchdown.   The left wing and aileron were damaged, but the three men aboard were not injured.  

     This aircraft had been involved in a previous accident on September 25, 1943 when it crash-landed in a cross-wind at Westerly, Rhode Island.  There were no injuries.

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-43906, dated May 5, 1944

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-8786, dated September 25, 1943

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Bourne, MA. – October 9, 1942

April 11, 2019

Bourne, Massachusetts – October 9, 1942

Cape Cod Canal

 

OS2U Kingfisher
U.S. Navy Photo

     On October 9, 1942, a U.S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft, (Bu. No. 09413), flew under the Sagamore Bridge which crosses the Cape Cod Canal in Borne, and just after doing so struck a high-voltage electric cable strung 350 feet above and across the Cape Cod Canal.  The impact sent the aircraft into a stall and caused it to hit the water near the southern shore of the canal.  The aircraft would require a major overhaul, but neither of the two-man crew was reported to be injured.   

     As a point of fact, this aircraft was put back into service and was involved in a minor accident at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island on August 24, 1943.  For more information, click here. 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #43-5038, dated October 9, 1942

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – January 10, 1943

April 11, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – January 10, 1943

 

OS2U Kingfisher without float
U. S. Navy Photo

     On January 10, 1943, a flight of U. S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft were returning to the Squantum Naval Air station after an anti-submarine patrol flight over the Atlantic.  One of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 5564), landed too close behind the flight leader’s plane, and was caught in its slipstream.  The slipstream caused 5564’s left wing to drop and hit the runway with enough force to dislodge two depth charges, but they did not explode.  5564 was still traveling fast enough for the pilot to give full throttle and remain airborne.  The aircraft circled the field and came in for another landing attempt with flaps 1/3 down.  The aircraft hit the tarmac 4/5 of the way down the runway during which point the left landing gear gave way and the aircraft skidded to a stop.  The aircraft suffered substantial damage, but the two-man crew was not hurt.     

     This aircraft was repaired and put back into service.  It was later involved in another accident on January 15, 1944 when the left landing gear collapsed while making an emergency landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station.  There were no injuries.

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report #43-5635, dated January 10, 1943.

     U. S. Navy accident report $44-10990, dated January 15, 1944.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Hyannis, MA. – November 19, 1944

April 1, 2019

Hyannis, Massachusetts – November 19, 1944

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On November 19, 1944, a navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 26865), was landing at Hyannis Airport in a strong cross-wind, when the aircraft ground looped just after touchdown.  The right wing and aileron were damaged, as well as the right landing gear being torn away, and the left landing gear bent.  The propeller was also bent.  There were no injuries.

     Source:  U. S. Navy accident report dated November 19, 1944. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Beverly, MA. – February 7, 1945

April 1, 2019

Beverly, Massachusetts – February 7, 1945

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On February 7, 1945, a navy SNJ-5 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 90667), was landing at Beverly, Massachusetts, when the aircraft went off the runway and into a snowbank and nosed over.  The aircraft was damaged but there were no injuries.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated February 7, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – May 20, 1944

March 26, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – May 20, 1944

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On May 20, 1944, an SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 5660), was in the process of taking off from the Squantum Naval Air Station when the pilot suddenly aborted the takeoff and applied the brakes.  The aircraft nosed over and was damaged.  The undercarriage broke loose, and the left wing, propeller, engine cowling, were all damaged, as well as the engine due to the sudden stoppage.  The pilot and his instructor were not hurt.  

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-14365), dated May 20, 1944. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Williamstown, MA. – October 10, 1958

March 21, 2019

Williamstown, Massachusetts – October 10, 1958

 

Grumman S-2 Tracker
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of October 10, 1958, a U. S. Navy twin-engine Grumman S-2 Tracker aircraft left the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island, bound for Hartford, Connecticut.   The plane carried three navy officers and an enlisted man, all assigned to the 32nd Air Anti-Submarine Squadron based at Quonset.  When the plane landed in Hartford, the enlisted man exited the aircraft.  Then the plane took off bound for Harriman-West Airport in North Adams Massachusetts. 

     The purpose of the flight was to meet with the airport manager, and to examine the field to see if it was suitable for other navy aircraft to participate in an upcoming airshow being sponsored by the Civil Air Patrol.   

     At 3:35 p.m., After conducting their business at the airport, the plane took off to return to Quonset Point.  It went down the runway in a westerly direction towards the town of Williamstown.  According to numerous witnesses, when the aircraft left the ground it began a very step climb.  It continued to climb in an almost vertical position until it reached an altitude of about 2,500 feet, when black smoke suddenly belched from one of the engines.  Then the plane nosed over and began to fall, but then seemed to recover.  It then made a left turn towards the airport as if the pilot was tying to return, and then went down into a wooded area about 500 feet west of the Williamstown-North Adams town line, and about 1,000 feet east of Luce Road.   

     Witnesses rushed to the crash site.  The first to arrive found the aircraft broken in two sections and on fire. When they tried to approach, one of the four auxiliary wing tanks suddenly exploded sending a fiery mushroom cloud 100 feet in the air.   

     The injured pilot was found a few feet away, having been thrown clear on impact.  The pilot was conscious but seriously injured.  After dragging him to safety, there was nothing more they could do.  The other two men aboard did not survive.

     Several clergymen arrived at the scene and gave last rites to the dead.  

     It was speculated that the cause of the accident was due to unresponsive mechanical controls.

     The dead were identified as:

     Lt. (Jg.) Louis M. Bradshaw, 22 or 23, of Austin Texas.  He’s buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin.

     Lt. Arthur U. Roberge, 27, of Winooski, Vermont. He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery.  He was a flight surgeon for VS-37.  He left behind a wife and four children. 

     Sources:

     North Adams Transcript, “Two Die, One Saved In Fiery Navy Plane Crash”, October 11, 1958 

     North Adams Transcript, “Witness Stories Agree Plane Climbed Steep, Faltered, Turned, Crashed”, October 11, 1958

     Rhode Island Pendulum, (No Headline), October 16, 1958

     www.findgrave.com, memorial #26212486, and 49302817.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nantucket, MA. – October 18, 1943

March 20, 2019

Nantucket, Massachusetts – October 18, 1943

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On the morning of October 18, 1943, a navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 27276), was landing in a strong cross wind at the Nantucket Naval Air Station when the aircraft ground-looped just after touching down.  The pilot and his civilian passenger were not injured but the aircraft suffered significant damage.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report #44-9145, dated October 18, 1943. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard – October 9, 1943

March 20, 2019

Martha’s Vineyard – October 9, 1943

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On October 9, 1943, an navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 27178), crashed while landing in a strong cross wind at Martha’s Vineyard Naval Auxiliary Air Field and flipped over onto its back.  The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the two-man crew suffered non-life-threatening injuries. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report #44-9008, dated October 9, 1943.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Squantum, NAS – May 13, 1943

March 16, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – May 13, 1943

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On May 13, 1943, a U. S. Navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 26862), ground-looped upon landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station in Salem, Mass. The left landing gear was buckled, the left wing was warped, and the aileron and landing flaps were damaged.  The pilot and instructor aboard were not injured.

     The aircraft was assigned to VC-31.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #43-6880, dated May 13, 1943.    

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Ft. Devens, MA. – March 7, 1942

March 16, 2019

Ft. Devens, Massachusetts – March 7, 1942 

     On March 7, 1942, a U. S. Navy SNJ-3 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 01829), was taxiing for takeoff at Fort Devens Air Field when the pilot hit the brakes to avoid another aircraft and nosed over.  There were no injuries but the front of the aircraft received considerable damage.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated March 7, 1942.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Fall River, MA.- September 9, 1943

March 16, 2019

Fall River, Massachusetts – September 9, 1943

     On the morning of September 9, 1943, a U. S. Navy SNJ-4C Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 27022), was on a training flight over the Fall River area with a pilot and instructor aboard.  Shortly before 10:00 a.m. the aircraft went into a practice spin from an altitude of 6,000 feet from which it recovered at 5,000 feet.  However, at that time the pilot discovered that the throttle was jammed in the closed position.  Repeated attempts to rectify the problem were unsuccessful, and the pilot selected an open field in which to make an emergency landing.  As the plane descended, the pilot continued to work on the throttle, which suddenly opened, but the engine didn’t respond with increased power.   As the aircraft lowered to 2,000 feet the cockpit suddenly began filling with smoke, and flames appeared from the engine cowling.   The decision was made to bail out, and the pilot rolled the aircraft onto its back.  After the instructor had successfully left the aircraft the plane rolled into a vertical position and the pilot was unsure of he could successfully jump clear of the plane so he remained at the controls and aimed for a small cove at the Fall River shoreline.  There he made a successful emergency landing in shallow water about 30 feet from shore.  The pilot and the instructor were not injured, but the aircraft was a total loss.   

     Source:  U. S. Navy accident report #41-8538, dated September 9, 1943.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – April 6, 1944

March 12, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – April 6, 1944

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On April 6, 1944, an SBD-5 Dauntless, (Bu. No. 28761), made a wheels-up landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station and skidded 300 feet to a stop.  The aircraft suffered heavy damage, but the crew was not injured.

     The aircraft was assigned to VS-31.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report #44-12971, dated April 6, 1944. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

New Bedford, MA. – February 13, 1943

March 10, 2019

     New Bedford, Massachusetts – February 13, 1943 

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On the morning of February 13, 1943, two U. S. Navy SBD-4 Dauntless dive-bombers were participating an a tactical exercise over the water off New Bedford. 

      One aircraft, (Bu. No. 06870), was occupied by the pilot; Ensign Herber (Not Herbert) S. Graham, 23, and his gunner/radioman AOM2/c Louis P. Michael.  

     The other Dauntless, (Bu. No. 06867), was occupied by the pilot; Ensign Robert M. J. Veith, and his radioman/gunner AMM3/c Joseph L. Wallace.   

     Shortly before noon, both aircraft made a practice dive on a simulated target, and pulled out at 1,300 feet.  As both planes were re-forming in the air they were involved in a mid-air collision.  After the accident both aircraft went out of control and crashed into the water.  The only crewman to survive was AMM3/c Wallace who was able to bail out and use his parachute.  He was rescued from the water by a small surface craft.  

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #43-5979, dated February 13, 1943.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Squantum NAS – January 24, 1944

March 10, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – January 24, 1944

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     At 7:45 p.m. on the night of January 24, 1944, an SBD-5 Dauntless, was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a night training flight.  As the Dauntless came in to land, a British TBF Avenger also landed on the same runway, but ahead of the Dauntless.  Neither pilot was aware of the other aircraft’s presence until it was too late.  The Dauntless landed directly behind the Avenger, and quickly overtook it, crashing into the back of it.   Both aircraft were damaged. There were no reported injuries aboard the Dauntless.  It’s unknown about the crew of the Avenger.

     The accident was due to miscommunication between aircraft and control tower.

     Source:

     U. S. navy accident report #44-11151, dated January 24, 1944.    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Squantum, NAS – January 24, 1944

March 8, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – January 24, 1944

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On January 24, 1944, a SBD-5 Dauntless, (Bu. No. 28952), was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a training flight.  As the aircraft approached the runway the pilot noted that the right landing gear had failed to come down.  The pilot began to circle the field and attempted to fix the problem but was unable to do so.  When his fuel ran low he was advised to make an emergency landing on one wheel, which he did.  The aircraft was damaged in the landing, but the crew was not injured.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-11150, dated January 24,1944.    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard, – January 2, 1945

March 6, 2019

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts – January 2, 1945

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On January 2, 1945, a TBF-1C Avenger, (Bu. No. 24395), was landing at the Martha’s Vineyard Naval Air Station when the aircraft was hit with a strong crosswind while five feet from the ground.  The right wing fell and struck the runway causing the aircraft to crash-land.  The aircraft suffered significant damage, but the crew was not injured.

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated January 2, 1945 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Cape Cod Bay – May 8, 1944

March 5, 2019

Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts – May 8, 1944

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of May 8, 1944, a TBM-1C Avenger, (Bu. No. 25500), was participating in a bomb-depth charge training flight over Cape Cod Bay.  The aircraft was carrying some 100 lb. bombs equipped with instantaneous fuses, and some depth charges equipped with 5-second delay fuses.  At 4:10 p.m., the pilot began a bomb run during which one of the bombs caused a fire in the bomb-bay.  As flames gushed forth from the open bomb-bay doors, the rest of the ordinance was jettisoned.  The aircraft was then seen to enter a steady glide and crash into the water.  The aircraft sank taking all aboard with it. 

     The navy identified the crew as follows:

     Pilot: Lt.(Jg.) Norwood H. Dobson, (27).  To see a photo of him, go to www.findagrave.com, view memorial #53923003.

     Gunner: AOM3/c John William Dahlstrom

     Radio Operator: ARM3/c Arthur N. Levesque 

     The crew was assigned to VT-7. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report #44-13855, dated May 8, 1944. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Nantucket, MA. – November 20, 1943

March 5, 2019

Nantucket, Massachusetts – November 20, 1943

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On the morning of November 20, 1943, a Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 29034), was approaching the Nantucket Naval Auxiliary Air Field in heavy haze.  Ground fog conditions were also present.  Due to poor visibility, the plane landed half-way down the runway.  The pilot applied the brakes but was unable to prevent the aircraft from running off the runway and into a ditch. The aircraft suffered heavy damage, but the two-man crew was not injured.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-9838, dated November 20, 1943.     

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard – September 10, 1943

March 1, 2019

Martha’s Vineyard – September 10,1943

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On September 10, 1943, a pilot was practicing take-offs and landings  in a Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, (Bu. No. 28216),  at the Martha’s Vineyard Navy Auxiliary Air Field.  While making an approach in cross winds, the aircraft crash-landed.  The aircraft was badly damaged but the pilot was not injured.

     The pilot was assigned to VC-43.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy report #44-8549, dated September 10, 1943.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – May 31, 1949

February 16, 2019

Otis Air Force Base – May 31, 1949

Falmouth, Massachusetts

 

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the morning of May 31, 1949, Lt.(jg.) Roland G. Wittig, (25), was making a landing approach to Otis Air Force Base in a F8F-1B Bearcat, (Bu. No. 121522).  While at an altitude of 500 feet the engine suddenly began to loose power.  The pilot continued his descent with wheels and flaps down and the canopy locked open.  At approximately 60 feet of altitude, the aircraft was seen to stall and crash into the ground where it exploded, killing the pilot instantly.

     Lt.(jg.) Wittig was assigned to Fighter Squadron 32, (VF-32), at Quonset Point, R.I.  He’s buried in George Washington Memorial park in Paramus, New Jersey.  He was survived by his wife.    

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated May 31, 1949

     www.findagrave.com, memorial #102167281 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Taunton, MA. – April 16, 1949

January 22, 2019

Taunton, Massachusetts – April 16, 1949

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On April 16, 1949, an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 72664), took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station for a training flight.  While over the area of Taunton, Massachusetts, the engine began to run erratically, so the pilot looked for an open area to make an emergency landing.  Sighting one, he headed for it, but as he was making his approach the engine suddenly stopped running and the aircraft crashed into a wooded area.   The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was seriously injured. 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy Hellcat accident report dated April 16, 1949.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard – March 5, 1946

January 21, 2019

Martha’s Vineyard – March 5, 1946

 

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On March 5, 1946, a flight of F8F-1 Bearcats left Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island bound for Martha’s Vineyard Naval Air Station in Massachusetts.  The purpose of the flight was to practice mock carrier take-offs and landings.  As one of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 94827), was making a landing, it went off the runway and into soft dirt where it flipped on its back trapping the pilot.  The pilot was extricated with non-life-threatening injuries, and the aircraft suffered substantial damage.

     The aircraft was assigned to VF-18 at Quonset Point.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated March 5, 1946.    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – June 12, 1947

January 19, 2019

Otis Air Force Base – June 12, 1947

 

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

    On June 12, 1947, an F8F-1 Bearcat, (Bu. No. 95125), left Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island bound for Otis AFB in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Upon landing at Otis, the right wing dropped and struck the runway causing the aircraft to flip onto its back and skid for approximately 500 feet before it came to rest.  The aircraft was badly damaged, but the pilot was not seriously injured.  

     The aircraft was assigned to VF-17A at Quonset.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated June 12, 1947

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – June 27, 1947

January 19, 2019

Otis Air Force Base – June 27, 1947

 

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On June 27, 1947, a flight of F8F Bearcats left the Quonset Naval Air Station bound for Otis Air Force base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, to conduct practice carrier landings and takeoffs The aircraft were assigned to VF-8A at Quonset.

     Once at Otis the aircraft commenced the takeoff and landing exercise.  As one aircraft, (Bu. No. 95227), was making its approach for its sixth landing, in came in too close behind the aircraft ahead of it.  After landing, the pilot applied the brakes to avoid a rear-end collision with the plane ahead, but at that moment the left brake failed which caused the aircraft to swerve off the runway and onto a grassy area.  On the grassy area was a parked truck, which the pilot would have struck had he not intentionally ground-looped the aircraft.  After missing the truck, the aircraft went into a small ravine and nosed over onto its back.  The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot was not seriously hurt.   

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated June 27, 1947

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – October 17, 1947

January 19, 2019

Otis Air Force Base – October 17, 1947

 

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On October 17, 1947, an F8F-1 Bearcat, (Bu. No. 95331), left the Quonset Naval Air Station in Rhode Island bound for Otis AFB in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  As the pilot was coming into to land at Otis, the engine suddenly lost all power.  Realizing he couldn’t make it to the service runway, the pilot decided to make an emergency wheels-up landing in the grass nearby.  The aircraft received considerable damage as it skidded for about 600 feet before coming to rest.  The pilot was not injured.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated October 17, 1947 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Beverly, MA. – October 29, 1944

January 15, 2019

Beverly, Massachusetts – October 29, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On October 29, 1944, a F6F-5, Hellcat, (Bu. No. 58128), was taking off from the Beverly Navy Auxiliary Air Field for a training flight.  As the aircraft began to climb the engine began sputtering and then quit.  The plane came down and was damaged beyond all repair, and the pilot received non-life-threatening injuries.  The pilot reported that when the engine failed all instruments were reading normal.  The cause of the crash is unknown.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated October 29, 1944.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Off Harwich, Ma. – May 19, 1946

January 14, 2019

Off Harwich Massachusetts – May 19, 1946

Updated January 29, 2026

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On May 19, 1946, Lt. (Jg.) Richard M. Kimball took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station in an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70556), for a routine training flight.  His flight path took him over the water off the coast of Harwich, Massachusetts.  There he encountered a fog bank lying three to five miles off shore, with a low cloud ceiling of 50 to 100 feet covering the entire area.  As he was approaching the shoreline, he began attempting to drop below the cloud ceiling to obtain a visual reference with the ground and while doing so crashed into the water about one-quarter mile from shore near the harbor breakwater.  The aircraft broke apart on impact and Lt. (Jg.) Kimball was killed.    

     A fisherman who’d witnessed the crash from his boat immediately went to the area and recovered pieces of the aircraft as well as identification papers floating in the water. 

    It was reported that Lt. (Jg.) Kimball’s airplane had been seen flying over the area earlier in the day, and some said they thought they saw smoke trailing from the plane.    

     Lt. (Jg.) Kimball was born July 8, 1920, in Attleboro, Massachusetts.  He attended Deerfield Academy and graduated from Amherst College in January of 1943.  On February 8, 1943 he entered the U. S. Navy and during WWII served as a fighter pilot aboard the three aircraft carriers including Enterprise and Lexington.

     Twice during his combat flying career he’d had to bail out.  Once in the Pacific, and another stateside.  

     https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20801347/richard-montague-kimball

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated May 19, 1946.

     The Attleboro Sun, “Navy Opens Investigation Of cape Plane Crash; Lt. Kimball Of Foxboro Killed”, May 20, 1946 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Wilmington, MA. – May 23, 1946

January 14, 2019

Wilmington, Massachusetts – May 23, 1946

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On the morning of May 23, 1946, two U. S. Navy F6F-5N Hellcat aircraft took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station for a tactical training flight.  One of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 70927), was piloted by Ensign Stephen J. Pilcher, (22).  The other was piloted by his long-time friend, Ensign J. Thomas Holmes, (22).  Both men were from Wilmington, Massachusetts.  On this particular morning Ensign Pilcher hadn’t been scheduled to fly, and was filling in for another pilot. 

     The pilots proceeded to the area of their home town of Wilmington where they engaged in mock combat flight tactics over the town.  While doing so, hundreds of town residents stopped what they were doing to watch the aircraft go through their maneuvers.  

     At about noon, according to the U. S. Navy accident report, Ensign Pilcher’s aircraft was seen to enter a dive from approximately 1,800 feet and pull out while near the ground.  He then attempted to regain altitude and the plane went into a slow roll to the right before it nosed over and dove to the ground.  The aircraft exploded on impact killing Ensign Pilcher instantly. 

     Ensign Pilcher’s plane came down in a wooded area in Wilmington’s Nee Park section, between Cedar and Harris Streets. 

     Ensign Pilcher is buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Wilmington.  To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com and see memorial #174623672.   

     There had been no mid-air collision between the two aircraft.   

     After the accident Ensign Holmes returned to Squantum.    

     The F6F Hellcat piloted by Ensign Pilcher (Bu. No. 70927) had been involved in another accident on September 6, 1944.  To learn more, click here:  Quonset Point, R. I. – September 6, 1944

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated May 23, 1946

     The Boston Globe, “2d Wilmington Man Companion Of crash Victim”, May 24, 1946

     Town Crier, (Wilmington, Mass.), “An American Patriot And Our Local Heroes”, November 14, 2001.   

     www.findagrave.com, memorial #174623672

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

South Weymouth NAS – August 13, 1943

January 8, 2019

South Weymouth Naval Air Station – August 13, 1943   

     On the morning of August 13, 1943, the navy airship K-69, (Bu. No. 30191), was being removed from its hangar at the South Weymouth Naval Air Station when a gust of wind pushed the tail section against the side of the hanger causing a rip in the fabric.  The ship began rapidly deflating as it began to then swing away from the building.  The pilot quickly shut off all switches and abandoned the airship, along with nine other crewmen aboard.  After all hands had left the ship, the ground-handling officer ordered the forward rip paned to be pulled so the rest of the envelope would deflate.  There were 57 men in the ground handling party.   

     The K-69 was repaired and put back in service.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 13, 1943

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Off Martha’s Vineyard – December 22, 1943

January 8, 2019

Off Martha’s Vineyard – December 22, 1943

 

U.S. Navy FM-2 Wildcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of December 22, 1943, a flight of seven airplanes from the aircraft carrier USS Ranger, (CV-4), were taking part in a  gunnery practice flight over the ocean in the vicinity of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.  As one aircraft served as a “target tug”, towing a canvas target behind, the other six aircraft would take turns making firing runs at the target.  All six of those planes were FM-2 Wildcats assigned to VF-4. 

     The tow plane leveled off at 6,000 feet and the Wildcats began their firing runs from 7,500 feet.  After all planes had made approximately eight runs, one Wildcat, (Bu. No. 46760), piloted by Lt. (Jg.) Lloyd Henry Launder, Jr., (22), was seen making another run when the left wing suddenly separated from the fuselage, and the aircraft went into a uncontrolled spin and crashed into the sea and disappeared.   A rescue boat and two OS2U water aircraft were dispatched to the scene, but only a small patch of discolored water from a dye marker was found. 

     Source:

     U.S. Navy accident report #44-40488 (or possibly 44-40438)

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Off Ipswich, MA. – May 9, 1944

January 6, 2019

Off Ipswich, Massachusetts – May 9, 1944 

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the morning of May 9, 1944, a navy TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 47692), from the Squantum Naval Air Station, was taking part in a glide-bombing training flight with other aircraft off the coast of Ipswich, Massachusetts.  The weather was clear with unlimited visibility.  During the exercise, the engine suddenly back-fired, and then began to emit dense black smoke followed by flames before all power was lost.  The pilot attempted to glide towards the mainland, but the aircraft went down in the water about 500 yards from shore.  The pilot and the radio operator were able to escape the aircraft before it sank in 35 feet of water, but the gunner, AMM3c F. Howe, was unable to do so and drowned. 

     The aircraft was assigned to VT-4

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated May 9, 1944.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – September 16, 1944

January 6, 2019

Atlantic Ocean – September 16, 1944

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of September 16, 1944, a Navy TBF-1C Avenger, (Bu. No. 47759), was taking part in a glide-bombing training exercise seven miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.  Several other aircraft were also participating.  Each aircraft would make a run at the target from 5,000 feet at an angle of 45 degrees, and pull out of the dive at 1,200 to 1,500 feet, with a 2,000 yard interval maintained between planes.  

     The pilot of Bu. No. 47759 made four successful runs at the target.  On the fifth run, the aircraft was observed to make a 50 degree dive at the target from which it did not recover.  The aircraft plunged into the water just short of the dye marker and disappeared immediately.  No wreckage was recovered thereby leaving the cause of the accident unknown.   

     All aboard Bu. No. 47759 were killed.  

     The pilot: Ensign Townsend Doyle

     Radioman: ARM3c Theodore H. Jaffe

     Gunner: AOM3c Anthony N. Kulsa   

     The aircraft was assigned to VT-43.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated September 16, 1944

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard, MA. – December 22, 1943

January 5, 2019

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts – December 22, 1943

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of December 22, 1943, a TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 06209), was attempting to make an emergency landing due to engine trouble at Martha’s Vineyard Naval Air Station when the aircraft lost power and went into a wooded area near the end of Runway 24 and flipped on its back.  The pilot and one crew member received non-life-threatening injuries, but the aircraft was a total loss. 

     The cause of the accident was determined to be due to a missing bolt to the throttle control rod of the carburetor.     

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-10433

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Nashawena Island, MA. – August 27, 1943

January 4, 2019

Nashawena Island, Massachusetts – August 27, 1943

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the morning of August 27, 1943, a flight of four TBF-1 Avengers was rendezvousing over Nashawena Island off Cape Cod, as part of a torpedo tactics training flight.  As the planes were getting into formation, two of them were involved in a mid-air collision. 

     One of the aircraft involved was Bu. No. 24125.  The pilot and one of the crewmen were able to parachute safely, but the third crewman, AMM3C Roger W. Krager, (26) of Binghamton, N.Y., went down with the aircraft and was killed.

     To see a photograph of AMM3c Krager, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71934510/roger-w-krager

     The other aircraft involved in this accident was Bu. No. 24130.  The pilot was able to parachute safely, but the two crewmen, S2c Alexander E. Sabalianskas, and ARM3c Bernard G. Manning, (20), of New York City, were killed when the aircraft crashed.  

     Nashawena Island is part of the town of Gosnold, Mass.

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy crash report #44-8210

     The Waterbury Democrat, (Waterbury, CT.), “Investigate Planes’ Crash”, August 28, 1943. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Holbrook, MA. – October 4, 1967

December 15, 2018

Holbrook, Massachusetts – October 4, 1957

 

A-4 Skyhawk
U.S. Navy Photo

     On October 4, 1957, a U. S. Navy A-4 Skyhawk fighter jet, (Bu. No. 142202), took off from the South Weymouth Naval Air Station for a routine training flight.  The lone pilot was Naval Reserve Lieutenant Walter R. Heins, 31, of Burlington, Vermont.  Eight minutes into the flight the aircraft developed mechanical trouble and began to violently shake.   

     Lt. Heins radioed a distress call and advised the plane was going down.   Looking out from the cockpit he saw he was over a populated residential and business area, as well as the John F. Kennedy Elementary School, and made a decision to stay with the aircraft and guide it to a wooded area he saw in the distance just beyond a trailer park.  He didn’t eject until the aircraft was at 500 feet, but at that low altitude his parachute didn’t have time to fully deploy and he was killed.  The Skyhawk crashed and exploded in the woods beyond the trailer park not far from the intersection of Pine and Weymouth Streets.   The actions of Lt. Heins no doubt saved many lives on the ground.    

     In November of 2017, fifty years after the crash, the town of Holbrook honored Lieutenant Heins for his sacrifice by placing a permanent memorial at Pine and Weymouth Streets. 

     Lt. Heins was assigned to Navy Air Reserve Attack Squadron 912, (VA-912), stationed at South Weymouth NAS. In November of 1968 he was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal of Heroism.  He was survived by his wife and his son. 

     Sources:

     Wicked Local, “Holbrook To Mark Spot Where ’67 Pilot Sacrificed His Life To Save Hundreds Of Students”, By Jeanne M. Rideout, September 3, 2017.

     The Patriot Ledger, “Hero Pilot Recognized For His 1967 Sacrifice In Holbrook”, By Sara Cline, (The Enterprise), November 12, 2017.   

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Cape Cod Bay – May 18, 1944

December 11, 2018

Cape Cod Bay – May 18, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     At 1:07 a.m. in the early morning hours of May 18, 1944, a flight of two U. S. Navy F6F Hellcats took off from Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Air Field in Rhode Island for a night-training flight.  The mission was to make practice bombing runs on a designated target anchored in Cape Cod Bay.  According to the navy report of this incident, the training-flight was termed a “Masthead Bombing Flight”. 

     The weather was clear with visibility at six-plus miles, with a cloud cover at 8,500 feet. 

     One of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 42520), was piloted by Lt. (jg.) James Francis Corroon, Jr., (25), and the other, (Bu. No. 42221), was piloted by an Ensign De Masters.  Both aircraft were assigned to VF-74.      

     On the previous day, Lt. (jg.) Corroon had flown over the target during a daylight training flight, and was therefore familiar with its location.

     At 2:50 a.m., after both aircraft had finished making their mock attack runs on the target, Ensign De Masters radioed to Lt. (jg.) Corroon that he was returning to base.  Corroon answered, “This is thirty-three, Roger, out.”  This was the last radio transmission from  Lt. (jg.) Corroon.  Despite a careful search of the entire area, no trace of the missing pilot or his aircraft was ever found.

     Investigators were unable to come to an exact conclusion as to the cause of the disappearance. 

     Lt. (Jg.) Corroon was born in Freeport, Long Island, N.Y. in 1919, and received his wings in 1942.  To see more, click on the link below. 

 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84612092/james-francis-corroon

     Source:

     U.S. Navy Crash Investigation Report      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sandwich, MA. – April 15, 1980

October 30, 2018

Sandwich, Massachusetts – April 15, 1980

     On April 15, 1980, a U.S. Coast Guard H-52 helicopter was on a night training flight when a bird was sucked into the engine causing a mechanical malfunction.  As the aircraft was going down, the pilot began an “auto rotation” maneuver.  The helicopter took down some power lines and stuck a tree when it crashed between to residential homes.  There was no fire, and all four crewmen escaped without injury.  Nobody on the ground was injured.  The pilot was credited for his skill in handling the stricken aircraft during the emergency.   

     Source:

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Pilot Places Doomed Copter Between Homes”, April 16, 1980, page 7.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Atlantic Ocean – February 18, 1979

October 2, 2018

Atlantic Ocean – February 18, 1979

     At 5:20 a.m. on the morning of February 18, 1979, the Japanese fishing vessel Kaisei Maru No. 18 contacted the U.S. Coast Guard requesting assistance for an injured crewman with a severe head injury.  They gave their location as being 180 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  A Sikorsky HH-3F “Pelican” long-rang helicopter with five crewmen aboard was dispatched from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.   

     When the helicopter reached the ship, seas were running about 25 feet, it was snowing, and the wind was gusting up to 30 mph.  As the injured crewman was being hoisted from the ship to the helicopter, the helicopter suddenly went into the ocean and capsized.  The injured Japanese crewman and one member of the helicopter crew were rescued by members of the fishing boat’s crew.  The other four Coast Guardsmen perished in the accident.     

     The dead were identified as:

     The Pilot: Lt. Cmdr. James Dennis Stiles, 33, of Cataumet, Massachusetts.  To see a photo of Lt. Cmdr. Stiles, and to read more about him, go to www.findagrave.com, Memorial #73511993.

     The Co-pilot: Captain George R. Barge, 38, of Fredericton, New Brunswick.  Captain Barge was with the Canadian Forces, and was stationed at Otis AFB as part of an exchange program.

     Aviation Electronics Technician 2/c John B. Tait, 22, of Silver Springs, Maryland.  To see a photo of him, go to www.findagrave,com, Memorial #22291743 

     Hospital Corpsman 2/c Bruce A. Kaehler, 27, of Fort Collins, Colorado. To see an image of him, go to www.findagrave.com, Memorial #22291626

     The bodies of all four crewmen were recovered.

     The rescued helicopter crewman was identified Aviation Machinist Mate 2/c Mark Torr, 20, of Rochester, New Hampshire.

     The injured Japanese crewman and AMM2c Torr were transported to Cape Cod Hospital by a second Coast Guard helicopter sent from Elizabeth, New Jersey.

     Buoys were attached to the overturned helicopter to keep it afloat until a salvage vessel could reach the scene from Norfolk, Virginia.  The ship arrived on February 22, but had to wait 24 hours due to rough seas.   As the helicopter was in the process of being brought out of the water, the salvage lines snapped and the aircraft quickly took on water and sank two miles to the ocean floor.  The aircraft could not be recovered from that depth, therefore the cause of the accident was never determined.     

     Sources:

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Guardsmen Killed In Crash”, February 19, 1979. 

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Search Continues For helicopter Crewman Off Cape Cod”, February 19, 1979, page B-4

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Body Of Fourth Victim Recovered From Copter”, February 21, 1979, page 2.

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Copter Involved In Fatal Crash Lost In Salvage”, February 24, 1979, page A-3 

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Copter Sinks; Cause Of Crash Remains Unknown”, February 25, 1979, page 21.

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Rockland, MA. – August 24, 1978

September 22, 2018

     Rockland, Massachusetts – August 24, 1978

     At 11:05 a.m., on August 23, 1978, a twin-engine, U.S. Navy, US-2B aircraft, was beginning its landing approach to the South Weymouth Naval Air Station when it crashed in  a wooded area off Spring Street in Rockland.  The accident took place within 200 yards of a shopping plaza and large apartment complex.  There were no injuries to anyone on the ground.

     Both men aboard the plane were killed.  They were identified as:

     Commander Albert Bailey, Jr., 39, of Weymouth, Massachusetts.

     Lieutenant Commander Kenneth Marriott, Jr., 35, of Hanson, Massachusetts.  

     Sources:

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Navy Plane Crashes In Hub Suburb”, August 24, 1978, page 2.

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Navy Fliers Are Killed”, August 25, 1978, Page C-1.

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rockland, MA. – December 6, 1969

September 22, 2018

Rockland, Massachusetts – December 6, 1969

Updated April, 2021

 

T-33 Trainer Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On December 6, 1969, a T-33 trainer jet took off from the South Weymouth Naval Air Station for a routine training flight.  While over  Rockland, the jet was seen to go into a tailspin and crash in a wooded area.  Both men aboard were killed instantly. They were identified as Lieutenant Colonel George G. Cusack, and Captain Alan B. Holbrook.  

     Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel George G. Cusack, 38, was the executive officer of the Marine Air Reserve Attack Squadron 322.  He was a veteran of the Korean War, the recipient of the Korean Service Medal with three stars, a Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Organized Marine Corps Medal with two bronze stars.  He was survived by his wife and five children.  At the time of the crash his wife was pregnant with their sixth child who was named after his father.  

     There is also a street named for him in the town of Hampton, New Hampshire.  (Cusack Road)  http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/military/in_memoriam/cusackroad.htm

     On April 27, 2021, the son of Lt. Col. Cusack contacted New England Aviation History with new information of this accident.  Because the aircraft was over a populated area, Lt. Col. Cusack and Captain Holbrook chose to stay with the aircraft rather than eject, and aimed it towards a wooded area away from homes and businesses, thereby saving many lives.   

     Marine Corps Captain Alan B. Holbrook was from Wellesly Hills, Massachusetts.  We have no further information about him at this time. 

     Sources:

     Hampton Union, Obituary for George G. Cusack, December 10, 1969

     Lane Memorial Library, Hampton, N. H. – local history

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – November 11, 1966

July 3, 2018

Atlantic Ocean – November 11, 1966

 

EC-121 Super Constellation
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On November 11, 1966, a U.S. Air Force EC-121-H “Warning Star” radar picket Constellation, (Ser. No. 55-5262), was on a mission about 125 miles east of Nantucket, Massachusetts, when it suffered a catastrophic event and crashed into the ocean.  The aircraft contained a crew of 19 men, all assigned to the 551st Airborne Early Warning & Control Wing stationed at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

     The aircraft had departed from Otis at 12:35 a.m., and the last radio contact was made at 1:22 a.m.  The weather was said to be clear with ten miles of visibility.  At 1:30 a.m. the captain of a New Bedford fishing vessel reported seeing a large aircraft with a stream trailing behind it pass over his 70-foot boat, roll onto its back, and crash into the ocean where it exploded on impact.  He couldn’t be certain if the stream was due to an onboard fire or from a jet trail.   The New Bedford vessel as well as several others raced to the scene to look for survivors. 

     No distress call had been received from the aircraft. 

     A large scale search was conducted over the next few days during which debris from the aircraft was recovered, however there were no survivors.

     Wreckage of the aircraft was later recovered off the ocean floor in December of 1966, and serial numbers confirmed it to be the missing airplane.

     The only crew member identified in the press was the aircraft commander, Major Robert A. Baird.  To see a photograph of Major Baird, go to www.findagrave.com, Memorial #101715135.

     The names of the other 18 crewmen are unknown. 

     Sources:

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Otis Base Radar Picket Plane Crashes, Explodes; 19 Crewmen Believed Dead”, November 12, 1966

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Otis Sure Debris From Lost Plane”, November 13, 1966

     Boston Sunday Advertiser, “Piece Of Baggage From Radar Plane Identified”, November 13, 1966

     New London Day, “AF Abandons Search For Radar Plane”, November 14, 1966

     New London Day, “Missing Plane Found In Ocean”, December 22, 1966

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

New Marlboro, MA. – May 12, 1965

June 28, 2018

New Marlboro, MA. – May 12, 1965

     On May 12, 1965, two F-100 fighter aircraft of the Connecticut Air National Guard took off from Bradley Field n Winsor Locks, Connecticut, on what was described in the press as an “Air Defense Command mission”.   As both aircraft were passing over the town of New Marlboro, Massachusetts, one was seen to suddenly fall out of formation and crash in a thickly wooded area off Route 57 in New Marlboro.  The resulting fire reportedly burned five acres.   

     The cause of the accident was not given.

     Both crewmen aboard the downed aircraft were killed. They were identified as Captain Carl E. Beck, 31, of East Granby, Connecticut, and 2nd Lieutenant Robert E. Raeder, 24, of Millbrook, New York.  Both men were assigned to the 118th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Connecticut ANG.      

     The accident was witnessed by Lt. Raeder’s wife who happened to be visiting New Marlboro at the time.  

     Sources:

     New London Day, “Wife Watches As Husband Is Killed In Jet”, May 13, 1965 

     www.findagrave.com, memorial #125802944 – shows photo of Lt. Raeder and newspaper article “Millbrook Man Dies As His Wife Watches Guard Plane Crash”.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

South Weymouth NAS – February 13, 1960

June 21, 2018

South Weymouth Naval Air Station – February 13, 1960

 

     On the morning of February 13, 1960, the U.S. Navy blimp, ZPG-3W, reportedly the largest blimp in the world, was being towed by a tractor to its hangar at the South Weymouth Naval Air Station when a strong gust of wind lifted the rear of the blimp which caused the tow-tractor to flip on its side.  (The three man crew on the tractor were not injured.)  When the tractor flipped over the tow line broke and the blimp was driven by the wind into the door of the hangar which caused a large rip in the fabric, allowing 1.5 million cubic feet of helium gas to escape.  As the blimp began to settle, the lone crewman aboard had to scramble out of the gondola before it was buried under the weight of the deflating fabric. 

     The $12 million dollar blimp was reported to be a total loss.   

     The ZPG-3-W was 403 feet long, and 118 feet tall.   

     Sources:

     Boston Advertiser, “Biggest Blimp Ripped Open”, February 14, 1960

     Sunday News, (N.Y.), Biggest Blimp, $12 Million Job, Gone With The Wind”, February 14, 1960

     New York Daily News, “Huge Blimp Rips Skin, Deflates”, February 27, 1960

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wilbraham, MA. – December 19, 1942

June 14, 2018

Wilbraham, Massachusetts – December 19, 1942

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On December 19, 1942, Lieutenant Russel D. Lynn, 24, was piloting a P-47B, (Ser. No. 41-5960), with a squadron of other P-47s over the area of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, when his aircraft suddenly developed engine trouble.  After directing the aircraft away from populated areas, he bailed out  at 2,500 feet.   The P-47 crashed and exploded just in from Stony Hill Road, about a quarter mile from the intersection of Old Boston Road, not far from the Ludlow town line. Lieutenant Lynn landed safely on Burbank Road and made his way to the scene of the crash where he was met by members of the North Wilbraham Fire Department and the state police.     

     Lt. Lynn was assigned to the 342nd Fighter Squadron based at Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts.

     Source:

     Springfield Daily News, “Westover Pilot Bails Out As Ship Crashes In No. Wilbraham”, December 19, 1942

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Westover Field – October 25, 1945

June 14, 2018

Westover Field – October 25, 1945

Updated February 5, 2022

 

C-54 Skymaster
U. S. Air Force Photo.

     On October 25, 1945, a four-engine C-54 aircraft, (Ser. No. 42-72321), with a crew of five men aboard, was practicing IFR rules instrument approaches to Westover Airfield when the aircraft developed a serious hydraulic fluid leak, which led to trouble with the landing flaps.  Standard remedies were instituted but they failed, and the aircraft began to become hard to handle.  The order to bail out was given, and the now unmanned aircraft crashed in a remote area of the airfield and exploded. 

     One member of the crew, Corporal George K. Holloway, 24, reportedly struck a portion of the aircraft when he bailed out and was rendered unconscious, and thereby incapable of pulling the rip cord of his parachute.  He’s buried in Odd fellows Cemetery in Ponca City, Oklahoma. 

     Two other crew members, Sergeant Charles E. Walker of Long Beach, California, was seriously injured when he made a hard landing on a concrete strip, and Sergeant Bernard J. Lance of Flushing, New York, suffered minor injuries when he landed. 

     The pilot and co-pilot were not injured.

     Sources:

     Unknown newspaper, “Flier Killed At Westover”, October 26, 1945

     www.findagrave.com   

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Westover Field – January 14, 1943

June 13, 2018

Westover Field, Chicopee, Massachusetts – January 14, 1943

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On January 14, 1943, two P-47B fighter aircraft were over Westover Filed when they were involved in a mid-air collision.  One aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-6005), piloted by 1st Lieutenant Joseph H. Freeman, Jr., of Weatherford, Texas, crashed and burned, killing Lt. Freeman.  The other aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-6002), suffered little damage and landed safely. 

     Both aircraft were part of the 340th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, then stationed at Westover.   

     Lt. Freeman is buried in City Greenwood Cemetery in Weatherford, Texas.  To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com.  One will note that he was born on January 14, 1920, and died on his 23rd birthday. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113502954/joseph-herbert-freeman

     The aircraft involved in this accident which landed safely, (41-6002), crashed and burned in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, on March 24, 1943.  The pilot did not survive.  The details of that accident are posted here: West Greenwich – March 24, 1943

     Sources:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Plane Collision Kills One Pilot At Westover”, January 15, 1943

     www.findagrave.com

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Westover Field – February 9, 1943

June 11, 2018

Westover Field – February 9, 1943

 

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On February 9, 1943, a P-47B fighter plane, (Ser. No. 41-6009), was taking off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, when the plane struck a snowbank and went out of control and ran into three men on a snow removal detail.  Two of men were killed instantly, the third was injured.  The pilot of the aircraft was not hurt.

     The dead were identified as:

     Pvt. Jacob Adelsky, 22, of Brooklyn, New York.  He’s buried at Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, N.Y.  To see a photo of Pvt. Adelsky, go to www.findagrave.com, Memorial #26119296.

     Pvt. Dewey A. O’Neal, 44, of Blytheville, Arkansas. He’s buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Blytheville.

     The injured man was not identified.

     Source: The Springfield Union, “Two Soldiers Killed, One Injured By Plane Taking Off At Westover Field”, February 10, 1943, page 1. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Chicopee, MA. – June 27, 1958

June 11, 2018

Chicopee, Massachusetts – June 27, 1958

     Shortly after midnight on June 27, 1958, four U.S. Air Force KC-135 jet tankers were scheduled to make a transatlantic flight from Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee to London, England.  The purpose of the flight was to try to establish a new overseas speed record for the aircraft.   

     The first two aircraft took off without incident however, the third aircraft, (Ser. No. 56-3599), stalled just after takeoff and crashed about 1.25 miles off the end of the runway.  The tanker came down across the Massachusetts Turnpike and impacted on a farm located on Fuller Road where it exploded in a massive fireball that was seen for miles.  All fifteen men aboard were killed instantly. 

     The fourth aircraft was then ordered not to take off.

    The Turnpike was covered with debris and had to be closed to all traffic.  Electrical power was knocked out throughout the area as the aircraft had struck some power lines prior to impact.

     Of the fifteen men aboard, eight were civilian journalists.

     The dead were identified as:

     Brig. Gen. Donald W. Saunders, 45, of Athens, New York.  He was Commander of the 57th Air Division at Westover AFB.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81121394/donald-ward-saundershttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81121394/donald-ward-saunders

     Lt. Col. George Broutsas, 39, of Brattleboro, Vermont.  He was the aircraft commander. He’s buried in Meeting House Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180887947/george-m-broutsas

     Captain James Shipman, 34, of Kansas City, Kansas.  He was the aircraft’s navigator. He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120620177/james-ervin-shipman

     Captain John B. Gordon, 29, of Raleigh, North Carolina.  He’s buried in Mountain Memorial Park in Raleigh. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145941425/john-bennett-gordon

     Lieutenant Joseph C. Sweet, 26, of Chandler, Arizona.  He’s buried in Resthaven Park East Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145937679/joseph-carlton-sweet

     Master Sergeant Donald H. Gabbard, 37, of Los Gatos, California.  He’s buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73976466/donald-haydon-gabbard

     Technical Sergeant Joseph G. Hutter, 26, of Miami, Florida.  He’s buried in Arlington, National Cemetery.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126298609/joseph-gaillard-hutter

     Civilians aboard included:

     Daniel J. Coughlin, 31, of Boston – Associated Press.  

     Norman Montellier, 37, of New York City – United Press International.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155425645/norman-john-montellier

     Glenn A. Williams, 41, of Bethesda, Maryland – U.S. News & World Report.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/171712242/glenn-alva-williams

     Robert A. Ginsburgh, (Also spelled Ginsburg in some accounts), 63, of the U.S. News & World Report. He was also a retired brigadier general from the U.S. Air Force.  

     James L. McConaughy, Jr., Time and Life Magazine.

     Robert Sibley, 57, of Belmont, Massachusetts – Aviation editor of the Boston Traveler.

     William Cochran – National Aeronautical Association

     William Enyart – National Aeronautical Association

     The aircraft involved in this accident was part of the 99th Air refueling Squadron based at Westover.   

     This was the second accident for a Westover aerial tanker since aerial tankers had been assigned to the base in the spring of 1955.  The first accident occurred on January 22, 1957, when a KC-97 tanker crashed in Rome, New York, killing all seven crewmen aboard.     

     Sources:

     Unknown newspaper, “KC135 Falls In Flames Near Base At Start Of London Record Flight”, June 27, 1958

     Springfield Union, “Residents Terrified As Disaster Strikes”, June 27, 1958

     Fitchburg Sentinel, “Air Force Jet Plane Explodes After Westover Takeoff”, June 27, 1958

     Evening Star, (Wash. DC), Jet Dive Fatal To 3 D.C. Men”, June 27, 1958

     The Attleboro Sun, “15 Die In Jet Tanker Explosion”, June 27, 1958

     www.findagrave.com

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – June 6, 1983

June 1, 2018

Atlantic Ocean – June 6, 1983

Updated August 5, 2019.

Updated November 27, 2024

      At 11:00 a.m. on June 6, 1983, a flight of three F-106 jet fighters took off from Otis Air National Guard Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for a routine training flight.   All were part of the 101st Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

     Visibility at the time was described as “somewhat limited”.  The flight headed in a southerly direction towards the Atlantic ocean and climbed to an altitude of 12,000 feet.  Forty minutes later, as the flight was passing about 60 to 90 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, one of the aircraft was noticed to be missing from the formation.

     The two other pilots attempted to make radio contact with the missing aircraft but were unsuccessful, and it was assumed that the missing plane had gone down in the water.  A large scale search and rescue operation was immediately put into effect.     

    The missing pilot was Captain Allan John Lavoie, 31, of Barnstable, Mass.  It was reported that if he was able to eject from the airplane, that he could possibly make use of the life raft and other emergency supplies attached to the ejection seat.  It was further reported that in the event a pilot ejected, a special radio was supposed to begin transmitting, but no emergency radio signal was received.      

Captain Allan J. Lavoie

    The five day search and rescue operation involved aircraft from the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, as well as military surface vessels but nothing was found at the time.  Then, on September 3, 1983, a piece of Captain Lavoie’s aircraft was found by a boater floating near the shoreline on the south side of Naushon Island.  

     Captain Lavoie left behind a wife and three children.

     Sources:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “More Ships, Planes Join Hunt For Guard Flier Off Nantucket”, June 8, 1983, Page A9

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Search Ends For Air Guard Pilot As The Silent Sea Yields No Clue”, June 11, 1983, Page 1.

    The Falmouth Enterprise, “Find Piece Of Downed F-106”, September 13, 1983.  

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Sunderland, MA. – August 7, 1941

May 30, 2018

Sunderland, Massachusetts – August 7, 1941

 

Stearman PT-17
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the afternoon of August 7, 1941, a PT-17 Stearman biplane took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a routine training flight.  There were two men aboard, the pilot: Lieutenant Everett J. O’Connor; and a mechanic, Staff Sergeant Charles G. Nowark. 

     While over the Connecticut River Valley the aircraft suddenly lost all power and the pilot was forced to find a place to make an emergency landing.  He aimed for the Connecticut River, and made a perfect water landing near a point known as Whittemore’s Rock.  After the plane glided to a stop the weight of the engine caused the nose to sink in several feet of water, leaving the tail of the aircraft pointing upwards.  Neither man was injured.     

     Lieutenant O’Connor was praised for his skill in landing the airplane under such conditions.

     Both men were part of the 7th Squadron, 34th Bombardment Group.  The PT-17 was one of five stationed at Westover at the time.  Other than water damage to the engine, the plane was salvageable.   

      This was reported to be the “…first crash of an army plane stationed at Westover Field.” 

     Source:

     Springfield Republican, “Army Plane Makes Forced Landing After Motor Fails”, August 18, 1941. (With photo of aircraft in river.)

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Ludlow, MA. – July 17, 1944

May 30, 2018

Ludlow, Massachusetts – July 17, 1944

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 17, 1944, a flight of three B-24 Liberator heavy bombers left Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a combat formation training flight.  With the bombers was a P-47 Thunderbolt that was to participate in the exercise by making mock attack runs on the bombers as they flew in a three-ship triangle formation.

     As the formation was passing over central Massachusetts, the P-47 crashed into the lead B-24.  The P-47 immediately broke apart and caught fire, but the pilot, a major, was able to bail out safely.  At the same time, pieces of both aircraft struck a second B-24 in the formation causing serious damage to that aircraft. 

     Immediately after the impact between the P-47 and the first B-24, two crewmen of the B-24 bailed out of the aircraft.  Meanwhile, the nose turret gunner of the second B-24 was pinned in place due to the impact of debris from the first two aircraft and was forced to remain there.      

P-47N Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     Debris from the stricken aircraft rained down on the town of Ludlow, Massachusetts.  The P-47 crashed and burned on a farm on Rood Street, narrowly missing the barn.  Wing portions of one of the B-24s landed in the back yard of a home on Center Street, and a propeller landed in the yard of a home on Munsing Street.  Pieces of an engine and other small parts fell elsewhere.  There were no reported injuries to anyone on the ground.

     The major landed safely and made his way back to the air field on his own.  One crewman from the B-24 came down in a tree and was rescued by some telephone workers.  The other was found up by a state police officer. Neither was seriously injured.

     The damaged B-24s managed to limp back to Westover on three engines and land safely.  The trapped turret gunner was freed by the pilot and flight engineer immediately afterwards. 

     The third B-24 was undamaged in the accident, and was put in a holding pattern until the other two Liberators could land. 

     Source:

     Springfield Daily Republican, Fliers Are Safe In Mid-Air Crash Of Three Planes”, July 18, 1944 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Northampton, MA. – June 15, 1942

May 29, 2018

Northampton, Massachusetts – June 15, 1942

 

C-47 Aircraft – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On June 15, 1942, a C-47, (Ser. No. 41-18377), with three crewmen aboard from Westover Field, was flying low along the Connecticut River on a navigation training flight when it struck a power cable that was strung across the river from MT. Tom to a power substation belonging to the Turner’s Falls Power Company.   The impact snapped the power cable, which was reported to be carrying 13,000 volts of electricity, and also caused damage to the aircraft.  The pilot managed to maintain control and brought the plane in for a crash landing at an open field about two miles away.  None of the crew was injured.

     Source:

     Unknown Newspaper, “High Voltage Wire Knocks Westover Bomber Out Of Air”, June 15, 1942.     

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Westover Field – February 21, 1942

May 29, 2018

Westover Army Air Field, Chicopee, Massachusetts 

 

U.S. Army A-29 Attack Bomber – U.S. Air Force Photo

      At about 8:30 a.m. on the morning of February 21, 1942, a Lockheed A-29 aircraft with a crew of five aboard crashed on takeoff from runway 33 at the Westover Army Air Feld in Chicopee, Mass. 

     As the aircraft was leaving the ground the pilot raised the landing gear.  A strong crosswind was blowing at the time, and when the aircraft was at an altitude of about 20 feet it suddenly dropped back to the ground in a flat attitude.  During the impact, the co-pilot, 2nd Lieutenant Gordon C. McAthur, 24, of Paris, Texas, was hurled against the control panel and fatally injured. 

     None of the other crew members were injured. 

     Lt. McArthur is buried in Evergreen cemetery in Paris, Texas.  To see a photo of him, click on the link below.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55039852/gordon-cross-mcarthur

     Sources:

     Springfield Republican, “Dies After Crash Of Warplane At Westover”, February 22, 1942, page 1

     www.findagrave.com

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Westover Field – January 29, 1942

May 29, 2018

Westover Army Air Field – January 29, 1942

     At about 3:00 p.m. on  January 29, 1942, Lieutenant Thomas Charles Bittner, 21, of Trenton, New Jersey, was attempting to take off from Westover Army Air Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, when his aircraft crashed just after becoming airborne and he was killed.  The specific type of aircraft wasn’t mentioned in the press, and was described only as a “pursuit plane”. 

     Lieutenant Bittner was an experienced pilot, and officials speculated that the cause of the accident might have been due to heavy cross winds or swirling dust fouling the engine, or both.  

     Lieutenant Bitner had a twin brother Robert, who was also serving in the Air Corps.  Both men obtained their pilot’s licenses at the age of 16. 

     It was also reported that Lt. Bittner was the first military fatality at Westover Field.  He’s buried in Our Lady Of Lourdes Cemetery in Trenton, N.J. 

      Sources:

     Springfield Union, “Westover Pilot Is Killed When fast Pursuit Plane Falls, Burns On Take-Off”, January 30, 1942     

     Springfield Union, “Lieutenant One Of “Flying Twins”, January 30, 1942 

     www.findagrave.com, Memorial #102737238

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Central Massachusetts – February 20, 1944

May 29, 2018

Central Massachusetts – February 20, 1944

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the night of February 20, 1944, a B-24 Liberator, (Ser. No. 42-7077), from Westover Field in Chicopee, was passing over central Massachusetts on a training flight when one of the four engines caught fire.   The pilot gave the crew the option of bailing out, and seven of the nine member crew did so.  The rest remained with the pilot aboard the aircraft, who was able to make a successful emergency landing back at Westover.

     Of the men who parachuted, two landed in the town of Brimfield, one in Palmer, and the rest came down in the Turkey Hill section of Belchertown.  All landed safely. 

     Source:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Seven Westover Fliers Bail Out Of Blazing Plane”, February 21, 1944

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Hatfield, MA. – August 27, 1943

May 28, 2018

Hatfield, Massachusetts – August 27, 1943

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On August 27, 1943, a pair of P-47 Thunderbolts was passing over the Hatfield area when one aircraft, a P-47B, (Ser. No. 5930), developed engine trouble and the pilot was forced to bail out.  The aircraft plunged into a wooded are in North Hatfield near the Whately town line and exploded.  Some nearby field workers had to scatter as the flames set off ammunition in the aircraft. The pilot landed safely.

     Both aircraft were part of the 320th Fighter Squadron, 326th Fighter group, based at Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts.

     Source: Unknown Newspaper, “Westover pilot Jumps Out Over North Hatfield”, August 28, 1943.     

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Chicopee, MA. – June 11, 1943

May 28, 2018

Chicopee, MA. – June 11, 1943

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the morning of June 11, 1943, 2nd Lt. Bruce Cowan, 19, took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, in a P-47-B Thunderbolt, (Ser. No. 41-5956), for a routine training flight.   

     At about 10:45 a.m., his aircraft was observed high over the field by a security guard for the Chicopee Water Supply.   The guard later related how the aircraft appeared to “side-slip” and rapidly loose altitude, before it crashed in a wooded area about 200 feet off Burrett Road, about a quarter-of-a-mile from Westover Field.  Lt. Cowan was killed instantly.

     Lt. Cowan died four months shy of his 20th birthday.  He was assigned to the 321st Fighter Squadron of the 326th Fighter Group.  He’s buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama.

     Sources:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Westover Pilot Killed In Crash”, June 12, 1943

     Unknown Newspaper, “Pilot Killed As Westover Plane falls In Chicopee”, June 12, 1943  

     Springfield Union & Republican, “Pilot Crash Victim Came from Alabama”, June 13, 1943

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ludlow, MA. – May 4, 1944

May 28, 2018

Ludlow, Massachusetts – May 4, 1944

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On May 4, 1944, a B-24 Liberator with three crewmen aboard took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a training flight.  Shortly after take off, the aircraft experienced complete engine failure in all four engines.  According to two civilian witnesses living on Burnett Road in the neighboring town of Ludlow, all four engines were silent as the aircraft passed over their home, and someone aboard fired a red distress flair from the aircraft.   Moments later the B-24 crashed and exploded in a thickly wooded area, about 3/4 of a mile from Westover Field. The plane came down on land owned by the Chicopee Water Department in Ludlow just before the Chicopee town line.    

     All three crewmen perished in the accident. They were identified by the press as:

     Pilot: Captain Harold H. Melken, 26, of Watertown, Massachusetts.

     Co-pilot: 2nd Lieutenant William F. Davis, 21, of Baxter, West Virginia.

     Tec-Sgt. Harry Schultz, of Kansas City, Mo.

     Source: Springfield Union, “Three Westover Men Die In Ludlow Plane Crash”, May 5, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Granby, MA. – September 17, 1944

May 28, 2018

Granby, Massachusetts – September 17, 1944

     Updated February 3, 2022

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 10:08 P.M. on the night of September 16, 1944, a B-24J Liberator, (Ser. No. 42-50985), took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts for a night training flight.  Upon returning to the field at 3:oo A. M. on the morning of September 17th, the aircraft crashed into a thickly wooded area in Granby, Massachusetts, about two miles north of Westover Air Field.  The aircraft broke apart on impact and wreckage was reportedly scattered for hundreds of feet.  The area where the crash occurred was on a farm off East Street.  

     All seven crewmen aboard the aircraft perished in the accident.

     Pilot: 2nd Lt. Gene Revere Asay, 28, of Lodi, Colorado. To see a photo of Lt. Asay, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94566046/gene-revere-asay

     Co-pilot: 2nd Lt. John W. Woodrow, 22, of Huntington, Indiana. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73922946/john-w-woodrow

    Flight Engineer: Sgt. Neal W. Johnson, 22, of Ashland, Kansas. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18725822/neal-w-johnson

     Asst. Flt. Engineer: Pfc. Jack W. Hariston, 18, of Atlanta, Georgia.

     Radio Operator: Cpl. John A. Perry, 21, of Warwick, R.I. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/164062202/john-a-perry

     Asst. Radio Operator: Pfc. Clifford K. Nordby, 18, of Walhalla, North Dakota. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48414928/clifford-k-nordby

     Air Gunner: Sgt. William Donald Haynes, 26, of Parsons, Kansas. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144108217/william-donald-haynes

     The men were assigned to the 112th AAF Base Unit at Westover Field. 

     Sources:

     Springfield Union, “Westover Bomber Crashes In Granby, Killing Seven”, September 18, 1944

     Berkshire Evening Eagle, “Westover Field Bomber Crash Kills Seven”, September 18, 1944

     Evening Star, (Wash. D.C.), “Army Bomber kills 7 Flyers In Massachusetts”, September 18, 1944. 

     www.findagrave.com

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The Unites States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Missing Army Bomber – December 13, 1943

May 28, 2018

Missing Army Bomber – December 13, 1943

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     In the early morning hours of Sunday, December 13, 1943, a B-24 Liberator bomber took off from Westover Air Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a training flight in preparation for overseas duty.  It was never seen again, and was presumed to have gone down in the waters off the New England coast.

     There were eight men aboard the missing aircraft, two officers and six enlisted men.  They were identified as:

     2nd Lt. William P. Masters of Klamath Falls, Oregon.

     2nd Lt. Robert Rollin Hansen, age 25, of Corcoran, California.

     Sgt. Dean G. McAffery, age 19, of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

     Sgt. Stanley E. Zagae, of Detroit, Michigan.

     Sgt. Bernard G. Stoeckley, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

     Sgt. Cicel H. Conklin, of Kansas City, Mo.

     Sgt. Anson G. Wiseman, of Spruce Pine, North Carolina.

     Sgt. Anthony L. Greco, of Pittsburgh, Pa.

     It is believed that the aircraft was assigned to the 759th Bombardment Squadron, which was stationed at Westover at the time before leaving for overseas duty in January of 1944. 

     Sources:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Westover Bomber Missing; Air, Land Search Under Way”, December 13, 1943

     The Fresno Bee Republican, (Fresno, CA.), “Corcoran Flier’s Plane Is Missing”, December 14, 1943, page 15.      

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

East Longmeadow, MA. – December 17, 1942

May 19, 2018

East Longmeadow, Massachusetts – December 17, 1942

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At about 11;30 a.m. on December 17, 1942, Lieutenant Raymond Murby, 23, of New York City, was piloting a P-47 Thunderbolt over central Massachusetts when the engine suddenly lost all power.  The aircraft was observed by a ground witness to go into a steep dive, with Lt. Murby fighting to regain control.  When he was almost to the ground, Murby was able to straighten the aircraft out on an even keel, and it was seen to sail overtop of a row of homes and a barn, barely missing the roof tops.  The aircraft then dropped to about 20-25 feet over the snow covered ground before it crashed into a stand of white pines at the edge of a field, shearing off both wings.  When the fuselage came to rest there was no fire, and Lt. Murby was able to extricate himself despite the fact he was seriously injured.  He attempted to walk toward some homes he could see through the trees, but discovered he couldn’t use his legs.  There he lay until rescuers found him about a half hour later.        

     Source: Unknown Newspaper, “Army Plane Crashes Near City – East Long Meadow Line; Pilot Rushed To Hospital”, December 17, 1942

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Granby, MA. – January 23, 1956

May 19, 2018

Granby, Massachusetts – January 23, 1956

Updated June 14, 2018

 

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 2:25 p.m. on the afternoon of January 23, 1956, an F-86D Sabre jet took off from Runway 05 at Westover Air Force Base for what was to be a routine training mission.  However, just after take-off, the jet crashed in the neighboring town of Granby.  It came down in an open pasture on the east side of Taylor Street not far from where it intersects with Brook and Carver Streets.  The aircraft created a four-foot deep crater where it struck the ground and exploded. 

     The pilot, 2nd Lt. John D. Ritchie, 20, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was killed instantly.  He’d been assigned to the 337th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Westover AFB.    

     Sources:

     Springfield Union, “Pilot Dies In Granby Crash”, January 24, 1956, page 1

     Springfield Union, “Lowell Pilot Crash Victim”, January 25, 1956

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Westover Air Force Base – October 9, 1953

May 19, 2018

Westover Air Force Base – October 9, 1953

 

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 3:15 a.m. on the morning of October 9, 1953, Captain Joseph Vitale, 35, was preparing to take off on Runway 06 at Westover AFB in an F-86D Sabre, (Ser. No. 51-5948), for a routine training flight.  After receiving instruction from the tower, Capt. Vitale began his start down the runway, but for some unknown reason was unable to become airborne.  The jet left the end of the runway and struck a mound of dirt recently excavated from a trench, and went airborne for a distance of about 200 feet before slamming into the ground.  Captain Vitale was ejected from the aircraft, but it was unclear if it was due to a malfunction, or if he had done so intentionally.   

     When rescue personnel reached his side he was found to be unconscious due to a head injury.  He was admitted to the hospital, but never regained consciousness before succumbing to his injuries on October 16th. 

     Captain Vitale was an experienced aviator who’d flown 100 combat missions during his military career.  He’d earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, and three battle stars while serving in Korea.  He was survived by his wife and four children.

     At the time of his accident Captain Vitale was assigned to the 60th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Westover AFB. 

     Sources:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Capt. Joseph Vitale and Lt. J.T. Rebo Die In Hospital”, October 10, 1053. (Lt. Rebo dies from injuries in a separate and unrelated accident.)

     usafunithistory.com, 60th F.S. – USAF Orders Of Battle    

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Barnes Airport, MA. – October 19, 1952

May 19, 2018

Barnes Airport, Westfield, Mass. – October 19, 1952

 

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     Shortly before 4:00 p.m. on October 19, 1952, two F-86 Sabres were taking part in an airshow at Barnes Airport in Westfield, Massachusetts, when they were involved in a high-speed mid-air collision.  The planes disintegrated on impact killing both pilots instantly. 

     The men were identified as Captain Fred H. Stevens, 28, of Salem, Virginia, and 1st Lieutenant Robert H. Danell, 25, of Wakefield, Massachusetts.  

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201484743/fred-houston-stevens

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49225244/robert-h-danell

     The airshow was part of the airport dedication ceremonies, in which four F-86 jets had been taking part.  The accident occurred just after the four had completed a maneuver known as a “bombshell” in which the four jets would go into a steep climb and then peel away in different directions.  

     In October of 2012, sixty years after the accident, a memorial honoring Capt. Stevens and Lt. Danell was dedicated at Barnes Airport.   

     Source:  Unknown Massachusetts Newspaper, “2 Die As Jets Collide At Westfield”, October 20, 1952  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – August 28, 1952

May 19, 2018

Atlantic Ocean – August 28, 1952

     On August 28, 1952, an Air Force amphibious SA-16 Albatross left Westover Air Force Base and flew out over the Atlantic Ocean to meet with a navy transport ship, the Glen Alexander Patch.  Aboard the Patch was an American soldier from Nebraska who was on his way home for emergency leave.  One of his children had just died, a second was in the hospital, and his wife needed surgery.  

     The SA-16 landed near the ship about 600 miles off the New England coast, but the sea was rough, and as the pilot was attempting maneuver next to the ship one of the aircraft’s propellers struck a lifeboat that was being lowered.   There were no serious injuries reported, but the damage to the prop prevented the aircraft from fulfilling its mission. 

       It was reported that a Coast Guard aircraft would be summoned to transport the soldier. 

     Source: Springfield Union, “Westover Mercy Plane Crippled In Crash At Sea”, August 29, 1952, page 1.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Westfield, MA. – September 1, 1979

May 19, 2018

Westfield, Massachusetts – September 1, 1979 

 

C-123K Cargo Plane
U. S. Air Force Photo

     On September 1, 1979, an Air Force C-123 transport plane was passing over central Massachusetts with a team of army paratroopers aboard.  The flight began at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, at 11:00 a.m., and was to culminate for the paratroopers at the Turner’s Drop Zone at Fort Devens. 

     One of the crewmen aboard was Air Force Master Sergeant Laurent Barbeau, 47, of Pascoag, Rhode Island.   Shortly before 1:00 p.m., as the aircraft was flying at an altitude of 5,000 feet, M/Sgt. Barbeau went to open the side door to the aircraft in preparation for the parachute drop.  As he did so, the door fell away, and M/Sgt. Barbeau fell out of the aircraft with it.  He was wearing a parachute at the time but it didn’t deploy.  His body was recovered in a wooded area near the Little River in the town of Westfield.   

     The door was later recovered for inspection by investigators.  

     M/Sgt. Barbeau was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, and had been in the Air Force Reserves for twelve years.   

     M/Sgt. Barbeau is buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Pascoag, R.I.  he was assigned to the 439th Tactical Airlift Wing, a reserve unit based at Westover AFB.

     Source:

     Springfield Republican, “Airman Falls 5,000 Feet To Death”, September 1979. 

     Springfield Union, “Doorway To Death”, September 12, 1979, (photo of door.)

     The Providence Journal, “Man Falls To Earth While Assisting Paratroopers”, September 3, 1979, page C-2

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Westover Air Force Base – October 11, 1977

May 19, 2018

Westover Air Force Base – October 11, 1977

 

C-123K Cargo Plane
U. S. Air Force Photo

     On October 11, 1977, a Fairchild C-123 cargo aircraft was passing over central Massachusetts when the left engine caught fire.  There were three crewmen aboard: the pilot, Major Gale French, the co-pilot, Captain Richard Gavin, and crewman Staff Sergeant Gary Miller.     

    While Miller attempted to fight the fire, the aircraft was cleared for an emergency landing at Westover Air Force Base.  As the plane was rapidly descending, Miller lost contact with the cockpit, and bailed out.  He landed safely on a farm in Granby, Massachusetts, where he was picked up by a passing motorist and driven to Westover.     

     Meanwhile, the aircraft crash-landed nose down on the runway at Westover, and skidded for 3,000 feet before coming to rest.  All three men were transported to medical facilities for observation. 

     A firefighter was also hospitalized for smoke inhalation.  

     The crew were members of the 731st Tactical Airlift Squadron.

     Source: Springfield Union, “Four Injured In Flaming Westover Plane”, October 1977.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Belchetown, MA. – May 3, 1962

May 18, 2018

Belchertown, Massachusetts – May 3, 1962

Near Quabbin Reservoir    

F-102A Delta Dart – U.S. Air Force Photo

      At 9:00 p.m. on the night of May 3, 1962, Lt. Col. William B. Howell, 39, took off from Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a routine training flight in an F-102 Delta Dart fighter aircraft.  At 10:32 p.m., as he was passing over the area of the Quabbin Reservoir, the aircraft abruptly disappeared from radar.  The weather at the time was rainy with flashes of lightning.

     A search was instituted, and the aircraft was located the following day in a thickly wooded area of Belchertown near the Pelham town line, to the west of Rt. 202, about a half mile from the nearest home.  The fuselage was demolished and it was apparent that Lt. Col. Howell had been killed instantly.  The cause to the accident wasn’t stated.  

     Lt. Col. Howell was assigned to the 76th Fighter Interceptor Squadron based at Westover AFB.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40214626/william-brice-howell

     Sources:

     Springfield Union, “100 Men Searching For Westover F-102 In Quabbin District”, May 4, 1962, page 1

     Springfield Union, “Board Set Up To Investigate Plunge Fatal To Maj. W. B. Howell”, May 5, 1962, page 1 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Quabbin Reservoir – February 28, 1957

May 17, 2018

Quabbin Reservoir – February 28, 1957

 

U.S.A.F. F-86 Fighter Jet

     On February 28, 1957, two F-86D Sabre jets from Westover Air Force Base were on a routine training flight when they collided in mid-air over the Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts.  

     One aircraft, piloted by Lieutenant Robert Smyth, (28),went down in a wooded area off Bay Road in Belchertown.   Smyth ejected safely, and landed about 1.5 miles from the wreckage.

     The second aircraft, piloted by Lieutenant John Young, (25), dove down through the ice covered reservoir and sank to the bottom.  Young also ejected safely, and came down on a small un-named island in the reservoir.  He was rescued a short time later by helicopter.

     Neither pilot suffered serious injury.

     The men were assigned to the 337th Fighter Interceptor Squadron based at Westover Field in Chicopee, Mass.

     Source: Springfield Union, “Jets Collide Over Quabbin; Two Pilots Bail Out Safely”, February 29, 1957, page 1.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hyannis, MA. – August 9, 1946

May 17, 2018

Hyannis, Massachusetts – August 9, 1946

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

On August 9, 1946, a navy Lieutenant (Jg.) was taking off from Hyannis Airport in a Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter plane when the aircraft suddenly went into a roll and crashed just after leaving the ground.  The unidentified pilot was badly burned in the accident, and the aircraft was destroyed.  The pilot was found about forty feet from the burning plane, and was transported to the hospital via ambulance. 

     Source: Cape Cod Standard Times, “Navy Pilot Badly Hurt As Plane Crashes, Burns Near Hyannis.”, August 9, 1946, page 1. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Otis AFB – June 5, 1947

May 17, 2018

Otis Air Force Base – June 5, 1947

Updated January 4, 2025

    On June 5, 1947, Ensign Orin William Ross, (24), was piloting an SB2C Helldiver, (Bu. No. 83498), making practice landings and take offs at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  While making a practice landing, the aircraft suddenly stalled and crashed onto the runway and exploded, killing Ensign Ross.  Ensign Ross was assigned to Carrier Squadron VA-17A stationed at Quonset Naval Air station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. 

Click on images to enlarge. (U.S. Navy Photos.) 

   

     Ensign Ross is buried in Bristow cemetery in Bristow, Oklahoma.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25974219/orin-w-ross

     Source: Cape Cod Standard Times, “Flyer Killed At Otis Field”, June 6, 1947, page 1

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Harwich, MA. – November 24, 1944

May 17, 2018

Harwich, Massachusetts – November 24, 1944

     Shortly after 8:00 a.m. on the morning of November 24, 1944, Ensign R. N. Kelly of Philadelphia, Penn., was piloting  a single engine aircraft 20,000 feet over Cape Cod when the engine suddenly caught fire.  Knowing he was over a populated area, he stayed with the aircraft until he was able to direct it towards a wooded area, and then bailed out at 3,000 feet.  The plane crashed in the woods near Bassett’s Pond and exploded.  Nobody on the ground was injured. Ensign Kelly sprained his ankle upon landing, but suffered no serious injury.

     The type of aircraft was not stated.

     Ensign Kelly had taken off from Otis Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

     Source: Cape Cod Standard Times, “Navy Plane falls At North Harwich”, November 24, 1944, page 1 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Vineyard Haven, MA. – July 31, 1926

May 17, 2018

Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts – July 31, 1926

     At 2:15 p.m. on Friday, July 30, 1926, a U.S. Navy, Loeing OL-4,  (Bu. No. A7061), a three seat amphibian bi-plane, left Washington, D.C., bound for Chatham, Massachusetts.  There were three men aboard: The pilot, Lieutenant H. F. Councell, of Hickory, North Carolina, the mechanic, C. T. Gibbens, of Norman Park, Georgia, and Captain E. S. Land, who was to make a survey of some vacant buildings at the naval base in Chatham.

     The plane landed twice on Friday.  The second time was at far Rockaway, New York, to make repairs to the radiator.  There the men spent the night, and after the repairs were made, resumed their trip on Saturday, July 31st, at about 1 p.m.   As they neared the New England coast they encountered fog, and were forced to land near an island called Noman’s Land, which is off the southwest coast of Martha’s Vineyard.  After conferring with each other, it was decided to head for Vineyard Haven; a village in the town of Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard.  After landing safely at Vineyard Haven, the men went to the Havenside Inn. 

     After a meal, it was decided that Lieutenant Councell and Mechanic Gibbens should fly to Newport, Rhode Island, and obtain more fuel.  Meanwhile, Captain Land would remain behind and be picked up the following morning.

     The plane took off about 4:30 that afternoon with the two men aboard, and began to circle while at the same time climbing steeply.  Those watching on the ground stated that as it entered a cloud the engine suddenly stopped, and the airplane came diving out of the sky and crashed into the harbor with such force that the tail snapped off.  Both men were killed instantly.

     The aircraft was recovered and brought to shore, but it was well beyond any repair.

     The bodies of Lieutenant Councell and Mechanic Gibbens were placed aboard the navy tug, Triton to be taken to Newport, Rhode Island, but the tug developed engine trouble in-route so the destroyer Preston was sent to continue with the task.   

     Source: Vineyard Gazette, “Two Dive To death At Vineyard Haven”, August 6, 1926, page 1.  (photo of aircraft.)

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Hyannis, MA. – May 11, 1944

May 16, 2018

Hyannis, Massachusetts – May 11, 1944 

Updated July 8, 2019

 

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of May 11, 1944, navy Lieutenant (Jg.) George E. Orenge was piloting an F4U Corsair, Bu. No. 02665, over Cape Cod, Massachusetts, when the aircraft suddenly caught fire while in flight.  Being over a populated area, Lieutenant Orenge opted to stay with the plane, but was unable to direct it towards an open area, or to make it to Hyannis Airport.  The plane crashed on Barnstable Road about 200 yards from Main Street in the town of Hyannis.  In the process it struck an elm tree and broke in two, pitching Lieutenant Orenge, still strapped to his seat, from the cockpit.  As the aircraft came to rest and was consumed by flames, Lieutenant Orenge landed on the sidewalk in front of 62 Barnstable Road.   

     The homeowner of 62 Barnstable Road, Vernon Coleman, happened to be outside and witnessed the crash.  He later told a reporter from the Cape Cod Standard Times, “I looked up and saw the plane sort of wavering with the motor on fire.” 

     Lieutenant Orenge was transported to Cape Cod Hospital, but remarkably, he’d only suffered some minor bumps, scrapes, and bruises. 

     The cause of the accident could not be determined due to total destruction of the aircraft.  

     It was also reported that he flew another aircraft later in the day.   

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     This crash wasn’t the only one of Lieutenant (Jg.) Orenge’s  naval career.  On November 5, 1943, he was piloting an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 65895), when a tire blew out on landing at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  The aircraft went off the runway and struck a truck.  The aircraft needed extensive repairs, but Lieutenant (Jg.) Orenge suffered only minor injuries.

     Sources:

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Pilot Who Survives Hyannis crash, Goes Aloft Again”, May 12, 1944      

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-14042 dated May 11, 1944

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-9523, dated November 5, 1943.             

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mt. Holyoke B-24 Memorial

April 16, 2015

Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts – May 27, 1944

     Updated February 2, 2022

   

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 11:50 P.M. on the night of May 27, 1944, a B-24 J, bomber aircraft,  (Ser. No. 42-100024), took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, with ten crewmen aboard.  Shortly after takeoff the aircraft crashed into the side of Mt. Holyoke and everyone aboard perished.  

     The crew consisted of:

     Pilot: 2nd Lt Talbot M. Malcolm. 20, of Elizabeth, New Jersey. He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery.  To see a photo of him click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49252591/talbot-marion-malcolm

     Co-pilot: 2nd Lt. John D. Logan, 20, from Tokeka, Kansas.  He’s buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Tokeka. To see a photo of him click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91732460/john-daniel-logan

     Navigator: 2nd Lt. William M. Ashley, Jr. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/133044231/william-m-ashley

     Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Donald D. Dowden, 25, of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  He’s buried in Sunset Memorial Park, in Minneapolis. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10821232/donald-dewayne-dowden

     Engineer: Sgt. William H. Deckert  (No further info at this time.)

     Asst. Engineer: Cpl. Kearney D. Padgett, 24.  He’s buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Gulfport, Mississippi.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81764581/kearney-w-padgett

     Radio Operator: Sgt. Ambrose D. Griffith, (27 – 28).  He’s buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Arlington, Massachusetts.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89286812/ambrose-d-griffith

     Asst. Radio Operator: Cpl. Robert J. Ohr, 18.  He’s buried in Evergreen Cemetery & Mausoleum in Evergreen Park, Illinois.  

     Gunner: Cpl. Ronald C. Lloyd, 28-29, of Seaford, Delaware.  He’s buried in Oddfellows Cemetery in Seaford, Del.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53670681/ronald-charles-lloyd

     Gunner: Sgt. Arnold H. Anderson  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/133044143/arnold-h-anderson

     In May of 1989 a memorial was dedicated to honor those who lost their lives in this accident. 

 

Click on images to enlarge.

Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts, B-24 Memorial.

Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts, B-24 Memorial.

Back Side of Mt. Holyoke B-24 Memorial. Photo Taken 2007

Back Side of Mt. Holyoke B-24 Memorial. Photo Taken 2007

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Swampscott, MA – September 29, 1950

April 16, 2015

Swampscott, Massachusetts – September 29, 1950  

 

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the afternoon of September 29, 1950, Lieutenant Thomas Finney was flying an F-86A Sabre (49-1090) in formation with three other Sabres as part of a training exercise when his jet suddenly lost power.  This occurred while the formation was at 20,000 feet and over the Atlantic Ocean off Boston. 

     Finney alerted the flight leader, Lieutenant Jack Schwab, that he had an emergency, and Schwab led him towards shore while giving instructions in the use of the ejection seat.  Just before ejecting at 3,500 feet, Finney turned the jet towards open water. 

     Finney landed in a tree near the town of Marblehead, and climbed down unhurt.  After finding a telephone, he contacted the Coast Guard Air Base in Salem which sent a helicopter to retrieve him. 

     The Sabre crashed on Phillips Beach in Swampscott scattering debris and live .50 caliber ammunition all along the sand.  Nearly 5,000 curious onlookers descended on the area, but were held at bay by police.

     The flight of Sabres was attached to the 58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the 33rd Fighter-Interceptor Group based at Otis Air Force Base.  

Source:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Pilot Parachutes To Safety As Jet Fighter Crashes” October 6, 1950.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard, MA – August 25, 1944

April 16, 2015

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts – August 25, 1944 

     On August 25, 1944, navy pilot, Lieut. (j.g.) Robert Stayman Willaman, 25, of Chicago, received a medal at Martha’s Vineyard Naval Auxiliary Air Field.  The exact medal wasn’t specified in the newspaper, but it was mentioned that Willaman had been serving in the South Pacific.  

     Later that same day, Willaman was killed when his plane crashed on Martha’s Vineyard. 

     Lt. Jg. Willaman was survived by his wife Evelyn who he had married on April 10, 1943.  He left for duty in the Pacific as a torpedo bomber pilot on August 1, 1943.  

Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Death Follows Decoration”, September 1, 1944

Tidings – Irving Park Lutheran Church , “11 Who Gave Their Lives”, August, 2007, Vol. 34, #8.  

North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #44-67     

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – November 6, 1944

April 15, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – November 6, 1944

12 miles east of Cape Cod 

Updated January 18, 2025    

A K-Style navy blimp like the K-34.
U. S. Navy Photo

     On November 6, 1944, the U.S. Navy blimp K-34, based at the  South Weymouth Air Base, was assigned to escort the USS Wakefield to Boston, remaining with the ship to look out for enemy submarines.  Once the Wakefield arrived safely, the K-34 began its return trip to South Weymouth.  While in route it encountered a severe storm and went down in the ocean about twelve miles off shore.  A distress message was sent but not acknowledged. 

     The ten-man crew found themselves in the icy water holding on to the wreckage until rescued a few hours later by the destroyer USS Kline.  Unfortunately only eight were rescued; one had perished, and the other missing. 

     The deceased crewman was Ensign Arthur Henry Voss, (20). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229185062/arthur-henry-voss         

     The missing crewman was Aviation Radioman 1/C Damien Francis Spalding, (28).  According to www.findagrave.com, he was never recovered. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54283761/damian-francis-spalding

     Some of the surviving members of the crew were identified as: 

     Ensign Donald Venton, 24, of Piedmont, California,

     Armorer 2/C Wallace W. Gedman, 19, of Dequesne, Pennsylvania.

     Electricians Mate 3/C Joeeph Beno, 22, of Harvey, Illionis. 

     Seaman 2/C Thomas Johnson Jr., 25, of Parma, Ohio. 

     The names of the other four survivors are not known. 

     Sources;

     Book: “U. S. Navy Airships 1918 – 1962”, by James R. Shock, published by Atlantis Productions, Edgewater, Fla. C. 1992 & 2001. 

     New York Times, “2 Lost With Navy Blimp”, November 8, 1944.

     Imperial Valley Press, (Ca.), “Two Men Killed In Blimp Crash”, November 7, 1944.

     Imperial Valley Press, (Ca.), “Blimp Victims Improve”, November 9, 1944. 

     Evening Star, (Wash. DC) “One Is Dead, One Missing, Eight Survive Blimp Crash”, November 9, 1944.

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Squantum Naval Air Station – September 12, 1946

April 14, 2015
Squantum Naval Air Station - P-47 Thunderbolt - September 12, 1946

Squantum Naval Air Station – P-47 Thunderbolt – September 12, 1946

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Squantum Naval Air Station – May 10, 1947

April 14, 2015
Squantum Naval Air Station - May 10, 1947

Squantum Naval Air Station – May 10, 1947

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Otis Air Field – March 27, 1944

April 13, 2015

   Otis Air Field – March 27, 1944

Falmouth, Massachusetts    

U.S. Army - Douglas RA-24B, U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Army – Douglas RA-24B, U.S. Air Force Photo

     On March 27, 1944, Women’s Air Service Pilot, (WASP), Frances F. Grimes, was killed shortly after take-off from Otis Field.  The aircraft was an RA-24B, (42-54552), the army’s version of the U.S. Navy’s SBD Dauntless dive bomber.   Shortly after taking off, the plane developed engine trouble and dove into the ground. 

     Frances Fortune Grimes was born in Deer Park, Maryland and was a graduate of West Virginia University, and the University of Pittsburg.  She entered the service in January 1943 at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, and began her flight training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, on January 15, 1943.   She completed her training as part of the class 43-W-3 on July, 3, 1943, and was designated a ferry pilot, assigned to Love Field in Dallas.  From there she served at Camp Davis, North Carolina, before arriving at Otis Field on December 15, 1943.   She was 32-years-old at the time of her death.   

     Three other WASP pilots were also serving at Otis Field at the time: Shirley Ingalls, Mildred A. Toner, and Mary L. Leatherbee, all of whom acted as pallbearers at Miss Grimes funeral held at Camp Edwards. 

     This was the second fatal accident involving the same type of aircraft from Otis Field within three weeks.  On March 3, 1944, another RA-24B (42-54555) crashed near the entrance of Woods Hole Harbor killing the pilot, 2nd Lt. Joseph H. Gardner, 29.  (See posting on this website for more info.)  

     For a photo of Miss Grimes, and other information about WASP pilots, go Wings Across America/ Wasp On The Web/ Above and Beyond.

Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Woman Pilot Dies In Otis Field Crash” March 31, 1944   

Lawrence Webster, Aviation Archeologist & Historian

Wings Across America/Wasp On The Web/Above & Beyond – www.wingsacrossamerica.org.

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Woods Hole Harbor – March 3, 1944

April 12, 2015

Woods Hole Harbor – March 3, 1944  

Woods Hole, Falmouth, Massachusetts  

U.S. Army - Douglas RA-24B, U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Army – Douglas RA-24B, U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 10:13 a.m. on March 3, 1944, it was reported that an aircraft had crashed into the water at the entrance to Woods Hole Harbor, about halfway between Nonamessett Island and Juniper Point.  The plane had been seen circling low in the sky when it suddenly “pancaked” into the water.

      Observers on shore stated it appeared to be a navy plane with two men inside.  However, the first boats on the scene recovered an army fliers hat and some paperwork from Otis Field in Falmouth. 

     It was later announced by the Navy public relations office in Newport, R.I.  that the aircraft did not belong to the navy, and the Camp Edwards office on Cape Cod stated none of their coastal patrol aircraft were unaccounted for. Boston naval officials also reported that none of their aircraft were missing.  

     The plane was determined to be a U.S. Army RA-24B Banshee, (Ser. No. 42-54555) piloted by 2nd Lt. Joseph H. Gardner, 29, of Sierra Blanc, Texas.   Gardner had been on a training flight from Otis Filed to practice stalls and spins. 

     Confusion over the plane’s branch of service was cleared up when it was explained that the RA-24B was the army’s version of the U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless dive bomber.       

Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Plane crashes At Woods Hole” March 3, 1944  

Lawrence Webster, Aviation Historian and Archeologist.    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Off Gay Head, MA – April 16, 1942

April 8, 2015

Off Gay Head, Massachusetts – April 16, 1942 

     On April 16, 1942, A United States Coast Guard amphibian plane went down in the Atlantic Ocean off the town of Gay Head, Martha’s Vineyard.  The plane had been on a routine patrol when it was sent to the area to investigate a reported submarine sighting.    

     Three men were aboard, and all were killed.  The dead were identified as: Lieutenant Robert James Lafferty, 28, of Port Washington, Long island, N.Y., Stephen Hohn Tarapchak, 37, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and William A. Boutillier, 28, of Walla Walla, Washington.  Of the three, only Boutillier’s body was recovered, found wearing a life vest. 

     Debris from the aircraft washed up on a beach in Lobsterville, Martha’s Vineyard.    

     The aircraft was a Grumman JRF-3 #V190. 

Sources:

      New York Times, “3 Are Lost As Plane Crashes Into Sea”, April 17. 1942

     U.S. Coast Guard, Aviators & Aircrews That Did Not Return…  www.uscg.mil/history/ 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Off Scituate, MA – August 28, 1934

April 7, 2015

Off Scituate Massachusetts – August 28, 1934 

     Updated January 16, 2021

     At 7: 30 a.m. on the morning of August 28, 1934, First Lieutenant Maurice J. Connell, of the U.S. Army Reserve, left Marston Mills Airport in Barnstable flying an O1-E army bi-plane.  He was headed for Boston where he was to take on a photographer for an aerial photo mission.  As he neared the city he encountered heavy fog conditions and found himself over the town of Scituate which is to the south of Boston.  He tried to land three times: once on a golf course, again on a plowed field, and a third time on a sand bar, but for reasons not stated in the press, was unsuccessful. 

     After his third attempt his plane made a loud noise as if an explosion had occurred, although it could have been the engine backfiring.  The sound was heard by navy personnel stationed at the Fourth Cliff radio station, and immediately afterwards the roar of the plane’s motor stopped.  At the time Connell’s aircraft was over the water off Scituate, about 200 yards off shore. 

     The Coast Guard was notified and a search was begun.   Wreckage of the aircraft, along with the pilot’s log book were recovered, however, Lt. Connell’s body was not.      

     1st Lt. Connell was highly regarded by his peers.  He graduated from the School of Aeronautics at Princeton University on July 13, 1918, and from the Army Primary School at Souther Field, Americus, Georgia, November 6, 1918.  He served in World War I and was honorably discharged in 1919.  He later joined the Reserve Corps, and had a total of 15 years service in the Army Air Corps and Reserve.   

Sources:

New York Times, “Flier Falls In Sea Off Scituate In Fog”, August 29, 1934

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Wareham, MA – August 14, 1941

April 6, 2015

Wareham, Massachusetts – August 14, 1941 

     On August 14, 1941, a U.S. Army O-46 aircraft (35-211) was taking part in training exercises in Wareham when the plane came in at a low altitude to drop a message to ground troops and struck electrical wires causing it to crash. 

     The pilot, 2nd Lt. Malcolm F. Nash was taken to the Camp Edwards hospital with serious injuries.  2nd Lt. Alden C. Cole, 25, the observer aboard, was killed.    

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Killed In Air Crash” August 15, 1941

     Update March 7, 2016

      On August 14, 1941, Lieutenants Nash and Cole were partaking in a message-dropping mission during training maneuvers (War games), being conducted by the 26th Division.  Their job was to observe “enemy” troop movements and drop bags containing written messages about those movements to the Command Post. 

     At about 1:15 p.m., the aircraft made two passes over the “designated drop zone” located near the Command Post; the first at an altitude of 200 feet, and the second at 150 feet, but each time the bag containing the message fell outside the designated area.  As the pilot made a third pass he came in lower, and Lt. Cole tossed the message out.  At the end of the zone were some high tension wires which were difficult to see from that air, and the aircraft struck those wires and crashed.  The high tension wires fell on the aircraft, and Lt. Cole was electrocuted.       

     The aircraft was an )-46A Observation aircraft, assigned to the 101st Observation Squadron based at Otis Field, Falmouth, Mass.  

     Source: U.A. Army Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, dated August 22, 1941

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Northampton, MA – May 13, 1948

April 8, 2015

Northampton, Massachusetts – May 13, 1948 

Updated March 23, 2018

 

Memorial at the crash site.
Established 1999.

     At 12: 10 p.m. on May 13, 1948, an four-engine Army transport plane, (a Douglas C-54 Skymaster), left Westover Air Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, with three men aboard for a routine instrument training flight.  Four men had initially been assigned to the flight, but one failed to go due to being off-base on official business at the time the flight was to leave.

     While over the area of Northampton, Massachusetts, the aircraft encountered thick cloud cover and drizzling rain, and the crew had to switch to instrument flight rules.  At about 1:30 p.m. the plane disappeared from radar and crashed on the Adams farm on Florence Road in Northampton, killing all aboard.  No distress call had been received.

     The aircraft narrowly missed hitting a barn and the Adams farmhouse with family members inside.  When the aircraft crashed and exploded, Mrs. Adams later described to a reporter how pieces of the plane struck the side of the house and came through the windows. 

     Hundreds of people descended upon the scene creating a massive traffic jam that hindered fire fighters efforts to extinguish the blaze.     

     The dead were identified as:

     Captain Paul Lonquich, 40, of Yonkers, N.Y.

     1st Lt. Wilfred W. Lavinder, 23, of Portsmouth, Ohio.

     S/Sgt. Jack Zaresky, 26, of Queens, N.Y.

     All three men were assigned to the 12th Squadron of the 1st Air Transport Group.  Today, a memorial honoring the three men stands near the crash site.     

     Sources:

     Boston Traveler, “3 Die In Air Crash Near Northampton”, May 13, 1948, page 1.

     Springfield Union, (Springfield, Mass.), “Three Fliers Killed In crash Of C-54 At Northampton”, May 14, 1948, page 1.  

     New York Times, “Army Plane Falls; 3 Die”, May 14, 1948

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – July 15, 1939

April 7, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – July 15, 1939

200 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard 

     This particular accident is a tale of irony and coincidence.  It begins with the Woods Hole oceanographic research sailing ship, Atlantis, which on July 15, 1939, was at sea about 200 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard when one the crew, George T. Priest, 36, needed to be evacuated to the mainland.  What had begun as a cold three days before had developed into a serious case of pneumonia. The fastest way to get Priest to the medical attention he required was by air, so a message was sent to the United States Coast Guard which dispatched a V-164 seaplane with six crewmen aboard to rendezvous with the Atlantis.    

     The Coast Guard plane arrived about 11:30 a.m. on the 15th, circling the ship several times before landing the rolling seas. Priest was taken to the plane by rowboat and with difficulty was transferred aboard.  The boat then returned to the Atlantis while the coast guardsmen made preparations to take off. 

     The seaplane began to taxi, and what came next was witnessed by Mate Kelly of the Atlantis’ crew. “She taxied about 150 yards and then taxied directly into a swell.  By throwing her rudder up just as she hit the swell the pilot was able to bounce the plane into the air.  The plane leveled off going about 90 knots and about 20 feet off the water.  She had just leveled off when she hit an air pocket and suddenly dropped about ten feet.  As she fell, a sudden swell rose.  She buried her nose in the sea.  As the plane hit the water I yelled to the boat crew to drop the boat again, and we practically threw ourselves into it.  The plane was about 75 yards ahead of the Atlantis.  As she hit the sea a burst of spray obscured her.  About two seconds later a sheet of flame and smoke shot out of the spray.  There was a sound like an explosion.  Had the bow of the plane not been underwater in a few seconds the whole plane would have burst into flames. The wings of the plane were under water and the ship was settling when the boat from the Atlantis reached her about three minutes later.”

     Four crewmen aboard the V-164 managed to escape as the plane broke apart: Russell Hayes, Charles Whelen, Frank Evers, and Carl Simon.  Debris floating atop the heaving seas made rescue efforts difficult, but eventually all four were pulled aboard the Atlantis’ rowboat.

     The Coast Guard pilot, Lieutenant William Clemmer, Coastguardsman John Radan, and George Priest all went to the bottom with the main portion of the plane.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22291563/william-lee-clemmer

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22291706/john-j-radan

       The survivors were brought aboard the Atlantis and given first-aid while a message of the disaster was radioed to the Coast Guard.  By 6:00 P.m. another Coast Guard aircraft arrived on the scene, but it was determined that the sea was too rough for a landing, so the Coast Guard boat Pontchartrain was dispatched. 

     It was later reported in the Falmouth Enterprise that at the same time George Priest was dying aboard the Coast Guard plane, his wife at their home in Falmouth was handed a crushed model of an airplane that her son had been playing with in the yard.  The gardener had accidentally run it over with a lawnmower, and had brought it inside the house apologizing to Mrs. Priest.  The plane was a replica of one the couple had flown in while vacationing in Europe some time earlier. 

     Mrs. Priest was quoted as saying, “My husband always said he would die of pneumonia at the age of 36. His father died of pneumonia at that age.”

     In yet another twist, it was later learned that the accident had been photographed by Harold Williams, radio operator aboard the Atlantis, using a “box camera” which were popular at the time.  Another member of the crew, Beverly Hubbard, also filmed part of the incident using a movie camera, and caught the transfer of Priest from the boat to the plane, but ran out of film just as the aircraft was getting ready to take off. 

     The image of the research vessel Atlantis is used for the Wood Hole Institute logo.

 Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Falmouth Man Killed When Plane Explodes At Sea Near Atlantis”, July 18, 1939

Falmouth Enterprise, “As Seaman Died In Plane, Crushed Model Was Handed His Wife”, July 18, 1939

Falmouth Enterprise, “Box Camera Takes Death Scene As Movie Film Fails,” July 18, 1939    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Sandwich, MA – July 12, 1951

April 6, 2015

Sandwich, Massachusetts – July 12, 1951 

 

F-94 Starfire U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 3:30 p.m. on July 12, 1951, an Air Force F-94B fighter jet (50-873A) was in flight over Cape Cod when the engine flamed out.  The plane crashed near Peters Pond in Sandwich, about a mile south of the Mid-Cape Highway, (Route 6).  Another source put the crash site near Spectacle Pond, “about 1 mile from Quaker Meeting House Road in the direction of West Barnstable, and near Mill Road, between Spectacle Pond and the Mid-Cape Highway.”

    The pilot, 1st Lt. Victor Clapp, 28, of Beverly, Massachusetts, was killed when he ejected but his chute failed to open.   He was survived by his wife, Dorothy, and two children.   

     The radar observer, 2nd Lt. Aaron M. Jones Jr., 27, of Newtonville, MA, ejected safely.  Jones landed in a wooded area south of the Mid-Cape Highway and made his way to the Rof-Mar Lodge.

     The crash ignited several large brush fires.  

     The jet belonged to the 33rd Fighter-Interceptor wing at Otis AFB. 

     Sources:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Jet Pilot Is Killed As Plane Crashes Near Peters Pond”, July 13, 1951  

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Otis Base Jet Pilot Is Killed, Companion Safe In Crash”, July 13, 1951, Pg. 1

     Updated March 21, 2016

     On the afternoon of July 12, 1951, Lieutenant’s Clapp and  Aaron took off from Otis Air Force Base for a training flight to practice “ground controlled approach” (GCA) landing procedures.  Their F-94 (#50-873A) carried a full load of fuel, but was not equipped with external wing tanks.

     After making two successful landings, the pilot attempted a third.  As the F-94 approached Otis AFB intending to land on runway 23, it “flamed out” and crashed in a wooded area about 150 yards to the east of Mill Road, and south of Route 6.  This location is gleaned from the official air force crash investigation report, and contradicts the vague locations given to the press, which was likely done for security reasons and to prevent souvenir hunters from converging on the site.  

     Lt. Clapp was a veteran of WWII and earned his pilot’s wings March 2, 1944.  At the time of his death he had recently been re-activated for active duty due to the Korean War.  He’s buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Acton, Massachusetts.

     Sources:

     Air Force Crash Investigation Report #51-7-12-1

     www.findagrave.com, Memorial #114039950

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sandwich, MA – February 14, 1951

April 6, 2015

Sandwich, Massachusetts – February 14, 1951 

 

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On February 14, 1951, Major Raymond S. Wetmore was completing the last leg of a cross-country flight in an F-86 Sabre jet when at 8:23 p.m. his aircraft suddenly went down in some woods in South Sandwich and exploded on impact.  The plane was destroyed and the pilot killed. 

     Major Wetmore was the commanding officer of the 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron based at Otis Air Force Base. 

     Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Squadron Leader Killed in Crash; Made Home Here”, February 16, 1951      

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Sandwich, MA – August 11, 1951

April 6, 2015

Sandwich, Massachusetts – August 11, 1951 

     On August 11, 1951, Captain Frank C. Newell, 28, of Linden, N.J., was killed when his F-86 Sabre Jet crashed at Scorton Neck in Sandwich.  Newell was a veteran of WWII and Korea, and flew 182 combat missions during his career.  He was survived by his wife and one child.

Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Otis Pilot Killed” August 17, 1951

New York Times, “Third Pilot Loses His Life In Massachusetts” , August 12, 1951 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Pocasset, MA – August 13, 1945

April 6, 2015

Pocasset, Massachusetts – August 13, 1945 

Updated December 23, 2020.

 

Early U.S. Navy Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On August 13, 1945, Ensign William Orlando Young, Jr., (22), was piloting an SBW-4E Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60153), on a night training flight over Cape Cod.  This training was preparatory to his assignment to the navy’s newest aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Midway. 

      During the flight, weather conditions had deteriorated and the cloud ceiling had dropped, and it was later speculated by navy investigators that this played a role in the accident.         

     When overdue for his return to base, he was reported missing, and a search utilizing aircraft from Otis and Quonset Point, R.I. began.  His body and his wrecked plane were found the following day in Pocasset, Mass. 

     Ensign Young’s body was brought to Quonset Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before being sent to Gathersburg, Maryland for burial.  He was survived by his wife Hazel.  

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 13, 1945 

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Pilot From Otis Killed In Crash” August 17, 1945   

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #45-77

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Plymouth, MA – March 8, 1950

April 6, 2015

Plymouth, Massachusetts – March 8, 1950 

     On March 8, 1950, 2nd Lt. William Guinther of the 58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was piloting an F-84 Thunderjet at 20,000 feet over Cape Cod when the aircraft suddenly lost all power and began to fall.  He aimed the craft towards Cape Cod Bay and bailed out at 9,000 feet, but the plane circled back and crashed into a wooded section of Cedarville, a village in the town of Plymouth. 

     There were no injures to Lt. Guinther, or to those on the ground.

Source:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Pilot Escapes As Fighter Crashes” March 10, 1950

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Otis Air Field – April 14, 1945

April 6, 2015

Otis Air Field – April 14, 1945 

     On April, 14, 1945, Ensign Garn Earl Thalman, 24, was killed when his navy fighter plane crashed 300 yards east of the runway at Otis Field while returning from a night operational flight.  

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Plane Crashes At Otis”, April 20, 1945 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Otis Air Force Base – November 3, 1949

April 7, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – November 3, 1949 

 

F-84 Thunderjet – U.S. Air Force Photo

    At 2:45 p.m., on November 3, 1949, a flight of four F-84 Thunderjets were returning to Otis AFB after a training flight when one of the aircraft crashed approximately a half-mile northwest of the runway.  The pilot, 2nd Lt. Herbert E. Killian, 22, of Enid, Montana, was killed instantly. 

     Killian completed his flight training on January 17, 1947, and received his officer’s commission October 8, 1948 at Williams AFB in Chandler, Arizona.  He was survived by his wife and two-month-old son. 

     The aircraft were assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing.

Source:

New York Times, “Otis Lieutenant Waquoit Resident, Killed In Crash”, November 4, 1949

The Evening Star, (Washington, D. C.), “Massachusetts Crash Kills Air Force Officer”, November 4, 1949

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Otis Air Force Base – May 14, 1950

April 6, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – May 14, 1950 

 

U.S.A.F. F-86 Fighter Jet

      On Sunday morning, May 14, 1950, Major William C. Routt had just completed a training flight in a F-86 Sabre jet, (#49-1104), and was approaching runway five at Otis AFB in Falmouth, Massachusetts, when his plane suddenly dove into the ground and exploded near the end of the runway.  The crash occurred close to the southeast gate leading to Sandwich Road. 

     Major Routt was the operations officer of the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.  He began his Air Force career in 1941, and served in Alaska and England during World War II earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre, and the Air Force Medal with eight oak leaf clusters. 

Sources:

     Woonsocket Call, (R.I.), “Squadron Officer Killed In Jet’s Bay State Crash”, May 15, 1950  

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Major Routt Dies In Crash Of F-86”, May 19, 1950    

     Aviation Safety Network

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – June 16, 1954

April 6, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – June 16, 1954 

     On June 16, 1954, an F-86A Sabre jet piloted by Captain Clifton M. Eisele was approaching Otis AFB when the aircraft flamed out at 1,200 feet.  Eisele aimed the craft towards open space between the runways before bailing out.  He wasn’t injured. 

     The F-86 involved with this accident was the same one used by American fighter ace Major James Jabarra in the Korean War. 

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Air Guard F-86 Crashes At Otis”, June 18, 1954

F-86 Sabre - U.S. Air Force Photo

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Otis Air Force Base – July 16, 1958

April 6, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – July 16, 1958 

     On July 16, 1958, an F-94 Starfire crashed on the runway while landing at Otis AFB when the nose gear collapsed.  The aircraft skidded for 200 feet off the runway and onto a grassy area.  The pilot, 1st Lt. Richard Reynolds, and radar observer 1st Lt. Vincent Rosselli, were unhurt. 

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Jet Crashes; Two Walk Our Unhurt”, July 18, 1958

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Otis Air Force Base – July 4, 1962

April 6, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – July 4, 1962 

     On July 4, 1962, Captain Morgan G. Childs Jr., was at the helm of an air force  Super Constellation of the 551st AEW&C wing when the plane suffered an unspecified malfunction.  He was advised to circle Otis AFB to burn off fuel before preparing for an emergency landing. 

    At 5:46 p.m., after six hours of circling, he brought the plane in to land, but as it touched down on the runway the nose wheel collapsed.  The aircraft skidded several hundred yards before coming to a stop. 

    As Otis fire and rescue headed for the plane, Captain Childs and four other crewmen climbed out on their own – uninjured. 

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Captain Childs Hero of Tense Episode At Otis”, July 6, 1962.

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Otis Air Force Base – August 13, 1955

April 6, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – August 13, 1955 

 

F-89 Scorpion - U.S. Air Force Photo

F-89 Scorpion – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On August 13, 1955, an F-89 Scorpion jet crashed 1,500 feet short of the runway at Otis Air Force Base as it was attempting to land. 

     The radar observer, 1st Lt. Donald L. Reilly, 26, of Morton, Illinois, was killed instantly.  The Pilot, Captain Lawrence G. Reichert, 30, died later at the base hospital. 

     The aircraft was attached to the 58th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis. 

 Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Fliers Killed In Crash Of Fighter”, August 19, 1955.

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – April 9, 1952

April 6, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – April 9, 1952 

C-47 Aircraft - U.S. Air Force Photo

C-47 Aircraft – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the morning of April 9, 1952, a C-47 transport plane with ten men aboard, took off from Otis Air Force Base in-route to Niagara Falls, New York.  The transport had landed at Otis from Steward AFB in Newburgh, N.Y.  Shortly after take off, while the C-47 was passing over the neighboring Camp Edwards firing range, it was involved in a mid-air collision with an F-94B fighter jet on its way to a gunnery practice mission.  

     The collision occurred in cloud cover between five to seven thousand feet, and officials speculated that poor visibility may have played a role in the crash.  Both planes exploded and flaming debris rained down over a wide area setting several large brush fires.  One parachute was seen but it was found to be empty – likely deployed by the impact.        

F-94 Fighter Jet U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Fighter Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     The dead aboard the C-47 were identified as:

     Lt. Col. William C. Bryson, 34, Stewart AFB. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180702015/william-curtis-bryson

     Major Benjamin Beckham, 34, Cornwall-On-Hudson, N.Y. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49120236/benjamin-collins-beckham

     Major L. A. Berg, 36, Goshen, N.Y. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49121079/leland-alfred-berg

     Capt. William H. Erwin, 31, Herrin, Ill. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158171790/william-henry-erwin

     Capt. Lane S. Hendricks, 31, McHenry, Ill. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99760821/lane-s-hendricks

     Capt. Richard E. Heder, 31, Rock Tavern, N.Y. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/186251135/richard-e-heder

     Capt. Clinton C. Foster, 33, Gardner, N.Y.

     Tech. Sgt. Deane B. Cooper, 41, Stewart AFB. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/96845526/deane-beryl-cooper

     Airman 1c Harry E. Hardesty, 21, Campbell Hall, N.Y. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49197781/harry-eugene-hardesty

     Tech. Sgt. William D. Pollock, 29, Newburgh, N.Y.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127196982/william-donald-pollock       

     The crew of the F-94 jet fighter consisted of the pilot, Capt. Charles J. Smoke, 35, of Shenandoah, Iowa, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125082389/charles-g-smoke

and the radar observer, 1st Lt. Thaddeus C. Kulpinski. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117905352/thaddeus-chester-kulpinski

     Sources:    

Chicago Tribune, “Two Air Force Planes Collide In Air; 12 dead”, April 10, 1952

New York Times, “Planes Crash Aloft; 12 In Air Force Die”, April 10, 1952

Falmouth Enterprise, “Twelve Are Killed In Otis Air Crash”, April 11, 1952

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Falmouth, MA – August 17, 1945

April 6, 2015

Falmouth, Massachusetts – August 17, 1945 

     On August 17, 1945, Ensign Daniel Ware Goldman, 24, took off from Otis Field in Falmouth in a navy fighter aircraft.  He had no sooner had he taken off when he radioed that he needed to make an emergency landing.  His altitude at the time was about 200 feet, and when he turned to approach the runway his aircraft went into a dive and crashed into a wooded area about a mile from the field.  Ensign Goldman had no chance to bail out and was killed in the wreck.

    Ensign Goldman had been at Otis since May of 1945 training for carrier duty on the new aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Midway. His body was brought to Quonset Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island before being sent to Arlington National cemetery for burial.

     Update: May 17, 2018

     According to a Cape Cod Standard Times article, this accident occurred in the neighboring town of Mashpee.   

Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, ”Otis Field Flyer Dies In Crash”, August 24,1945

North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #45-78

Cape Cod Standard Times, “Otis Field Pilot Dies In Mashpee Crackup”, August 18, 1945, page 1.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Mashpee, MA – March 20, 1949

April 6, 2015

Mashpee, MA – March 20, 1949   

John’s Pond, Mashpee

Republic F-84C - U.S. Air Force Photo

Republic F-84C – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On March 20, 1949, 2nd Lt. William C. Knoy was on a routine training flight over Cape Cod.  As he was returning to Otis AFB his aircraft suffered a power loss.  With only seconds to react, he aimed his jet towards John’s Pond in Mashpee, and crash landed in the water.  The crash was witnessed by Lt. Col. Joseph C. Smith who had been flying in the area.

     Knoy was rescued by Henry F. Godleski a local resident using a rowboat.    

     The newspaper story published five days later stated the aircraft had not yet been recovered.

     The aircraft was an F-84C (Ser# 47-1453) assigned to the 59FS, 33 FG.

Source:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Power Failure Sends Jet Plane Into John’s Pond”, March 25, 1949

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Gosnold, MA – November 18, 1944

April 6, 2015

Gosnold, Massachusetts – November 18, 1944 

     On November 18, 1944, two navy planes from Otis Air Field were on an operational flight when they collided in mid-air over Nashawena Island.  The Island is part of a chain known as the Elizabeth Islands, which make up the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts.

     One plane, piloted by Lieutenant Robert Shane Traverse, 27, of Absecon, N.J., crashed on the island, while the other made it safely back to Otis with minor wing damage. Traverse’s body was recovered by the Coast Guard with his parachute unopened. 

     He was survived by his wife, Margurite. 

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Otis Field Accidents”, November 24, 1944. awena

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Falmouth, MA – January 8, 1962

April 6, 2015

Falmouth, Massachusetts – January 8, 1962 

     On January 8, 1962, 1st Lt. Kenneth L. Winden was piloting an H-21 “Flying Banana” helicopter over Falmouth when the aircraft suddenly lost power.  Sighting a ball field in Falmouth Heights, he aimed the craft for it.  Unfortunately the ground was very soft, and the two main wheels dug into the mushy playing field, causing the craft to lurch forward and turn on its side. 

     Others aboard the helicopter included 2nd Lt. W. P. Bowers, and A2c B. P. Bowell.  There were no injuries.   

     The helicopter was extensively damaged and had to be brought back to Otis by truck.  

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Copter Crashes In Ball Field Landing”, January 9, 1962. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Camp Edwards, MA – September 2, 1943

April 6, 2015

Camp Edwards, Massachusetts – September 2, 1943 

     On September 2, 1943, a Curtis A-25A, (42-79670) (Army version of the Navy Helldiver) was taking part in a mock strafing exercise at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod when the aircraft crashed killing both men on board.

     The pilot was identified as Lt. Robert Ruthlein, 23, of Jersey City, New Jersey.  Also aboard was Major Francis M. Reigel, 35, of Dayton, Ohio.  Major Reigel was attached to the AAATC gunnery branch, and was observing the reaction of ground troops from the air.  

     Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Camp Edwards” (notes), September 10, 1943  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Winchester and Arlington, MA – January 23, 1958

April 6, 2015

Winchester and Arlington, Massachusetts – January 23, 1958 

Updated August 5, 2025.

T-33 Trainer Jet U.S. Air Force Photo

T-33 Trainer Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On January 23, 1958, two Air Force jets collided in mid-air 22,000 feet over the Boston metropolitan area.  One was an F-94 Starfire out of Otis AFB, the other a T-33 out of Stewart AFB in Newburgh, New York.  Both were taking part in a routine training exercise at the time of the accident. 

     A flight of T-33s had been dispatched out of New York to simulate a mock attack on Boston.  Meanwhile, a flight of F-94’s were dispatched from Otis to intercept the T-33s.  The formation was intercepted at approximately 11:30 a.m..  At that time the two aircraft clipped each other causing each to crash. 

     The crew of the F-94 consisted of 1st Lt. Joseph G. Izzea, 23, and 1st Lt. John P. Horan, 21.  Both were killed either in the collision, or when their flaming jet crashed behind a private home in Arlington, Massachusetts.  Witnesses speculated Izzea may have been aiming for the Arlington Reservoir. 

     To see a photo of Lt. Izzea, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8448541/joseph-g-izzea

     To see a photo of Lt. Horan, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/263704582/john-p-horan

F-94 Starfire U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

     The crew of the T-33, consisted of Captain William D. Bridges, 33, and Lt. Harold Woldmoe, 30.  Both bailed out safely, although Woldmoe later said his ejection seat failed, and he got out as the plane was falling end-over-end.  Bridges was carried by wind currents for fifteen miles before he came down in the icy waters of Quincy Bay, and was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter twenty minutes later.  Woldmoe landed in the railroad freight yards near Boston’s South Station.  Both men were treated at area hospitals.     

     The abandoned T-33 crashed and burned on South Border Road in the town of Winchester, causing damage to a private home.    

     To learn more about this accident, click here: https://homenewshere.com/daily_times_chronicle/news/winchester/article_66216e6a-7555-11ec-9881-33004795b0c8.html

Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Two Otis Fliers Die As Jets Crash Above City”, January 24, 1958.

(Troy, N.Y.) Times Record, “Two Airmen Killed As Planes Crash”, January 24, 1958

New York Times, “Jets Collide, Two Die”, January 24, 1958

Daily Times Chronicle, “From The Archives: Plane Crashed Down On South Border Road”, By Ellen Knight, January 17, 2022. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – February 1, 1957

April 6, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – February 1, 1957    

T-33 Trainer Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On February 1, 1957, Lieut. Jimmie G. Waugh, 22, of Oneonta, Alabama, was piloting a T-33 jet trainer approximately twenty miles east of Provincetown when the plane developed engine trouble and was forced to ditch in the sea.  Waugh radioed that he had an emergency and was fortunate to be in an area routinely patrolled by other aircraft. Another Air Force plane followed the T-33 down and watched the crew bail out.  

     Within minutes an SA-16 Albatross from Westover AFB arrived and rescued Lt. Waugh, however the co-pilot, 2nd Lieutenant Billie J. Bullard, 23, of Longview, Texas, had disappeared beneath the choppy sea.  Despite an intensive search, he wasn’t located. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75222860/billie-joe-bullard

     The Albatross sustained damage in the water landing, and was forced to make its way to Provincetown Harbor by water, under the watchful eye of a Coast Guard helicopter.  

      Sources:

     Fall River Herald News, (Ma.), “One Rescued, One feared Drowned As Plane Crashes Off Cape”, February 2, 1957, pg. 9

     The Woonsocket Call, (R.I.), “Jet Pilot Lost In Sea Crash Off Mass. Coast”, February 2, 1957

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Flier Lost When Jet Falls Off Tip Of Cape”, February 8, 1957.         

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – December 10, 1944

April 6, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – December 10, 1944    

F6F Hellcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On December 10, 1944, a group of eleven navy F6F Hellcat fighter planes left Otis Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for an operational training flight over the Atlantic, but only nine returned.  By 8:00 p.m. a search was begun for the two missing planes, and aircraft from Otis and Quonset Point, R.I., as well as crash boats from Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, searched the area north of Nantucket where there had been unconfirmed reports of flares being sighted. 

     Despite the efforts, no trace of the missing aircraft or the pilots was ever found.

     The missing men are: Ensign John Daniel Cassidy, 21, of Macon, Georgia, and Lieutenant Commander John I. Drew, 27, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Both were assigned to Fighter Squadron 88, (VF-88).

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30180216/john-daniel-cassidy

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237356486/john-i-drew

Source:

Falmouth Enterprise, ”Planes Lost On Training Flight”, December 15, 1944.   

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Falmouth, MA – May 31, 1949

April 3, 2015

 

Falmouth, Massachusetts – May 31, 1949

     On May 31, 1949, a group of U.S. Navy F-8F Bearcats left Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island, bound for Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, to take part in a rocket firing training exercise.  As the planes approached Otis, one of them suddenly dropped out of formation and crashed in a rotary traffic circle near the 33rd Fighter Wing Headquarters. 
     The pilot was identified as Lieut. (j.g.) Ronald J. Whitting of Bergenfield, New Jersey. 

Sources:

New York Times, “Crash Kills Navy Pilot”, June 1, 1949 

Falmouth Enterprise, “Navy Pilot Dies In Crash At Otis”, June 3, 1949 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Franklin Field, Boston – June 24, 1919

April 1, 2015

 Franklin Field, Boston – June 24, 1919

     On June 24, 1919, a squadron of military aircraft arrived at Franklin Field in the Dorchester section of Boston as part of a New England tour sponsored by the army to exhibit the planes and try to recruit new members.  One aircraft piloted by Lt. Col. H. B. Claggett was attempting to land when strong cross winds began pushing it towards a large crowd that had been awaiting their arrival. Upon realizing this, Claggett abruptly turned his ship away from the crowd and aimed it towards a cusp of trees near the edge of the field.  It was only then that he saw three children standing in the shade of the trees, but it was too late, and his aircraft hit the children and crashed into the trees.    

     While Claggett and his observer, Captain William H. Chandler, survived the crash, the children, John Benaglia, 13, and Beatrice Rosenblatt, 9, were killed, and Sarah Welner, 12, was severely injured.   The rest of the planes landed safely. 

     The New England recruitment tour was postponed until the army investigation was completed.   Franklin Field, by the way, was not an airfield, but a park.

     The name of Lt. Col. Claggett’s plane was “Black Jack”, presumably after General “Black Jack” Pershing of WWI fame.    

Sources:

Woonsocket Call, “Plane Kills Two Children In Park”, June 24, 1919

Woonsocket Call, “Postpone Visit Of Aerial Circus Here”, June 27, 1919, Pg.4

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Squantum Naval Air Station – March 30, 1947 (photo)

March 25, 2015
Squantum Naval Air Station - March 30, 1947

Squantum Naval Air Station – March 30, 1947

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

The Uxbridge Bomber Crash – May 18, 1944

March 24, 2015

THE UXBRIDGE BOMBER CRASH

May 18, 1944

 

B-24 Liberator

B-24 Liberator

     Tucked away on a two-acre wooded lot in the middle of a quiet upscale neighborhood in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, is a granite monument honoring five servicemen who died in the service of their country when their B-24 Liberator (42-7347) crashed on that spot during World War II. The incident occurred on May 18, 1944, as a formation of three B-24 bombers droned through the sky over the Blackstone Valley.

     The planes were on their way back to Westover Air Field after a day of formation flight training, the purpose of which was to give one of the bomber crews experience in formation flying so they would have enough hours to qualify for overseas duty.  

      24-year-old navigator, Lieutenant Joseph H. Talbot, was sitting in the plexiglass nose of bomber number 42-7347, watching the landscape below take on more definition as the formation descended from 20,000 to 10,000 feet so the crews could come off oxygen.  Then, without warning, the plane suffered a hard jolt accompanied by the sound of crunching metal as it was struck by another B-24 in the formation.  Almost immediately the plane began shaking and shuddering and Talbot heard the pilot’s frantic voice come over his head phones, “Bail out! Bail out!”     

     Talbot was wearing his parachute harness, but not the chute, and the buffeting of the plane made attaching the two difficult.  As the seconds ticked by the plane dropped lower.  Other members of the crew were possibly in the same predicament, for Talbot was one of the first out of the plane. 

      He no doubt breathed a huge sigh of relief as his chute billowed open. He would later recall how quiet it was as he hung in the air over Uxbridge.  The other B-24s had disappeared, and his own was a flaming wreck.  He didn’t know it then, but another crewman, 18-year-old, Corporal Robert Kelly, was the only other member of the crew to get out safely. Three others jumped, but the aircraft was too low to the ground when they did, and their chutes didn’t have enough time to deploy.  The co-pilot had waited the longest, perhaps to make sure the others had jumped first. His remains were found in the bomb bay.  To his credit, the pilot, 2nd Lt. Arnold Moholt, never left the controls, trying to save his men while directing the plane away from the populated downtown Uxbridge area.    

Pathway leading to the Uxbridge Bomber memorial.

Pathway leading to the Uxbridge Bomber memorial.

Talbot came down in a wooded area where he was found by an army sergeant home on leave.  He had lacerated his hands while escaping from the plane, and was taken to Whitinsville Hospital.  There he and Corporal Kelly were admitted and prevented from returning to the crash site.

     The other aircraft involved in the collision, (41-28508), suffered damage, but was able to remain airborne and made it back to Westover.

     Woonsocket Call reporter Russell Krapp was at the downtown Uxbridge field office when he heard the formation passing overhead and happened to look out the window just as the accident happened.  The doomed bomber plummeted to earth in the High Street area where it exploded in a massive fireball sending a plume of smoke hundreds of feet into the air.  Krapp, along with dozens of others, raced to the scene.  

     The fire burned over forty acres before it was brought under control by firemen from Uxbridge, East Douglas, and two state forestry trucks. 

Memorial to those who lost their lives in the Uxbridge Bomber Crash - May 18, 1944.

Memorial to those who lost their lives in the Uxbridge Bomber Crash – May 18, 1944.

The site was cleared of wreckage, and little by little Mother Nature began to reclaim the land.  It remained wooded for many years afterwards, but by the 1980s the land ready for a housing development.  Fortunately, there were those who remembered the crash and sought to have at least a portion of the area preserved.  The result is a two-acre wooded lot across from 84 Chamberland Road, marked by a sign that directs visitors along a well maintained path leading to a memorial honoring those who died.  Next to the monument is a piece of melted aluminum that had once been part of the aircraft.  

The inscription on the monument reads: This spot is sacred to the memory of

2nd Lt. Arnold Moholt

2nd Lt. John T. Goodwin

S/Sgt Thomas L. Cater

Sgt. Merle V. Massar,

Sgt. Anthony J. Pitzulo

 They died when their US Army Airplane Crashed here May 18, 1944.  They Gave Their Lives Four Country And Humanity. 

    The monument was dedicated October 11, 1944.

Uxbridge Bomber Memorial Site - August, 2012

Uxbridge Bomber Memorial Site – August, 2012

 Lt. Arnold Moholt was born December 15, 1920 in Glendive, Montanna, where he lived until he graduated high school.  He went on to attended business college in Spokane, Washington, before enlisting in the Army ordinance division in March of 1941.  In 1942 he transferred to the Army Air Force, and was commissioned an officer in January of 1944 at Maxwell Field, Alabama. He had recently written to his surviving relatives in Missoula, Montanna, that he expected to be sent overseas in the near future.  He is buried in Missoula Cemetery.       

     Sergeant Merle Massar was 21-years-old, born June 7, 1922, and was just shy of his next birthday when the accident occurred.  He was born in Mount Vernon, Washington, where his father was a prominent businessman.  He was an accomplished violin musician, and often participated in musical and theatrical productions at Mount Vernon High School.  He was also a member of the school’s Thespian Society, and Ski Club. 

     After graduating in 1940, he enrolled in college, studying at the University of Washington where he excelled at writing.  One of the university professors, Dr. George Savage, stated Massar’s writing ability “showed great promise”. 

     “With Merle it is more than a personal grief,” said Dr. Savage, “It is the knowledge that a great writer is lost, for Merle was one of the few students I’ve had who was passionate about life – who felt deeply and surely because he loved and sorrowed for his fellow man.” 

     Dr. Savage last spoke with Merle when he was home on furlough.  He recalled Merle saying to him, “If I want to live for my generation, I have to be ready to die with it, too.” 

     Mrs. Mary McDonnell of Chicopee, Massachusetts, wrote to Merle’s mother after the accident.  Part of the letter said, “Just last Monday, he came to the door holding a lilac in his hand. ‘This is for Mother’s Day’ he said, but I know he was just plain lonesome for his own mother.”        

      In April of 1943 Merle entered military training for radio-aerial gunnery school, and at the time of the accident had been serving as a top-turret gunner. 

     He was survived by his mother and brother, Clifford.       

     Sgt. Anthony Pitzulo was two days shy of his 25th birthday when he died. He was born and raised in Lowellville, Ohio, the son of the late Joseph and Mary (Aurclio) Pitzulo.  He entered the army in 1942.  He was survived by a sister, four brothers, two half brothers, and a half sister. 

     Lieutenant Talbot survived the war and later married and raised four children. He later became a grandfather nine times over.  He returned to Uxbridge sometime in the1950s, and again in 1984 at the request of local officials to attend a memorial ceremony.  Forty years after his ordeal, he recalled the details of the crash to reporters.  He passed away in 1995.    

Sources:  

Uxbridge Times, “Three Chute To Safety When Bomber Crashes In Woods Off High Street.”, May 19, 1944, Pg. 1

Uxbridge Times, “Eyewitness Story Of Crash”, May 19, 1944, Pg.1

Uxbridge Times, “Death Toll Reaches 5 In Plane Crash”, May 22, 1944, Pg. 8

Woonsocket Call, “3 Fortress Crew Members Bail Out; Plane Explosion Starts Forest Fires” May 18, 1944.

Woonsocket Call, “Call Reporter Sees Crash, Covers Story And Fights Fire”, May 18, 1944

Woonsocket Call, “5 Airmen Dead In Plane Crash Are Identified”, May 19, 1944

Woonsocket Call, “Plane Crash Victims Remembered –Survivor Returns For Uxbridge Rites 40 Years Later.” May 21, 1984

Mount Vernon Daily Herald, “Merile Massar Loses Life In Bomber Crash”, May 19, 1944, Pg. 1.

Mount Vernon Daily Herald, “Rites Are Set Thursday For Heroic Flyer”, May 23, 1944, Pg. 1

The Daily Missoulian, “A Moholt Is Killed In Plane Crash”, May 20, 1944

The Daily Missoulian, “Rites Today For Army Lieutenant”, May 23, 1944

Youngstown Vindicator, “Air Crash Fatal To Sgt. Pitzulo”, May 19, 1944, Pg. 25

Youngstown Vindicator, “Plan Military Funeral For Sergeant Pitzulo”, May 21, 1944, Pg. A10

www.findagrave.com  Joseph H. Talbot

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Squantum N.A.S. – Oct. 15, 1946 (photo)

March 20, 2015
Squantum Naval Air Station, Mass. - Oct. 15, 1946

Squantum Naval Air Station, Mass. – Oct. 15, 1946

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Franklin, Mass – April 4, 1944

March 15, 2015

Franklin, Massachusetts – April 4, 1944

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 4, 1944, two U.S. Army P-47 fighter planes were conducting “dog fighting” practice over Franklin, Massachusetts, when one aircraft crashed into a wooded area off Maple Street in Franklin.  The plane exploded on impact, killing the pilot, 2nd Lt. William J. Bradt, of Buffalo, N.Y.  The explosion reportedly left a crater 80 ft. wide and 20 ft. deep in a “boggy” area.   Wreckage was scattered for some distance.

     Witnesses said the plane went into a sharp dive trailing smoke before bursting into flames, and it was speculated that the pilot aimed for the wooded area to avoid nearby buildings. 

     News accounts stated “thousands” came to the scene and engaged in souvenir hunting, prompting police to issue warnings about unexploded .50 caliber bullets.  One news reporter found $330 dollars which had been blown from the pilot’s clothing, which he turned over to police.    

     The aircraft flown by Lt. Bradt was a P-47D. serial number 42-22449

Sources:

Woonsocket Call, “Plane Explodes Over Franklin” , April 4, 1944, pg. 1 

Woonsocket Call, “Shells From Plane Wreck Prompt Franklin Warning”, April 5, 1944, pg. 4 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Westfield, MA. – November 30, 1942

March 23, 2018

Westfield, Massachusetts – November 30, 1942 

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On November 30, 1942, 2nd Lt. Daniel B. Austin of Dorchester, Massachusetts, took off from Westover Air Field in Chicopee, Mass., for a routine training flight.  He was piloting a P-47B Thunderbolt, (Ser. No. 41-6024).  At 3:30 p.m. he was killed when his aircraft crashed into Higgins Swamp, a marshy area to the east of Barnes Airport in Westfield.  Although numerous persons witnessed the accident, the cause was not immediately known.

     Lt. Austin was assigned to the 321st Fighter Squadron.

     Source:

     The Springfield Republican, (Springfield, Mass.), “Army Flier Dies In Westfield Crash”, December 1, 1942.  

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Westhampton, MA. – April 10, 1943

March 18, 2018

Westhampton, Massachusetts – April 10, 1943

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 10, 1943, 2nd Lt. John Franklin Reed, 26, was piloting a P-47C Thunderbolt, (Ser. No. 41-6095), over the Westhampton area when the engine stopped.  A 12-year-old boy who witnessed the event later told a reporter that he saw the plane, with its motor not running, gliding overhead at a low altitude.  Then he saw the pilot jump, but his parachute didn’t fully open before he hit the ground.  The plane crashed and exploded in a thickly wooded area off Route 66 in the southern portion of town.  The pilots body was found a short distance from the crash site.

     Lieutenant Reed was from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he attended Pine Bluff High School and graduated with honors.  He was a 1941 graduate of Ouachita Baptist College, in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where he earned academic honors, was active in athletics, and enrolled in the Army Reserve Officers Training Program, (ROTC).  After graduation he transferred to the Army Air Corps, and after completion of his training received his pilot wings and officer’s commission at Luke Field, Arizona.

     At the time of the accident he was assigned to the 320th Fighter Squadron based at Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts. 

     He was survived by his mother and his wife whom he married in June of 1942.  Lt. Reed is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  

     Sources:

     Springfield Republican, (Mass.), “Westover Field Pilot Is killed At Westhampton”, April 11, 1943, page 1.  

     Arkansas Gazette, “Lt. Frank Reed Of Pine Bluff Crash Victim”, April 11, 1943, page 32

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Off Martha’s Vineyard – September 27, 1943

March 14, 2018

Off Martha’s Vineyard – September 27, 1943

 

Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of September 27, 1943, Ensign Thomas James Schmidt, (age 21 or 22), was piloting an SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 28658), taking part in a gunnery practice flight off Martha’s Vineyard.  After making his fourth firing run at fixed water targets, he leveled off and made an emergency water landing.  The aircraft sank within thirty seconds taking Ensign Schmidt with it.  The gunner, ARM3c E. A. Hollomon, was able to escape, and was rescued by a Coast Guard Cutter and taken to Newport Naval Hospital in Rhode Island for treatment. 

     It was later determined that the synchronizing unit regulating the .50 caliber machine gun in the nose of the aircraft had malfunctioned, and that the propeller had been damaged to the point that the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in the water.    

     Both men were assigned to VC-32.

     To see a photo of Ensign Schmidt, click on link below.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56132116/thomas-j-schmidt

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report, #44-8818, dated September 27, 1943    

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard – October 22, 1943

March 14, 2018

Martha’s Vineyard Naval Auxiliary Air Field – October 22, 1943 

 

Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo

     On October 22, 1943, an SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 28700), crashed on takeoff from the Martha’s Vineyard NAAF.  The aircraft was demolished, but the pilot, Ensign Robert S. Rice, and the gunner, ARM3c Ronald Q. Hoffman, escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.   The men were assigned to VC-33. 

     Source: U.S. Navy Accident Report #44-9238, dated October 22, 1943  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

South Weymouth, MA. – September 14, 1944

March 14, 2018

South Weymouth, MA – September 14, 1944

 

U.S. Navy PV-1 Ventura

     On September 14, 1944, a U. S. Navy PV-1 Ventura, (Bu. No. 33280), with seven crewmen aboard, left Groton, Connecticut, bound for the South Weymouth Naval Air Station.  While landing at South Weymouth, the hydraulic system for the brakes failed, causing the aircraft to go off the end of the runway.  The airplane was damaged beyond repair, but nobody aboard was hurt.

     The aircraft was assigned to VB-128

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report dated September 14, 1944.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ayer, MA. – June 12, 1944

March 8, 2018

Ayer, Massachusetts – June 12, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     At approximately 10:30 p.m. on the night of June 12, 1944, an Ensign was landing an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 42489), at the Naval Auxiliary Air Field in Ayer, Massachusetts, when one of the brakes failed upon touchdown. The right brake was weak, but the left one held, causing the aircraft to ground loop off the runway.  The Hellcat suffered minor damage, and the pilot received minor injuries.  

     Source: U.S. Navy Accident report, dated June 12, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Beverly, MA – June 13, 1944

March 8, 2018

Beverly, Massachusetts – June 13, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On the morning of June 13, 1944, Lt. (jg.) Thomas J. Graham was attempting to land at the Beverly Naval Auxiliary Air Field in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 42495), when the aircraft suddenly lost power while it was at an altitude of 200 feet, and he crashed.  The aircraft was severely damaged, and the pilot was injured.

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report, dated June 13, 1944    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ayer, MA. – July 14, 1944

March 8, 2018

Ayer, Massachusetts – July 14, 1944

Ten miles north-west

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On the morning of July 14, 1944, Ensign Beeman Fallwell took off from the Naval Auxiliary Air Field in Ayer in a F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 40748), for a training flight.  When he was about ten miles north-west of the field, at an altitude of 6,000 feet, he began to experience a loss of power to the engine.  As the airplane began loosing altitude, the pilot began looking for a place to make an emergency landing.  Then a fire erupted in the engine, and the pilot knew he would have to jump.  He noted he was still over a populated area, so he decided to stay with the aircraft until it was over woodlands.  At the time he left the aircraft he was at the minimum level to jump and still have an expectation that the parachute would successfully open.  The parachute had just billowed open when the pilot landed in some trees sustaining injuries in the process.

     The aircraft crashed in a wooded are and was demolished.

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report dated July 14, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Beverly, MA. – July 14, 1944

March 7, 2018

Beverly, Massachusetts – July 14, 1944

Beverly Auxiliary Naval Air facility

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On July 14, 1944, an Ensign was taking off in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 65936), for a gunnery training flight when the engine failed just after he left the ground.  From an altitude of only 50 feet, the aircraft crashed at the end of the runway.  The plane was heavily damaged, but the pilot was uninjured.  The aircraft was transported to Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island where it was salvaged.

     The Beverly Auxiliary Naval Air Facility was in use from 1942 to 1945.

     Sources:

     U.S. Navy Accident Report dated July 14, 1944  

     Wikipedia

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

NAS Squantum – July 6, 1944

March 7, 2018

Naval Air station Squantum – July 6, 1944

Quincy, Massachusetts

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On July 6, 1944, a pilot took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 40340), for a night training flight.  Almost immediately after takeoff the engine began to sputter and loose power.  The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing on another runway, however there was already other aircraft on it, so he was forced to make a water landing along the shoreline.  The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, however the pilot was unhurt.

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report – dated July 6, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Otis Field, MA. – June 15, 1944

March 7, 2018

Otis Field, Falmouth, Massachusetts – June 15, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On June 15, 1944, a flight of F6F Hellcat aircraft were making practice carrier landings on a mock platform designed to resemble the deck of an aircraft carrier.   One aircraft, (Bu. No. 58124), piloted by an Ensign, made a perfect landing, however the arresting cable broke sending the plane into a ground loop off the platform.  The aircraft was damaged, but the pilot was not hurt.    

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report – dated June 15, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Otis Field, MA. – June 14, 1944

March 7, 2018

Otis Field, Falmouth, Massachusetts – June 14, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     In the early morning hours of June 14, 1944, a flight of navy aircraft were returning from a night training flight.  As one of the aircraft, an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 58145), was coming in to land, the pilot forgot to lower the landing gear, and belly landed on the runway before skidding to a stop.  The aircraft was badly damaged, but the pilot was uninjured.

     The aircraft was assigned to Fighter Squadron 81, (VF-81) 

     Source:  U.S. Navy Crash Investigation Report, dated June 14, 1944 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Cummington, MA. – December 1, 1942

March 5, 2018

Cummington, Massachusetts – December 1, 1942

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On December 1, 1942, three P-47 aircraft left Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a formation training flight.  While passing over the Westborough area, the flight ran into heavy clouds which extended low to the ground, and the planes became separated.  One of the aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-6011), was piloted by 2nd Lt. Jack P. Lastor of the 340th Fighter Squadron.  While encountering severe weather over the town of Cummington, he was forced to bail out of his aircraft.  The P-47B went down in a pasture on a farm belonging to Leslie W. Joyner across from the Cummington-Worthington Highway.  Lt. Lastor landed safely, and although suffering an injury, was able to make his way to a farm house to call for help.             

     Another P-47 aircraft assigned to this training flight crashed in the town of Westhampton, Massachusetts.  In that instance, 2nd Lt. Charles C. May was killed when his aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-5924), crashed and exploded on Tob Hill.  For more info, click here:   Westhampton – Dec. 1, 1942

     Sources: 

     Springfield Republican, “Planes Crash In Westhampton, Cummington, December 1, 1942.    

     Springfield Republican, “Second Army Pilot Killed; Three Crash In Two Days”, December 2, 1942, page 1.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Westhampton, MA. – December 1, 1942

March 5, 2018

Westhampton, Massachusetts – December 1, 1942

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On December 1, 1942, a flight of three P-47 aircraft left Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a formation training flight.  While passing over the Westhampton area, the flight encountered thick cloud conditions and became separated.  The cloud cover extended low to the ground, and one of the aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-5924), piloted by 2nd Lt. Charles C. May, crashed and exploded into the side of Tob Hill behind the Congregational Church.  Lt. May was killed instantly. 

     Lt. May, of Lauder, Michigan, was 21-years-old, assigned to the 340th Fighter Squadron.  

     Another aircraft assigned to this flight, a P-47B, (Ser. No. 41-6011), crashed in the town of Cummington, Massachusetts, after the pilot was forced to bail out.  The pilot, 2nd Lt. Jack Lastor, landed safely.  Cummington, Ma. – December 1, 1942

     Sources: 

     Springfield Republican, “Planes Crash In Westhampton, Cummington”, December 2, 1942  

     The Waterbury Evening Democrat, “Plane Crashes Blamed On Snow”, December 2, 1942

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Somerset, MA. – July 17, 1943

February 28, 2019

Somerset, Massachusetts – July 17, 1943

Taunton River – Fall River, MA.

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     Shortly before 4 p.m. on July 17, 1943, two P-47 aircraft were on a high-altitude training flight over the Fall River, Massachusetts, area.  Numerous people on the ground watched for roughly ten minutes as the aircraft conducted a series of maneuvers overhead, when it suddenly appeared that the planes had been involved in a mid-air collision.     

     One of the aircraft was a P-47C, (Ser. No. 41-6151) piloted by 1st Lt. Thomas J. Harding, 22, of Gypsum, Kansas.  The other was a P-47D, (Ser. No. 42-8210), piloted by 1st Lt. Benjamin Norris, Jr., 21, of Denver, Colorado.  Both men were assigned to the 310th Fighter Squadron based at Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island.  

     Lt. Harding’s aircraft was observed to fall to earth trailing smoke and flames.  He managed to bail out and his parachute was seen to open, and prevailing winds carried him eastward over Fall River until he came down on Main Street in the village of Assonet.  Meanwhile his airplane continued downward and crashed into a wooded area on the farm of Preston Hood in the town of Somerset.  Two youths working in a nearby field ran to the scene and being the first to arrive ascertained that the cockpit was empty before the flames consumed the plane.  

     While this was taking place, Lt. Norris’s P-47 was seen to go into a high-speed nose-dive and strike the Taunton River about 250 feet from shore across from an area known as “Harrington’s Switch”.   Lt. Norris was killed instantly. 

      Numerous bathers were along the river’s shoreline at the time.  The Taunton River lies between the municipalities of Somerset and Fall River. 

     One of the newspapers that covered the story was the Fall River Herald News, which described how debris from both aircraft rained down upon the area.  “The tail of the burned plane” it was reported, “as though sheared off with a knife, crashed to earth in the rear of Casey Filling Station on County St.” 

     It was also stated that a piece of aircraft tail section was also recovered on the farm of Chester Simcock in Swansea, Mass.  And smaller parts belonging to both aircraft were found in Somerset.

     Lt. Norris was the son of Army Colonel Benjamin Norris of the Medical Corps, and was survived by his wife whom he’d married barely three weeks earlier on June 28.  Lt. Norris was also a graduate of West Point Military Academy, class of January, 1943.  He’s buried in the military academy cemetery.  To see a photo of Lt. Norris in his cadet uniform, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial #12388987.

     Sources:

     Fall River Herald News, “Crash Of Two Army Planes Over City Being Probed; One Pilot Killed”, July 19, 1943, page 16.

     (A Somerset, Mass. newspaper – unknown name.) “Somerset Gets Slight Touch Of The Realism Of War As Two Planes Crash; Civilian Agencies Put To The Test”, July 22, 1943  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lincoln, MA. – July 10, 1945

February 24, 2018

Lincoln, Massachusetts – July 10, 1945

 

B-26G Bomber
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At about 11:15 a.m. on July 10, 1945, a U.S. Navy B-26 aircraft took off from Bedford Field in Bedford, Massachusetts, with five men aboard.  The B-26 aircraft was generally used by the Army Air Corps, however this particular airplane had been assigned to the navy.  The purpose of the flight was reported in the press to be “experimental”. 

     Shortly after take-off one of the engines caught fire causing the aircraft to rapidly loose altitude.  Witnesses on the ground reported seeing flames and smoke trailing from the plane as it went down.  The aircraft crashed and exploded on the Jensen Farm on Old Sudbury Road in the town of Lincoln.  All aboard perished.

     One witness to the accident was an unidentified Army veteran who’d flown 57 combat missions on a B-26.  He told a reporter, “I heard the plane take off from my home in Concord.  From the sound of the engine I knew immediately that the boys were in trouble.  It is a ‘hot’ ship, and very likely had a runaway prop.  When the engine in one of those babies cuts out you just have time to come down, unless you have plenty of space underneath.” 

     One of the flyers reportedly bailed out prior to the crash and was found, severely injured, by a group of boys who carried him to a nearby home where he died a short time later.     

     The navy flyers were identified as:

     Lt. William E. Ragsdale, of Artesia, New Mexico.

     Lt. James Thomas Hogan, 26, of Birmingham, Alabama.  He’s buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham.  See www.findagrave.com, memorial #185466812.

     AMM 1/c Edwin T. Luther, of Bristol, Rhode Island.

     AMM Howard T. Marshall, age 22 or 23.  He’s buried in Oakland Cemetery in Moberly Missouri.  See www.findagrave.com, memorial #70597092.

     AMM 3/c Charles P. Rogers, of Sudbury, Pennsylvania.    

     Source:

     Concord Journal, “Plane From Army Air Base Crashes In Woods In South Lincoln Area”, July 12, 1945, page 1.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Cheshire, MA. – March 9, 1943

February 22, 2018

Cheshire, Massachusetts – March 9, 1943

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 4:15 p.m. on March 9, 1943, a P-47B aircraft piloted by 2nd Lt. Sommers D. Levermore, 22, crashed on the farm of Adolph Geoffron, located on Windsor Road, in Cheshire, Massachusetts. 

     Two children on their way home from school witnessed the accident and ran to a nearby home to alert the homeowner, who then called the state police barracks in Pittsfield. 

     Several nearby residents made their way through the snow to reach the plane, which had come to rest in two pieces at a tree line at the edge of a field.  The pilot was still alive, and first aid was given, but he died a short time later before an ambulance could arrive. 

     The cause of the crash was not stated.

     Lt. Levermore was assigned to the 321st Fighter Squadron at Westover Field in Chicopee, Mass.

     Lt. Levermore was from Rockville Center, New York.  To see a photograph of him, go to www.findagrave.com, memorial #156413374.  

     Sources:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Cheshire Plane Crash Fatal To Army Pilot”, March 10, 1943.  (Article found on www.findagrave.com)

     Springfield Republican, “Cheshire Crash fatal To Young Army Flier; Plane Breaks In Two”, March 10, 1943, page 1

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Westover Field, MA. – August 17, 1943

February 22, 2018

Westover Army Air Field, Chicopee, Massachusetts – August 17, 1943    

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the evening of August 17, 1943, 2nd Lt. William E. Neudorfer was killed when the P-47B, (Ser. No. 41-6019), that he was piloting, crashed and burned as he was attempting to land at Westover Field.

     Lt. Neuforder was assigned to the 320th Fighter Squadron.

     He’s buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.  To see a photo of his grave see www.findagrave.com, memorial #3614500. 

     Sources:

     Larry Webster – Aviation Historian, Charlestown, R.I.

     www.findagrave.com 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Concord, MA. – July 19, 1945

February 21, 2018

Concord, Massachusetts – July 19, 1945

 

P-38 Lightning
U.S. Air Force photo

    On the morning of July 19, 1945, Captain Daniel Kennedy, (25), took off from Bedford Army Air Field in Bedford, Massachusetts, in a P-38L fighter plane, (Ser. No. 44-53016), for a routine training flight.  The weather was cloudy, with a 1,000 foot cloud ceiling.  At about 10:00 A. M. his aircraft was observed flying low over the Concord Country Club, and after banking around a large poplar tree it crashed and tumbled into a wooded area at the south edge of the club.  Captain Kennedy was killed instantly. The cause was thought to be mechanical failure. 

     Captain Kennedy is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Medford, Massachusetts.  To see photos of him, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149535459/daniel-kennedy

 

     Sources:

    Concord Journal, “Another Plane Crashes In Woods – This Time At Concord Country Club”, July 19, 1945, page 1.

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941 – 1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006. 

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Northborough, MA. – April 15, 1943

February 20, 2018

Northborough, Massachusetts – April 15, 1943

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the morning of April 15, 1943, 2nd Lt. James F. Lyons took off from Bedford Air Field in Bedford, Massachusetts, in a U.S. Army  P-47C aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-6459).  Lt. Lyons was assigned to the 342nd Fighter Squadron. 

     Shortly after 9:00 a.m., he was killed when his airplane crashed and exploded on the Tibbet’s Farm located on West Main Street in Northborough.  The crash was witnessed by a man and wife living across the street from the Tibbet’s Farm.  Their attention had been drawn skyward by the sound of a motor “screaming” overhead.  “It came out of the sky at a terrific speed,” the man later told a reporter, adding, “The thud and the explosion were awful.  It was all over in a few seconds.”  The couple ran to the site of the crash, but were driven back by exploding bullets.  

     The aircraft reportedly left a crater twenty feet across and ten feet deep, with stones and debris thrown up to 300 feet away. 

     Lt. Lyons was from Newport, Rhode Island. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 28, 1942, and was commissioned a second lieutenant at Marianna Field, Florida, on February 20, 1943.  From there was was assigned to Westover Field in Massachusetts.  

     The cause of the accident was unknown. 

     Sources:

     Evening Bulletin, (RI), “Newport Aviator Killed In Crash”, April 16, 1943, pg. 37.  

     The following two articles are from an unknown newspaper.  They were obtained from a scrapbook in the local history collection at the Shrewsbury Public Library, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.  Shrewsbury borders Northborough.    

     “Pilot Believed Killed In Fire Or Explosion”, April 16, 1943. 

     “Northboro Plane Victim Identified As Newport Flier”, April, 16, 1943 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Holyoke, MA. – May 22, 1943

February 16, 2018

Holyoke, Massachusetts – May 22, 1943

 

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On Saturday, May 22, 1943, two Army P-47 fighter planes collided in mid-air over the city of Holyoke.  One aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-6072), was piloted by 2nd Lt. Charnelle P. Larsen, 22, of Lakeland, Florida.  The other P-47, (Ser. No. 41-6050), was piloted by another 2nd lieutenant.  Both men were assigned to the 321st Fighter Squadron based at Westover Filed in Chicopee, Massachusetts.   

     The accident occurred at 6:20 pm, and numerous people saw the collision and watched the planes come down.  As both aircraft began to fall, the pilot of P-47 #41-6050 bailed out while the aircraft was at an altitude of only 700 feet, and remarkably, and his parachute opened successfully.  His airplane crashed into a large tree before striking the side of a two-story brick house at the corner of Hampden and Linden Streets where it exploded into flame.  The pilot meanwhile landed safely in a nearby tall tree on Linden Street, but had to wait to be rescued.    

     A mother and her two older sons were in the house at the time, but were not seriously injured.  A mailman was wounded when the flames began setting off the machinegun bullets in the wrecked airplane.  One bullet struck him in the right hand, but the injury was not life threatening.       

     As to Lieutenant Larsen, one wing of his aircraft was severely damaged from the collision, but he fought to maintain control because he was over a heavily populated neighborhood.  Witnesses reported seeing him try to steer his plane away from the area, but it continued to fall despite his best efforts.  He was killed instantly when his plane crashed and exploded in an alleyway between the homes facing Pine and Beach Streets, to the south of Appleton Street.  While some buildings suffered damage, there were no reported injuries. One account stated the aircraft came down behind 200 Pine Street.

     Lt. Larsen was praised by the Mayor for his heroic decision to remain with his aircraft in order to protect civilians on the ground.   

     Source:

     Holyoke Daily Transcript, “Lt. Larsen Dies Avoiding Local Homes In Saturday’s Double Crash”, May 34, 1943, page 1.   

     Unknown newspaper, “Army Flier Killed, Second escapes In Holyoke Collision”, May 22, 1943 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Andover, MA. – March 7, 1943

February 16, 2018

Andover, Massachusetts – March 7, 1943 

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the afternoon of March 7, 1943, two P-47 fighter planes from the 342nd Fighter Squadron based at Bedford Field, were conducting aerial maneuvers several thousand feet over the town of Andover.  The activity was closely monitored by members of the local civil defense who were manning a plane spotting tower. 

      One of the P-47s, (Ser. No. 41-6444), was piloted by 2nd Lt. John R. Prindle, 23, of Erie, Pennsylvania.  The other, (Ser. No. 41-6003), was piloted by another second lieutenant.  At 2:25 p.m., the two aircraft collided in mid-air, with Lt. Prindle’s plane loosing a significant portion of its wing.  As Prindle’s plane fell away, he bailed out and deployed his parachute, and northerly wind’s pulled him towards a large forested area. 

     Meanwhile his plane crashed and exploded on the estate of John B. Towle on Porter Road, barely missing the main house.  The resulting fire set off the live ammunition in the machine guns sending bullets flying in all directions and hindering firemen from extinguishing the blaze.  The house was unoccupied at the time and there were no injuries to those on the ground. 

     The other aircraft involved in the collision was able to safely make it back to Bedford Field. 

     The plane spotters immediately reported the crash, and the result was perhaps the largest search and rescue effort ever mobilized by the town.  Hundreds of military men, local and state officials, civil defense units, and volunteer civilians from Andover and nearby towns took part in the search to locate the missing pilot. The Red Cross supplied thousands of gallons of coffee and hundreds of pounds of food.   The search lasted throughout the night, with temperatures dropping to near zero.  One 15-year-old boy was reported to have frostbite. 

     Lt. Prindle was finally located the following morning, alive and in good spirits, in a wooded area near the Boxford town line.  His injuries received from the collision and bail out prevented him from walking out of the woods on his own.  He’d been able to keep warm due to the fact he’d been wearing his leather and fleece flying suit.   

     Sources:

     The Evening Tribune, (Lawrence, Ma.), “Pilot Found In Wooded Area”, March 8, 1943, page 1.       

     The Andover Townsman, “Army Flier Improves After Crash Sunday”, March 11, 1943, page 1.

    Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.), “Army Pilot Safe As Plane Burns”, March 8, 1943. 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard, MA. – May 8, 1945

January 13, 2018

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts – May 8, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     At 2:00 a.m. on the morning of May 8, 1945, an F6F-5N Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70543), was approaching the runway of the Martha’s Vineyard Naval Air Station when one of the wings clipped an unlighted obstruction which caused the aircraft to crash.  The plane suffered considerable damage, but the pilot was not seriously injured.    

     Source: U. S. Navy crash report 4-45

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard, MA. – April 8, 1945

January 13, 2018

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts – April 8, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On the night of April 8, 1945, an Ensign piloting an F6F Hellcat, (Bu. No. 71551), was approaching the runway at Martha’s Vineyard Air Field, but forgot to lower the landing gear.  The aircraft landed with the wheels up and began to skid along the tarmac during which time the belly fuel tank ruptured and burst into flame.  Fortunately the pilot was able to escape the burning plane unharmed.  The aircraft was destroyed by the fire.

     Source: U.S. Navy crash report

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Nantucket, MA. – March 4, 1945

January 13, 2018

Nantucket, Massachusetts – March 4, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On March 4, 1945, an Ensign piloting an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 77477),  taxied into position for takeoff at the Nantucket Naval Air Station.  After being granted clearance, he proceeded down the runway. When the aircraft had reached an altitude of about 20 feet, the engine suddenly cut out and lost all power.  The plane touched down approximately 100 feet beyond the end of the runway while still traveling at a considerable speed, where it struck a small mound and again left the ground.  It then stalled, and fell again, landing on the left wing and flipping over. 

     The pilot suffered a fractured vertebra, and the plane was wrecked, but did not burn.  The aircraft had been assigned to VF-92.

     Source:  U. S. Navy crash report, 10-45. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Off Martha’s Vineyard – March 8, 1945

January 12, 2018

Off Martha’s Vineyard – March 8, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

    Shortly before noon on March 8, 1945, an Ensign was piloting an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Ser. No. 42764), on a bombing practice flight off shore from Martha’s Vineyard.  After completing a run, the engine began to race and the prop began to spin at 3500 RPM.  Corrective measures were taken by the pilot but to no avail, and then the engine began to cut out and loose power.  The pilot made an emergency landing in the water and managed to escape from the aircraft before it sank.  He was rescued, but suffered from exposure from being in the cold water.

     According to the U.S. Navy crash investigation report, the aircraft was not salvaged.   The reason for the engine failure could not be determined.

     Source:  U. S. Navy crash investigation report

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Plum Island, MA. – September 4, 1951

December 21, 2017

Plum Island, Massachusetts – September 4, 1951

 

P-51 Mustang – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On September 4, 1951, two F-51D Mustang fighter planes, (A.K.A P-51), took off from Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine, for a navigational training flight.  Both aircraft were assigned to the 173rd Fighter Squadron of the 132nd Fighter-Bomber Wing.  One aircraft, (Ser. No. 44-72724), was piloted by Lt. Donald W. Stewart, Jr., 27; and the second aircraft, (Ser. No. 45-11383), was piloted by Lt. Bernard L. Packett, 26. 

     At about 4:15 p.m., while both aircraft were passing over the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, area, they were involved in a minor mid-air collision.  A radio conversation between the pilots discussing the situation was picked up by the radio operator at the Salem, Massachusetts, Coast Guard Station.  Lt. Stewart’s aircraft was more seriously damaged than that of Lt. Packett’s, and he was having trouble maintaining control.  The Salem operator immediately notified the station’s commanding officer.

     Lt. Steward was instructed to head for Logan International Airport in Boston, where emergency crews would be standing by, but when he arrived over the area of Newbury, Massachusetts, a town north of Boston, he radioed that he was having a greater difficulty maintaining altitude and control. 

     A Coast Guard rescue helicopter was dispatched with two men aboard: the pilot, Lt. Clarence R. Easter, and a crewman, Eugene J. Batkiewicz.       

     Lt. Stewart bailed out at 7,000 feet while over the area of Plum Island, in Newbury.  The parachute opened successfully, and he came down in the cold water a few hundred feet from shore.   The rescue helicopter was equipped with pontoons for a water landing.  Lt. Easter, seeing the parachute atop the surface, landed the helicopter on the water next to it, and dove in to assist Lt. Stewart who hadn’t surfaced.  Both he and Bathkiewicz managed to pull the unconscious Stewart aboard the chopper, and then raced to the Merrimac River Coast Guard station at the northern end of Plum Island.  There, doctors were unsuccessful in their attempts to revive Lt. Stewart, and pronounced him dead about forty-five minutes later.

     Lt. Stewart’s aircraft crashed into a sandy area of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island where it exploded and burned.    

     Lt. Packett was able to successfully fly his aircraft back to Dow AFB.

     Lt. Stewart was a 1946 graduate of West Point, and was survived by his wife and two children.  He’s buried in Lincoln Memorial Park, Lincoln, Nebraska.  To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com, memorial # 95846596. 

     Sources:

     Newburyport Daily News, “Pilot Dies Despite Rescue Efforts By Coast Guard Off Plum Island Beach”, September 5, 1951, page 1

     www.findagrave.com

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – April 29, 1965

November 2, 2017

Atlantic Ocean – April 29, 1965

     On April 29, 1965, a U. S. Navy, Grumman C-2A Greyhound prototype aircraft, (Bu. No. 148147), took off from Long Island, New York, for a test flight over the Atlantic Ocean.  (News accounts did not state the airplane’s intended destination.)

     The pilot was Commander Murdoch M. McLeod, (40), of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and the co-pilot was Lieutenant Commander Thomas A. Eades, (30), of Dallas, Texas.   

     Both men were assigned to the Patuxent River Naval Station in Maryland.

     At about 5:30 p.m. the pilot radioed that they were having engine trouble and that he was making an emergency landing in the water.  A search and rescue operation was instituted, during which an oil slick was sighted off the coast of Charlestown, Rhode Island, (One report states Block Island Sound.)  The oil was analyzed and found not to be the type used for aviation, and was presumed to have been from a fishing vessel. 

     At one point a navy helicopter from Quonset Point, Rhode Island, that was taking part in the search, was forced to make an emergency water landing in Peconic Bay, Long Island, due to lack of fuel.  There were no injuries, and the helicopter was towed to shore by a Coast Guard boat.  

     The search encompassed a huge area of open water ranging from Long Island, New York, to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, but no wreckage of the aircraft was found.  One Coast Guard vessel involved in the search was the 210-foot Vigilant.  Others included the 95-foot Cape Fairweather, and the 82-foot Point White, as well as the Cape Star and Point Wells. 

     On May 1st, the bodies of Commander McLeod and Lt. Cmdr. Eades were recovered from Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts, west of Cuttyhunk Island.  According to all newspaper reports, they were the only two crewmen aboard the aircraft.  

     Sources:

     Unknown Newspaper, Associated Press report,  “Test Plane, crew Sought In Sound”, April 30, 1965.

     The Berkshire Eagle, (Pittsfield, Mass.), (UPI report), “Search Goes On For Missing Navy Plane”,  April 30, 1965, page 30.

     Newport Daily News, (R.I.), “Planes Hunt Sound For Lost Fliers”, April 30, 1965, page 2.

     New London Day, “Air, Sea Units Searching For Missing Navy Plane”, April 30, 1965 

     Sag Harbor Express, (N.Y.), “Bodies Were Recovered”, May 6, 1965.

     Biddeford-Saco Journal, (Biddeford, Maine), under “Personals”, May 11, 1965.  The funerals of Fireman Frederick R. Fredette, of Biddeford, and Electrician’s Mate 3/C Arthur J. Brown, of Old Orchard Beach, Me. were listed together.  It was stated that both had been serving aboard the Coast Guard cutter Vigilant during the search for the missing aircraft ten days earlier.  No details were given.       

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Westfield, MA. – October 4, 1974

October 20, 2017

Westfield, Massachusetts – October 4, 1974

     On October 4, 1974, a Massachusetts Air National Guard F-100D fighter jet was landing at Barnes Airport in Westfield when the drogue parachute failed to deploy properly.  (The parachute is designed to help slow and stop the aircraft during landings.)  

     The fighter jet then overshot the runway after touchdown, and continued at approximately 175 mph through 1,000 feet of brush and two fences before reaching the Massachusetts Turnpike, (aka Rt. 90), where it crashed into a passing car killing the lone 22-year-old woman driver.  The jet then flipped over and came to rest upright on the opposite side of the highway.  There was no fire as a result of the crash, and the 26-year-old pilot wasn’t seriously injured.    

     The aircraft was attached to the 104th Tactical Fighter Group of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

     Source:

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Woman Killed As Airplane Hits Her Car”, October 8, 1974, page 8.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Williamsburg, Mass. B-24 Bomber Crash – May 1, 1945

September 4, 2017

The Williamsburg, Massachusetts B-24 Bomber Crash – May 1, 1945

 

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the morning of May 1, 1945, a flight of U. S. Army B-24 Liberator aircraft left Westover Field Air Base  in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a combat formation training flight.  Briefing for the flight had been held at 3:00 a.m. during which the pilots had been told that there would be a low cloud overcast covering the area, but that it was expected to clear.  However, after the flight was airborne for nearly two hours, instead of improving, weather conditions had continued to deteriorate, and the overcast gradually extended lower and lower to the ground.        

      Shortly before 8:30 a.m., one aircraft, a B-24J, (Ser. No. 42-50995), began to drop down through the overcast, which by now extended nearly to the ground.  The crew however, was unaware of this.  The pilots watched the altimeter closely.  It was reading 1,500 feet when they suddenly broke through the mist and found themselves at tree-top level over the town of Williamsburg, Massachusetts.  The pilots attempted to climb and gave the engines full throttle but it wasn’t enough.  The plane barely missed a private home before it began clipping tree-tops for a third of a mile and then crashed into a wooded area of second-growth trees off Briar Hill Road. The B-24 plowed several hundred feet though the woods knocking down trees and smashing through stone walls, breaking apart in the process.  Although its fuel tanks held high-octane aviation fuel, there was no fire which saved the lives of crew members trapped in the wreckage.    

     Two of the crew were killed instantly in the crash, a third died two days later.  The other seven suffered various injuries, but survived.  Only the co-pilot was able to extricate himself form the wreckage.  

     Among the first to reach the scene were some local residents including Doctor Ruth V. Hemenway, and a group of wood cutters who had been working nearby.  Fire and rescue crews from Williamsburg, Northampton, and Westover Field, as well as state and local police, also arrived to help.  It reportedly took rescuers more than an hour to free those trapped in the wreckage.  The injured were transported Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton.       

     Those who lost their lives were identified as:

     (Nose Gunner) Corporal Kenneth Virgil Powell, age 19, of Urbana, Ohio.  

     (Gunner) Corporal Donald R. McKenzie, of Spokane, Washington. Cpl. McKenzie was survived by his wife and daughter. 

     (Gunner) Corporal Joseph Skwara, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Cpl. Skwara survived the initial crash, but later succumbed to his injuries. 

     The following images of the crash scene are from the U.S. Air Force investigation report.

 Click on images to enlarge.

Air Force photo from crash report.

Air Force photo from crash report.

Air Force photo from crash report.

Air Force photo from crash report.

      Sources:

     Army Air Forces Report Of Major Accident, #45-5-1-5

     Research Paper, “Burgy Plane Crash, Briar Hill, 1945”, by Ralmon Jon Black, Williamsburg Historical Society, 2012.  Includes articles from the Springfield Union News, and Daily Hampshire Gazette, and other information about the accident.  

     Daily Hampshire Gazette, “Third Member Of Crew In Bomber Dies From Injuries”, May 3, 1945 

     Daily Hampshire Gazette, “Fire Chief Is Commended By Colonel Henry”, May 8, 1945

     Book, “History Of The Williamsburg Fire Department”, by Mary S. Bisbee, Roger A. Bisbee, Peter B. Banister, c. 1998

     Obituary for Cpl. Donald McKenzie, Spokane Daily Chronicle, May 5, 1945, page 6.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nantucket, MA. – January 11, 1970

August 4, 2017

Nantucket, Massachusetts – January 11, 1970

     At 9:29 a.m., a U.S. Marine Corps Beechcraft TC-45J training aircraft took off from the South Weymouth Naval Air Station near Boston for a routine training flight to Nantucket island.  There were two men aboard.  The pilot was Captain Robert Girouard, 33.  The other officer was Captain Almon F. Townsend, 30. 

     The airplane made a safe landing at Nantucket Airport and took off again at 11:00 a.m.  Shortly after takeoff, just as the plane reached an altitude of 1,000 feet, the engines suddenly lost all power.  Captain Girouard was able to bring the aircraft in for a crash landing in an open field near the end of the runway.  There was no fire, and neither of the men were hurt. 

     Source:

     Providence Journal, “2 Marines Escape Training Plane Crash In Mass.”, January 12, 1973  

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Westport, MA – December 17, 1944

July 15, 2017

Westport, Massachusetts – December 17, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     At 1:40 p.m. on December 17, 1944, Lieutenant John Brodka left Martha’s Vineyard Auxiliary Naval Air Station in Massachusetts bound for Charlestown Auxiliary Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  He was piloting an F6F Hellcat, (Bu. No. 41380).

     Twenty minutes into his flight, while passing over the town of Westport, Massachusetts, the engine began to miss fire and the plane began losing altitude.  Forced to make an emergency landing, Brodka picked out a open field.  As he was making his approach the engine suddenly lost all power and stopped which caused the plane to settle faster than anticipated, which put it on a collision course with a wooded area just ahead of the field.  All the while the pilot continued to try restarting the engine.  Just before he was about to crash into the trees, the engine started and ran for three or four seconds before stopping again, but it was enough to carry the plane over the trees and into the field.

     The field was muddy which affected the brakes.  The aircraft crashed through a fence, crossed a road, and struck a telephone pole and went into a roadside ditch.  Despite extensive damage to the plane, Lieutenant Brodka was not hurt.    

     Lt. Brodka was assigned to VF-52.

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report, dated December 17, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard, MA – February 7, 1945

July 15, 2017

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts – February 7, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On February 7, 1945, a navy pilot took off from Martha’s Vineyard Auxiliary Naval Air Station in an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70333), for a routine training flight.  About 45 minutes later, the pilot reported that he had engine trouble and was given clearance to return to the naval station.  By the time the pilot returned to the field, a coating of snow and ice covered the runways.  The plane touched down and began to skid.  It then proceeded to crash through a stone wall and was wrecked.  The pilot was injured because the shear pin on his harness broke loose, but the extend of his injuries were not specified.     

     Source: U.S. Navy Accident Report, dated February 7, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Off Aquinnah, MA – February 17, 1945

July 12, 2017

Off Aquinnah, Massachusetts – February 17, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     Aquinnah is a town on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.  Until 1997 it was known as Gay Head. 

     At about 7:35 p.m., on the evening of February 17, 1945, navy pilot Chester Anderson, (Rank not given), was piloting an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 72301), off Aquinnah, Massachusetts, on a night bombing practice training flight.  Anderson and other aircraft in the flight were practicing on a half-submerged wreck off the coast.  Anderson had contacted another aircraft taking part in the exercise just prior to making his “bomb run”.  A short time later he failed to answer his radio.  Nobody had witnessed what happened, but it was presumed he crashed into the water. 

     Source: U.S. Navy Accident Report, dated February 17, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Off Nantucket, MA – December 10, 1944

July 12, 2017

Off Nantucket, MA – December 10, 1944

 

Hellcat Fighters
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the night of December 10, 1944, a flight of eleven F6F Hellcats were engaged in practicing night breakups and rendezvous off Nantucket Island.  Lieutenant John Ignatius Drew, piloting (Bu. No. 58164), was leading a division of four planes in which Ensign John Daniel Cassidy, piloting (Bu. No. 58277), was the second section wingman.  After the final rendezvous, Lieutenant Drew and Ensign Cassidy didn’t join up with the rest of the flight.  Due to the darkness their absence wasn’t noticed and the other nine aircraft began returning to Nantucket Naval Air Station.  Meanwhile, Drew and Cassidy had joined up together, but didn’t see the other aircraft.  Ensign Cassidy radioed the flight leader asking for their position and was told that the aircraft were nearing the navy base. This was the last communication from Ensign Cassidy.  Both Cassidy and Drew subsequently disappeared and were presumed to have crashed in the ocean. 

     As to the cause of the disappearance, it was stated in the navy accident report, “”Since the night was clear and the pilots were familiar with the area the likelihood of their having become lost is small.  Therefore it is assumed that the pilots may have been victims of vertigo or collision.” 

     Both men were assigned to VF-88

    Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report dated December 10, 1944.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chatham, MA – January 15, 1945

July 11, 2017

Chatham, Massachusetts – January 15, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On January 15, 1945, Ensign Robert C. Baker, piloting an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70161), took part in a gunnery training flight off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  At about 1:15 p.m. as he was returning to base and passing over the town of Chatham,  the engine stopped working.  Baker dropped the landing gear and aimed for an open field.  As he came closer to the field he saw that there was a trench running across the middle of where he intended to set down so he intentionally overshot the area but wound up crashing into some trees lining the edge of the field.  

     Although the aircraft suffered significant damage, Ensign Baker was not hurt.  Investigators believed the engine failure was due to loss of oil pressure.  

     Ensign baker was assigned to VF-88.

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report dated January 15, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Squantum Naval Air Station – January 21, 1945

July 11, 2017

Squantum Naval Air Station – January 21, 1945

Quincy, Massachusetts

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On January 21, 1945, Lt. (jg.) Peter Rippa, took off in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 41789), from Squantum Naval Air station on a routine familiarization flight. 

     As he was returning to the base, he found that the landing gear wouldn’t come down.  After several tires he notified the tower of his situation and was cleared for an emergency landing on Runway 260.  Rippa brought the plane down on its belly and skidded to a stop.  The Hellcat was heavily damaged by Rippa was not hurt.

     The aircraft was assigned to VF-21.

     Source: U.S. Navy Accident Report dated January 21, 1945  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – March 23, 1949

February 11, 2020

     Atlantic Ocean – March 23, 1949

Updated October 7, 2023

Lt. Cmdr. Albert D. Foster

       On the evening of March 23, 1949, Lt. Cmdr. Albert D. Foster and Lt. Cmdr. S. Larch Miller, took off from Quantico, Virginia, in a pair of F4U Corsairs on what was to be a ferry mission to the Squantum Naval Air Station in Quincy, Massachusetts.   Shortly after 7:00 p.m. the two men found themselves in thick fog conditions over the Providence, Rhode Island, area and began circling in hopes of gaining a visual reference to pinpoint their exact location during which time the two became separated.   At 7:20 p.m. Lt. Cmdr. Foster reported he was low on fuel and would have to bail out.  

     Lt. Cmdr. Miller found his way to Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and safely landed there.     

     Meanwhile a search was begun for Foster.  As word spread through the media, authorities were contacted by numerous well-meaning citizens anxious to report what they thought they might have seen or heard the night before, yet there had been no reports of a plane crash, or any sign of the missing airman. 

     Initially the search centered on Rhode Island, but was widened to include Massachusetts and Connecticut.  Numerous military and civilian searchers took part both on the ground and in the air. 

      It was speculated that Foster might have been injured when he bailed out and was lying injured in a remote wooded area.  One area of Rhode Island that was searched was the Buck Hill Management Area because a civilian had reported hearing a plane flying in that direction with its engine sputtering. 

     Another civilian pilot reported seeing what he thought was a parachute in the Massachusetts woods between North Grafton and Westboro. 

     Yet another search concentrated on a wooded area of Northbridge, Massachusetts, after two credible witnesses reported hearing cries for help near the Rice City Dam.  Despite an extensive search of the area nothing was found.   

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

     Then on March 26, the fishing vessel Calista D. Morrill was dragging its nets off Thatcher’s Island (Massachusetts) when it snagged portions of an aircraft that were later identified as being part of the one flown by Lt. Cmdr. Foster.  The recovered pieces, which included the engine, a wheel, and parts of the wings and fuselage, were brought to the Dolliver’s Neck Coast Guard Station.  The condition of the artifacts suggested the aircraft had crashed into the water, and had not made an emergency water landing.  The question relating to initial reports about Lt. Cmdr. Foster bailing out over the Providence metro area were never answered. 

     Lt. Cmdr. Foster’s body was later recovered and it was announced in his obituary that his remans would be cremated and interred later.  

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/211421246/albert-donald-foster

     Lieutenant Commander Foster was an experienced pilot who’d flown combat missions in the Pacific during World War II.  He served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Lunga Point, and participated in attacks at Leyete, Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross with one gold star, and the Air Medal with five gold stars.

     He was survived by his wife and child.

     A related story to this incident involved two civilian volunteer searchers who were seriously injured when their light plane crashed in Norfolk, Massachusetts, when it ran out of fuel. 

     Sources:

     Pawtuxet Valley Times, (RI), “Navy And Police Puzzled At Plane’s Disappearance”, March 24, 1949, page 1

     Pawtuxet Valley Times, (RI), “50 Planes search For Missing Flyer”, March 25, 1949, page 1

     Pawtuxet Valley Times, (RI), “Navy Experts Examine Plane Wreckage Found”, March 26, 1949, page 1

     Woonsocket Call, (RI), “Planes Fly Grim Hunt For navy Flier Who Bailed Out Last Night”, March 24, 1949, page 1

     Woonsocket Call, (RI), “Planes Search Mid-Bay State For Lost Flyer”, March 25, 1949, Page 4

     Woonsocket Call, (RI), “Woods Scoured – Navy Pilot Missing 3 Days; Wreckage Spotted In Ocean”, March 26, 1949

     Woonsocket Call, (RI), “Navy Calls Off Uxbridge Area hunt For Pilot”, March 26, 1949

     Quincy Patriot Ledger, (Mass.), “60 Planes Continue Search For Missing Weymouth Flier”, March 25, 1949

     Quincy Patriot Ledger, (Mass.), “Plane Wreckage Found At Sea”, March 26, 1949, page 1 

     Quincy Patriot Ledger, (Mass.), “Navy Planes Scan Coastline For Trace Of Missing Flier”, March 28, 1949, page 1

     Quincy Patriot Ledger, (Mass.) “Leak In dragger Forces Postponement Of Plane Salvage”, March 30, 1949

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Gardner, MA. – July 29, 1966

July 5, 2017

Gardner, Massachusetts – July 29, 1966

 

F-84 Thunderjet – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 29, 1966, a Massachusetts Air National Guard F-84 fighter jet left Barnes Air Force Base in Westfield, Massachusetts, for a routine training flight.  The pilot was Captain Daniel Palucca, assigned to the 104th Tactical Fighter Group based at Barnes.  Shortly before noon, while flying over the town of Gardner, the aircraft began experiencing mechanical difficulties to the extent that maintaining control became impossible.  Captain Palucca aimed the aircraft away from the densely populated area of town and ejected. 

     The F-84 crashed into a wooded area where Jackson Hill Road and Kendall Street meet.  It broke into numerous pieces and burned. Captain Palucca landed safely several yards off Route 2A near the Skorko junkyard not far from the Westminster town line with only minor injuries.    

     Source:

    The Gardner News, (Gardner, Mass.), “Plane Crashes, Explodes On Jackson Hill Rd. – Pilot Parachutes To Safety Shortly Before Impact, Avoids Homes In Area”, July 29, 1966  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Granby, MA. – February 1, 1965

July 3, 2017

Granby, Massachusetts – February 1, 1965

 

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On February 1, 1965, a flight of three Massachusetts Air National Guard F-86 Sabre jets left Tampa, Florida, to return to Barnes Airport  in Westfield, Massachusetts, after completing aerial gunnery training.  As the aircraft entered the New England area they encountered a snowstorm and were diverted to Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  There, the three planes circled the Westover Field area for about fifteen minutes, according to a husband and wife who lived Granby, Massachusetts, a town to the northeast of Chicopee.  As they watched the planes, one was seen to crash and explode in a gravel pit located in a wooded area, about 1,000 feet from the nearest home.  The witnesses said it was still snowing heavily at the time of the accident.  

     The downed aircraft, (Ser. No. 0-22019), had been piloted by Major James Romanowicz, age 45, of the 104th Tactical Fighter Group of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.   

     Major Romanowicz was a veteran aviator, having served as an army pilot during World War II with the 10th Tactical Fighter Group.  He’d been serving with the Massachusetts Air National Guard since 1948, and had been rated a command pilot since 1959.   He’s buried in Gethsemane Cemetery in Athol, Massachusetts.  He left behind a wife and six children.

     The other two aircraft landed safely.

     Sources:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Pilot Killed By Jet Crash In Mass. Town”, Date unknown.

     www.findagrave.com, memorial #89990193

     Springfield Union, “Athol Pilot Loses Life In F-86 Crash In Granby”, February 2, 1965

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Southampton, MA – July 18, 1964

July 3, 2017

Southampton, Massachusetts – July 18, 1964

 

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 18, 1964, a flight of four Massachusetts Air National Guard F-86 Sabre jets were returning to Barnes Airport after a gunnery training mission.  One of the Sabre’s was piloted by Captain John H. Paris, 33, of Newburgh, New York. 

     As the jets approached the airfield, Paris’s aircraft suddenly lost power and dropped out of formation.  Captain Paris ejected, but his parachute failed to open.  He fell into Pequot Pond and was killed.

     Meanwhile, his F-86 came regained level flight and belly land on its own in an open field about 2 miles northeast of the north end of Runway 20 at Barnes Airport; about 700 feet east of Ross Road.   The aircraft sustained major damage but there was no fire.

     Captain Paris was part of the 131st Fighter Squadron.   

     Source:

     Providence Journal, (R.I.), “Flier Killed In Crash As Thousands Watch”, July 19, 1964

     Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, Charlestown, R.I. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Springfield, MA. – March 9, 1963

July 2, 2017

Springfield, Massachusetts – March 9, 1963

 

B-52 Stratofortress
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On March 9, 1963, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress was on a flight from Westover Air Force Base when the escape hatch door beneath Lt. Col. John T. Ertler, the B-52’s Radar Navigator, suddenly blew open and he was sucked out of the aircraft while the plane was at 30,000 feet.  Fortunately Lt. Col. Ertler was wearing his parachute and landed in a tree in Springfield where he suffered cuts and a broken arm.   

     The escape hatch came down in the back yard of a private home in Springfield.   There were no injuries to the occupants of the home.  

     Source:

     Providence Journal, “Tossed From Bomber 30,000 Feet In Air”, March 10, 1963  

     Update, May 19, 2018

     The escape hatch measured about 3ft by 5 ft.  It reportedly came down in the yard of 37 Linden Street which is directly across from Sacred Heart School where classes were in session at the time.

     An air force helicopter was able to land in the back yard of 51 Cunningham Street to take the injured flyer to the hospital. 

     Source: Springfield Union, “Navigator Is Sucked Out Opening, lands Near Van Horn Dike”, Mach 8, 1963   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – May 1, 1958

July 2, 2017

Atlantic Ocean – May 1, 1958

 

Douglas AD-4N Skyraider
Naval History And Heritage Command

    On May 1, 1958, U.S. Navy Lieutenant(jg.) Willaim C. Cox, 25, of Wickford, Rhode Island, was piloting a Douglas AD-5 Skyraider on a training flight off Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.  At 11:30 a.m. he reported that he had an emergency and was bailing out from an altitude of 2,000 feet.  No position was given. 

     Two witnesses reported seeing the plane go down in Vineyard Sound about 8 miles west of Martha’s Vineyard, about half way between Noman’s Land and Cuttyhunk Islands, but did not see a parachute.  A search was instituted, but neither Lt. Cox or his aircraft were recovered.     

     Source:

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Navy Plane, Body Found Off Vineyard”, July 10, 1958.   This headline refers to a WWII navy Hellcat that was found in the waters off Martha’s Vineyard with the pilot’s remains still inside.  The last part of the article mentions Lieutenant (jg.) Cox’s accident.   The two incidents were not related.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Plymouth, MA. – October 5, 1943

June 29, 2017

Plymouth, Massachusetts – October 5, 1943

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On October 5, 1943, navy Lieutenant John H. Sandor was descending from a high altitude flight over Cape Cod in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 26127), when he noticed that the oil pressure for his engine had dropped to 50 pounds.  Normal oil pressure readings should have been between 80 to 95 pounds.  Sandor began preparations for an emergency landing, and steered for an auxiliary air field in Plymouth.  As he was making his approach the oil pressure continued to drop even further and then the propeller suddenly froze as the engine seized.   The aircraft came down and struck some small trees before flipping over onto its back.  Although the aircraft was severely damaged, Lieutenant Sandor escaped with minor injuries.    

     Source:

     U.S. Navy Accident Report #44-8941

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Mt. Greylock, MA – April 2, 1958

January 31, 2017

Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts – April 2, 1958

Observation Tower on Mt. Greylock.

     On April 2, 1958, a U.S. Navy twin-engine Beech SNB-5 left Grosse Ile Naval Air Station in Michigan bound for South Weymouth Naval Air Station in Massachusetts, on a scheduled navigational training flight.   The plane carried a crew of two: the pilot, Commander Robert D. Vanderberg, 38, of Trenton, Michigan, and the co-pilot, Lieutenant Eugene B. Ganley, 24, of Grosse Ile.

     At about 1:30 p.m. the aircraft was in the vicinity of Albany, New York, where Commander Vanderberg communicated with the tower at Albany Airport.  The weather was snowy, with low clouds and poor visibility.  Just minutes after Vanderberg’s last transmission the Beech plowed into the cloud covered peak of Mt. Greylock.  The impact occurred on the southwest ridge just 50 feet below the 3,491 foot summit.     

     Lt. Ganley initially survived the crash, but succumbed to his injuries about an hour later.  Commander Vanderberg was seriously injured, and had to wait twenty-one hours in the frigid temperatures before help arrived. 

     A search and rescue helicopter circled twice overhead, but failed to see the wreckage due to the weather.  On the third pass the clouds lifted and the downed aircraft was seen.  Medical corpsmen T/Sgt. Charles Kansaku, and S/Sgt. Eugene Slabinski, were lowered from the hovering copter to treat Commander Vanderberg’s injuries.  Vanderberg was then airlifted off the mountain and brought to North Adams Hospital.   Kansaku and Slabinski were ordered to remain behind at the crash site until navy personnel arrived to take over.    

     Heavy snowfall hindered recovery and salvage operations.

     This is the only military aircraft accident known to have occurred on Mt. Greylock.   

     There are have been at least two civilian airplanes that have crashed on the mountain. One on August 12, 1948, and the other on September 17, 1988.  Both resulted in fatalities. 

      Sources:

     North Adams Transcript, (Ma.), “Injured Pilot Improving; Body Of Second held Here”, April 4, 1958  

     Naval Air Station Grosse Ile Virtual Museum – Crash On Mt. Greylock Page – NASGI SNB Crash on Mount Greylock

     Boston Globe, “Pilot Found Alive, 2 Presumed Dead After Plane Crash On Mt. Greylock”, September 19, 1988

     The Recorder – Greenfield, Mass.,, “Recorder Columnist Hikes Mount Greylock To Plane Wreckage”, by Chip Ainsworth, June 3, 2016  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Quabbin Reservoir Land – April 3, 1955

December 12, 2016

Quabbin Reservoir Land – April 3, 1955

Town of Petersham, Massachusetts

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 3, 1955, 1st lt. Dewey B. Durrett, 25, of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, took off from Barnes ANG base in Westfield, Massachusetts, for a navigational training flight.  He was piloting an F-94A Starfire jet, (#49-2552), assigned to the 131st Fighter Interceptor Squadron based at Barnes.  The weather was poor, requiring IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). 

     Lt. Durrett left Barnes at 12:02 p.m.  By 1:25 p.m. he was on his way back to Barnes when he was instructed to land at Westover Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, because it was snowing at Barnes.  Lt. Durrett acknowledged, but not long afterwards radar contact with his aircraft was lost due to weather conditions.  

     The tower at Westover tried to reestablish contact through standard means and was unsuccessful.  At about 2:15 p.m., being unsure of his position, and the fact that the aircraft was now very low on fuel, Lt. Durret was advised to bail out.   

     When his chute deployed and he came out of the clouds, Lt. Durret saw that he was over the Quabbin Reservoir.  The F-94 crashed in a wooded area on reservoir land within the town limits of Petersham.     

     Lt. Durrett landed safely in a thickly wooded area. After accessing his situation, he carried his parachute to an open area where he spread it on the ground so it would be visible from the air.  He then placed a rescue dingy on top of it to hold it in place, and began to hike his way out of the woods.    

     Lt. Durrett had a successful military career, and eventually retired from military service a Lieutenant Colonel.   (To read a biography of Lt. Col. Durrett, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial #72272325.)   

     Source: U.S. Air Force crash investigation report, #55-4-3-3

     The crash site of the F-94 can still be seen today.  It is against federal and state law to remove any portions of the wreckage from the crash site.        

Click on images to enlarge.   

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir
The marks on the stick are 12 inches apart on center.

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir.
The marks on the stick are 12 inches on center for scale.

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

A portion of the F-94 Starfire that Crashed at the Quabbin Reservoir in 1955.

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site, Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site, Quabbin Reservoir

F-94 Crash Site, Quabbin Reservoir.

F-94 Crash Site, Quabbin Reservoir

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Off Falmouth, MA. – October 27, 1953

May 10, 2021
 

Off Falmouth, Massachusetts – October 27, 1953

Buzzard’s Bay

    

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 7:00 p.m. on the evening of October 27, 1953, a U.S. Air Force F-94C Starfire jet, (Ser. No. 51-5522A), took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth to participate in a two-ship night-radar training mission.  The other aircraft taking part in the exercise was Ser. No. 51-5585.     

     Each aircraft carried a crew of two men.

    Ser. No. 51-5522A was piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Arledge Wayne Suggs, 22, with his radar observer, 2nd Lieutenant David Holmes Barckhoff, 23.   

     The second aircraft (Ser. No. 51-5585) was piloted by Lt. R. J. Cochi, with his radar observer Lt. H. W. Bradt.  

     Both aircraft were assigned to the 58th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, of the 4707th Defense Wing of the Eastern Air Defense Force.

     Lt. Suggs was to fly as the target aircraft in what was to be more or less an aerial game of hide-and-seek.  Their call sign for the mission was designated as “Ablaze 65”, and the pursuit aircraft was designated “Ablaze 64”

     One minute after take-off Lt. Suggs turned off the afterburner and began circling the base in a holding pattern at 2,000 feet while waiting for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) clearance from Otis tower.  The weather at the time was poor, with overcast conditions rising to nearly 10,000 feet.  

     At 7:20 p.m. Lt. Suggs received clearance to fly “500 on top”, and he initiated a gentle climb with an increase to power, on a heading of 260 degrees from the base.

     Approximately three minutes later while at about 6,300 feet, the aircraft was rocked by an explosion in the aft section.  The pilot immediately reduced throttle and began a gentle turn to the left. 

     A portion of the official Air Force investigation report narrative describes what happened next, “A bright orange glow was noted surrounding the aft section of the aircraft. The pilot called the Radar Observer stating, “We are on fire.”  The Radar Observer replied, “Affirmative.  Hell yes we are!” The Radar Observer then asked the pilot if he wanted the canopy blown.  The answer was in the affirmative.  At this time, an attempt was made to gain altitude but the elevator control was very sloppy and ineffective.  The canopy blew, and although dazed by the air blast, the pilot switched to Guard Channel (UHF) and called “Ablaze 65, May Day, May Day, May Day.”  He reached for the left arm rest and after several unsuccessful attempts to raise it, raised the right arm rest.  He then attempted to again raise the left arm rest without success.  By this time, he felt the Radar Observer had time to prepare for and eject himself, so he ejected.  He blacked out momentarily, and when he came to, he was tumbling through the air.  He pulled the rip cord and the chute blossomed and realized he was still in the seat.  He unbuckled the safety belt and the seat fell away.  While descending over the shore line, he heard an explosion in back of him (away from shore). He landed near a country road, walked to a house and called the air base.”      

     Lt. Suggs landed safely in a wooded area somewhere between the North Falmouth traffic rotary and Old Silver Beach.  He was able to free himself of his parachute and make his way to a private residence on Shore Road where he encountered the owner of the house who brought him inside.

     The homeowner later told to a reporter of the Cape Cod Standard Times what happened next; “I put the man down on the living room couch, gave him some coffee and called Otis Air Force Base.  The man appeared very dazed and confused and kept mumbling about his buddy who had bailed out a few seconds before this man left the plane.”

     As a point of fact, Lt. Barckhoff hadn’t bailed out, and he and the aircraft were missing. 

     “This flyer”, the homeowner went on, “who said his name was Lieutenant Suggs, said the plane caught fire somewhere over this general area and he headed the craft in the direction of Buzzard’s Bay before the two men bailed out.”

     An ambulance came and transported Lt. Suggs back to Otis AFB for treatment.  Meanwhile an extensive search was underway to locate Lt. Barckhoff and the missing plane, but come daybreak nothing had been found. 

     Foul weather hampered the search.  Military personnel, fire and police, and civilian volunteers combed the woods and shoreline for clues. A special air rescue squadron was brought in from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  An Air Force Crash boat and Coast Guard vessels dragged the bottom of Buzzard’s Bay.  Yet despite these efforts, no trace of the F-94 or Lt. Barckhoff was ever found.     

       The cause of the accident was not conclusively determined because the aircraft was never found.    

     Although Lt. Suggs survived this ordeal, he later lost his life on March 12, 1956, when an F-89 Scorpion jet he was piloting on a training mission over Michigan crashed in the Huron State Forrest. 

      Below are selected pages from the 96 page Air Force Investigation Report. 

Click on images to enlarge.

Suggs/Barckhoff Accident Report Face Sheet

Suggs/Barckhoff Accident Report
Face Sheet

Report Narrative

Report Narrative

     Another F-94C aircraft from Otis AFB was lost on October 12, 1953, fifteen days prior to this incident.  For more information click here: http://newenglandav.s431.sureserver.com/off-cape-cod-october-12-1953/

     Sources:

     United States Air Force Crash Investigation Report # 53-10-27-7 dated 27 October, 1953.

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Jet Flyer Safe, 2d Hunted In Accident”, Oct. 28, 1953, 1.

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Radar Officer From Otis Still Missing”, Oct. 29, 1953, 1.

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Air Officer Search Pushed”, Oct. 30, 1953.

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Bay Check By Divers Considered”, Oct. 31, 1953.

     Falmouth Enterprise, “They Heard Blast Overhead And Found Man Walking”, Oct. 28, 1953.

     Falmouth Enterprise “Scalloper Discovers Fragment of Body”, Nov. 13, 1953, 1

     Salem News, (Salem, Ohio),“Lt. David Barckhoff Lost After Jet Plane Mishap”, Oct. 29, 1953.

     Iosco County News, “Wurtsmith Jet Crash Kills Two”, March 15, 1956, p1.

     The Daily News – (Huntingdon and Mount Union, PA) “2 Planes Crash Killing 6; Jet Lost In Forrest”, UPI, March 13, 1956

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Boston Harbor – December 19, 1928

May 18, 2016

Boston Harbor – December 19, 1928 

     On December 19, 1928, a U.S. Army O2C biplane, (#627) took off from Boston Airport for a training flight.  At some point the aircraft nose-dived into the harbor from an altitude of 500 feet – the cause was not stated.  Fortunately it stayed afloat long enough for both men aboard to be rescued. 

     The pilot was Joseph A. Wilson.  The identity of the second crewman is unknown.

     Sources:

     The Milwaukee Sentinel, “Army Plane Dives 500 Feet Into Boston Bay”, December 26, 1928  

     Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, R.I.

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Boston Harbor – May 30, 1936

May 17, 2016

Boston Harbor – May 30, 1936

     On May 30, 1936, two army mechanics at Boston Airport took a military airplane for a flight over the harbor.  While stunt-flying in the plane, they crashed in Boston Harbor after coming out of a loop.   

     The men were identified as:

     Pvt. 1st Class  Robert W. Fancher, 24, of Red Bank, New Jersey.  (He has been miss-identified in some news accounts as Robert Tancker.)  He’s buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in West Long Branch, New Jersey. (See www.findagrave.com, Memorial #29817757.)

     Pvt. William E. Hallowah, (Some sources spell it Hallawah), 24, of Charlottesville, Virginia.     

     It was not stated which man was piloting the airplane, nor was the type of aircraft specified.  When it hit the water several nearby pleasure boats raced to assist, and managed to rescue Pvt. Hallowah who was brought ashore in critical condition.  (Later reports stated he was expected to recover.) Pvt. 1/C Francher went to he bottom with the plane, and both were recovered the following day.  

     Sources:

     St. Petersburg Times, (Fla.) “Plane Crashes In Boston; One Dead, one Hurt.”, May 31, 1936

     Lewiston Daily Sun, (Maine) “Submerged Plane Wreck Found In Boston Harbor”, June 1, 1936

     www.findagrave.com

        

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Quincy, MA – February 16, 1948

May 14, 2016

Quincy, Massachusetts – February 16, 1948

    

F4U Corsair National Archives Photo

F4U Corsair
National Archives Photo

     On February 16, 1948, Lt (Jg.) Richard Stephansky took off from Squantum Naval Air Station in a F4U Corsair for a training flight.  Shortly after take off, while at an altitude of 500 feet, the aircraft suffered engine failure.  Lt. Stephansky was forced to make an emergency crash landing in a marshy area along the banks of the Neponset River about four miles from the air station.  He was not injured. 

     Source:

     Lewiston Evening Journal, “Navy Pilot Escapes Injury As Plane Crashes In Swamp”, February 16, 1948        

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Quincy, MA – July 7, 1947

May 14, 2016

Quincy, Massachusetts – July 7, 1947 

    

SB2C Helldiver U.S. Navy Photo

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On July 7, 1947, a U. S. Navy, SB2C Helldiver, took off from Squantum Naval Air Station with two men aboard for a routine training flight.  There was the pilot, Ensign George E. Curley, 26, and Storekeeper 3/C Hugh F. Ahern, 20, both of Boston.    

     Shortly after take off the aircraft suffered a sudden engine failure and crashed into three homes on Faxon Road in the Wollaston neighborhood of Quincy.  The plane tore the chimney off the first home, then struck the roof of the second, before crashing into a third where it burst into flames and destroyed the home.      

     Ensign Curley was killed, but Ahern was thrown clear, and although he suffered serious injuries, he survived.

     The 60-year-old homeowner of the third house suffered burns while escaping.  The only other reported injury was to a fireman who suffered smoke inhalation while battling the blaze.  Both recovered.      

     Sources:

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “Plane Crashes Quincy House; Pilot Killed”, July 7, 1947 

     New York Times, “Navy Plane Dives Into Three Houses”, July 7, 1947

     The Spokesman-Review, (Spokane, Wash.) “Navy Plane Hits House; 1 Killed”, July 7, 1947

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Hamilton, MA – September 10, 1960

May 6, 2016

Hamilton, Massachusetts – September 10, 1960

     On Saturday, September 10, 1960, two U.S. servicemen were killed when their aircraft, described in the press as a “light plane”, crashed on the race track of the Flying Horse Farm located in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.  

     The men were identified as:

     1st Lt. Peter A. Alldred Jr., 28, assigned to Pease Air Force Base, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

     1st Lt. Donald E. Griffith, 24, assigned to Homestead Air Force Base in Florida.  Lt. Griffith was survived by his wife.  He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

     Both men were off duty that the time of the accident. 

     Sources:

     Nashua Telegraph, “2 Pease Airmen Killed In Crash”, September 12, 1960

     www.findagrave.com, Memorial #49193788.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Hanscom Air Force Base – August 8, 1962

May 6, 2016

Hanscom Air Force Base – August 8, 1962

Bedford, Massachusetts

     On August 8, 1962, a U.S. Air Force KC-135A Strato-Tanker, (Ser. no. 55-3144), crashed and exploded while landing at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts.  All three crewmen aboard perished. 

     They were identified as:

     (Pilot) Captain Clarence E. Kerr, 38, of Beach Grove, Indiana.  He’s buried in Union Chapel Cemetery in St. Paul, Minn.  

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54366385/clarence-eugene-kerr

     (C0-Pilot) Captain William D. Leng, 30, of Mt. Vernon, New York.  He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49246665/william-d-leng

     Airman 1st Class Norman E. Ford, 25, of Dayton, Ohio.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207381528/norman-everett-ford

     The aircraft was coming from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

     Sources:

     Nashua Telegraph, “Hanscom Aircraft Crash Kills 3; Probe Started”, August 9, 1962 

     www.findagrave.com, Memorial #54366385, and 49246665, and 207381528.

     Aviation Safety Network

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Boston/Mattapan – November 1, 1944

April 29, 2016

Boston/Mattapan – November 1, 1944

Updated January 19, 2022    

  

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

       The following incident involves self-sacrifice and dedication to duty.  The pilot truly deserves to be called, “an officer and a gentleman”.

     On the evening of November 1, 1944, Ensign John Joseph Sheehy, (24), took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station in Salem, Massachusetts for a night training flight.  He was piloting a navy F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 58148).  Fifteen minutes into the flight the aircraft developed engine trouble and Ens. Sheehy attempted to return to base.  When he was about four miles from the base the engine stopped and efforts to restart it where futile.   After alerting Squantum of the situation, he radioed, “I don’t want to bail out, some civilian might be hurt if the plane crashed.  I’m going to try to pancake it in a pond down below.”   With that he dumped the plane’s ammo and set the Hellcat on a glide.  Ahead he saw the Neponset River in the Mattapan section of Boston and aimed for it.  As he neared the ground he skimmed over several roof tops before catching a wing in some trees and crashed in a marshy section along the river where the plane burst into flames.  Ensign Sheehy perished in the crash.  

      To see a photo of Ensign Sheehy, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2817026/john-joseph-sheehy  

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy Accident Report dated November 1, 1944. 

     The Milwaukee Journal, (United Press) “Stays With Plane To Spare Civilians, Navy Flier Killed”, November 2, 1944.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Off Cape Cod – July 19, 1944

April 29, 2016

Off Cape Cod – July 19, 1944

    

U.S. Navy TBM Avengers National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy TBM Avengers
National Archives Photo

     At about 10:45 p.m., on the night of July 19, 1944, an unspecified number of navy airplanes were conducting night training maneuvers off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, when two aircraft, both TBM-1C Avengers, were involved in a mid-air collision. 

     One plane, (Bu. No. 45716), was able to make it back safely to Otis Air Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts; the other, (Bu. No. 45706), plunged into the sea and both men aboard were lost and never recovered.  They were identified as:

     (Pilot) Ensign Leo Henry Reimers, 22, of Yamhill, Oregon.  There is a memorial to Ensign Reimers in Willamette National Cemetery, in Portland, Oregon.  To see a photo, and learn more information about Ensign Reimers, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial, # 36351469.)  

     Aviation Radioman 3/c Herbert W. Burke, of Milton, Oregon. 

     Sources:

     The Register-Guard, (Eugene, Ore.), “Two Oregon Fliers Lost Off Cape Cod.”  

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – August 16, 1963

April 29, 2016

Atlantic Ocean – August 16, 1963

    

F-86 Sabre - U.S. Air Force Photo

F-86 Sabre – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On August 16, 1963, four Massachusetts Air National Guard F-86 Sabre jets were engaged in target practice about 60 miles southeast of Nantucket, taking turns making live firing runs at a 30 by 6 foot canvas target being towed behind a fifth aircraft.  The aircraft were all part of the 104th Tactical Fighter Group. 

     At one point a section of the target was shot away, and it struck the wing of an F-86 piloted by Captain Hugh Lavallee, 29, of Springfield, Massachusetts.  Lavalle’s aircraft suddenly became uncontrollable, and he was forced to eject while at 20,000 feet over the water.  

     After his parachute deployed, he dropped safely to the water, landing about 3/4 of a mile away from the Russian fishing trawler, Johannes Ware.  Captain Lavallee was rescued by the trawler, and once aboard was treated well, handed dry clothing, and given medical attention.  A Coast Guard helicopter from Falmouth, Massachusetts, arrived awhile later and brought Capt. Lavallee to Otis Air Force Base.        

     Keeping in mind that this incident occurred while the Soviet Union and the United States were involved in what was known as “The Cold War”, the incident received a lot of positive press, and was even featured in the September 13, 1963 edition of Life Magazine.

     Unfortunately, Captain Lavalle was killed a few weeks later on November 16, 1963, while flying another F-86 over the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York.  On that date, he and another F-86 pilot were on a navigational training flight, and Capt. Lavallee was last seen entering a cloud bank before all contact with him was lost.  The wreckage of his aircraft was found two days later, in a rural area about eight miles from the town of Stony Creek.     

     Sources:

     (Toledo, Ohio) The Blade, Soviet Seamen Save U.S. Flier”, August 16, 1963

     The Blade, “Russian Rescuers Kind, Hospitable, Flier Says”, August 17, 1963

     Wilmington Morning Star, “Survivor Of Crash At Sea Killed In Second Wreck”, November 18, 1963

  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – December 3, 1967

April 28, 2016

Otis Air Force Base – December 3, 1967 

Falmouth, Massachusetts

    

P2V Neptune U.S. Air Force Photo

P2V Neptune
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On December 3, 1967, a U.S. Navy P2V-Neptune with twelve crewmen aboard departed the Brunswick, Maine, Naval Air Station for a routine patrol flight.  At some point the aircraft developed mechanical problems and received clearance to land at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  As the aircraft was making its final approach it crashed a half-mile short of the runway.  All twelve men aboard escaped; four of them suffered minor injuries.   

     Source: Nashua Telegraph, “Plane Crash At Otis base”, December 4, 1967 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Otis Air Force Base – September 21, 1954

April 27, 2016

Otis Air Force Base – September 21, 1954

Falmouth, Massachusetts

    

U.S. Air Force F-94 Starfire U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Air Force F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

      At about 9:30 p.m., on the night of September 21, 1954, a flight of three F94-C Starfire aircraft were returning to Otis AFB during a driving rain storm in what was described as “zero visibility”.  The first of the three jets, piloted by 1st Lt. Frederick J. Luddy, 25, was cleared to land, but upon touchdown a landing gear tire blew out bringing the jet to a skidding halt and disabling it in the middle of the runway.  Lt. Luddy tried to call the control tower via radio to inform them of the situation, but got no response due to radio communication problems. 

     The men in the tower, unable to see Luddy’s disabled plane, cleared the second of the three F-94s to land.  That aircraft, piloted by 2nd Lt. Anthony Cunningham, 26, and his radar observer, 2nd Lt. Joseph Gallagher, 24, fell short of the runway due to poor visibility and crash landed amidst some small trees and brush.  Neither man was injured, but the aircraft suffered damage.  There was no fire afterward.

     Those in the tower had failed to see the crash, and were still unaware that Lt. Luddy’s aircraft was still sitting in the middle of the runway.   They therefore cleared the third F-94 to land.  That aircraft was piloted by 2nd Lt. Russell H. Olson, 24, and radar observer, 1st Lt. John T. Steele, 24. 

     Lt. Olsen made his approach unaware of the situations involving the other two aircraft.  Meanwhile, Lt. Luddy, and his radar observer, had climbed out of their aircraft and attempted to signal Olsen with a flashlight, but it was of no use.  At the last moment both were forced to dive for cover just as Olsen’s jet crashed into Luddy’s and exploded in flame.  Both Olsen and Steele were killed. 

     Lt. Olson is buried in Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.

     Lt. Steele is buried in Machpelah Cemetery in Le Roy, New York.   

     Source:

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “Two Airmen Killed In Otis Field Crash”, September 23, 1954 

     www.findagrave.com, Memorial # 114350887, and 156686268  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Off Nantucket – December 10, 1944

April 27, 2016

Off Nantucket – December 10, 1944

    

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat U.S. Navy photo

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On the night of December 10, 1944, a flight of eleven U.S. Navy planes were engaged in practicing night carrier breakups and rendezvous near Nantucket Island.  One of those aircraft, was an F6F-5 Hellcat, (#58277),piloted by Ensign John Daniel Cassidy, 20, of Fighter Squadron 88, (VF-88).  Ensign Cassidy was second section wingman in Lt. John Ignatius Drew’s squadron.  Lt. Drew was also piloting an F6F-5, (#58164). 

     At some point Cassidy and Drew became separated from the group, but their absence wasn’t noted until Cassidy called the flight leader asking for their position.   The position was given, and no further communications from Cassidy or Drew were received.  Neither of the two pilot’s or their aircraft were ever seen again. 

     The night was very dark, but clear, with scattered clouds at 2,000 feet. The pilots were familiar with the area, and investigators determined that the likelihood of them becoming lost was small, and theorized that they may have been involved in a mid-air collision of suffered the effects of vertigo and crashed into the sea.   

     A memorial marker to Ensign Cassidy was erected in Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia.  It states he was “lost at sea”.    

     Sources:

     U.S. Navy Crash Briefs for each aircraft/pilot dated December 10, 1944

     www.findargave.com, Memorial# 30180216

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

So. Weymouth NAS – May 22, 1964

April 24, 2016

South Weymouth Naval Air Station – May 22, 1964

Weymouth, Massachusetts 

    

Douglas AD-4N Skyraider Naval History And Heritage Command

Douglas AD-4N Skyraider
Naval History And Heritage Command

     On the afternoon of May 22, 1964, navy lieutenant Philip D. Brodeur, 25, was practicing “touch and go” landings in a Douglas AD-5W Skyraider at the South Weymouth Naval Air Station.  On his last approach, a gust of wind caught the plane while it was still in the air and flipped it on its side.  One of the wings touched the ground, but the plane managed to stay in the air barely missing a cluster of homes before crashing behind them.  Lt. Brodeur was killed. 

     Lt. Brodeur was survived by his wife and two children.  He was a 1962 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and is buried in St. Michael Cemetery in Hudson, Massachusetts. 

     To view a photograph of Lt. Brodeur, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial# 107680639.   

     Sources:

     New York Times, “Navy Pilot Killed In Landing”, May 23, 1964

     Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, Charlestown, Rhode Island.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Westover AFB – August 12, 1953

April 22, 2016

Westover Air Force Base – August 12, 1953

Chicopee, Massachusetts

     On August 12,1953, a U.S. Navy R6D-1 (#131586) crashed on take-off from Westover Air Force Base, for what was to be a routine train1ng flight.  According to witnesses, the plane had just lifted off, and while at an altitude of about 200 feet, it suddenly banked sharply to the right, and dropped low enough for the right wing to strike the ground.  The plane then cart-wheeled, broke apart, and burst into flames.   All four navy men aboard were killed. 

     The dead were identified as:

Lt. Frank A. McGinnis

Lt. Frank A. McGinnis

     (Pilot) Lieutenant Frank A. McGinnis, 34, of Haledon, New Jersey.  He served in the Pacific Theatre during WWII.  He was survived by his wife and three children.  

Lt. Cmdr. Chester E. Perkins

Lt. Cmdr. Chester E. Perkins

     (Co-pilot) Lieut. Commander Chester Earl Perkins, 35, of Corpus Christi, Texas.  He was a veteran of WWII, having served as a ferry service pilot.  He’s buried in Sunset Memorial Park in South Charleston, and was survived by his wife, Catherine.  To see other photographs of Lt. Cmdr. Perkins, and learn more info, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial #128688567  

J. T. Carew

J. T. Carew

     (Flight Mechanic) Aviation Machinist’s Mate, J. T. Carew, 24, of Maynard, Massachusetts.  (Carew was only identified by his first initials, and attempts to learn his first name were unsuccessful.)

William A. Holmes

William A. Holmes

     Aviation Machinist’s Mate William A. Holmes, 23, of Merrian, Kansas.  He joined the navy in 1948, and had been stationed at Westover since 1949.  In 1950 he married a girl from Holyoke, Massachusetts, and they had two sons.  He’s buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas, Block #20.  (See www.findagrave.com, Memorial #147995382)

     The Douglas R6D-1 was a four-engine cargo-transport aircraft that was also known as a DC-6. 

     Source:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Probe Crash OF Navy Plane That Killed 4 At Westover”, August, 13 or 14, 1953.   

     

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Missing British Airmen of WWII

April 21, 2016

Missing British Airmen Of WWII

     Unfortunately no further details are available as of this posting. 

   

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo

     On October 8, 1943, it was announced by the U.S. naval commander of the Squantum Naval Air Station in Quincy, Massachusetts, that units of the fleet arm of the British Royal Navy would be engaged in operational training at Squantum.   

     On December 7, 1943, three British naval fliers disappeared and were presumably killed when their plane went down in the water while on a training flight off Plymouth, Massachusetts.  The Coast Guard was unable to locate any trace of the missing plane, which carried two officers and one enlisted man.  The identities of the airmen and the type of aircraft were not released. 

     On March 14, 1944, a similar disappearance occurred while another British aircraft was “some distance at sea” while on a training flight out of Squantum.  That aircraft also carried two officers and one enlisted man, and their identities, and type of aircraft, were not released.

     Sources:

     Nashua Telegraph, “British Naval Airmen Train At Squantum”, October 8, 1943

     Schenectady Gazette, “Three Missing In Squantum Crash”, December 8, 1943

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “British Plane Missing From Base At Squantum”, March 16, 1944

UPDATE – March 6, 2017

     More information has been learned about the December 7, 1943 incident.  The three men aboard the missing plane were:

     Sub-Lieutenant Henry H. Lilley, son of Hugh Lilley of 12 Council House, Wisbech Road, Thornley, Peterborough, Northants, England. 

     Sub-Lieutenant Geoffrey J. Walters, son of William Waters of 103 Green Dragon Lane, Winchmore Hill, London, England.

     Leading Airman Donald Afford, son of Mrs. F. E. Afford, 273 Belgrace Road, Balasll Heath, Birmingham, England.

     All were members of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, (RNVR)

     Update: October 31, 2019 – The aircraft these men were flying was a British version of a TBM Avenger, BU. No. JZ398, formerly BU. No. 25233.  Source: Stephen L. Richey, Kolibri Forensics.   

     Source:

     Patriot Ledger, “Reveal Identity Of Squantum Fliers Lost In recent Accident”, December 8, 1943    

     Those airmen lost in the March 14, 1944 incident have been identified as:

     Sub-Lieutenant Kenneth L. Leapman

     Sub-Lieutenant John R. Purton

     Leading Airman Henry T. Seddon

     The men were flying the British version of the U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger, (Bu. No. JZ-496) when they were lost on an anti-submarine training mission.

     Sources:

     RNVR Officers 1939-1945,  www.unithistories.com

     Royal Navy Casualties, Killed and Died, March 1944,  www.naval-history.net   

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Quincy Bay, MA – July 27, 1917

April 21, 2016

Quincy Bay, Massachusetts – July 27, 1917 

    

      Little information exists about this early military aviation incident. 

     On July 24, 1917, a severe electrical storm formed over the Boston metropolitan area causing heavy winds and widespread damage.  At the time of its arrival, two military aircraft from the Squantum air training station were airborne on a routine training flight and were caught in the squall and blown out to sea.  The types of aircraft and the pilot’s names were not released by the military. 

     Immediately after the storm, navy boats were ordered to search for the missing airmen in the Dorchester Bay, Quincy Bay, and Hough’s Neck areas.  The search was called off after two hours after both men were found to be safe, however the details of their recovery were also withheld by the military. 

     It was stated in the Meriden Morning Record: “One of the patrol boats were reported to have rescued an aviator from the water of Quincy Bay and another boat was said to have on board a portion of a wrecked machine”     

     The rest of the news article focused on three persons killed by the storm.

     One of those killed was Pvt. James F. Broderick, of the Massachusetts 2nd Field Artillery who was struck by lightning in his tent where the unit was camping in Boxford, Massachusetts.

     Two women were killed when the unfinished building they’d sought shelter in collapsed.

     Source: Meriden Morning Record, “Aviators Caught In Thunderstorm”, July 28, 1917 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – June 15, 1943

April 20, 2016

Atlantic Ocean – June 15, 1943

Updated January 15, 2023.

    Updated October 9, 2023.     

   

U.S. Navy OS2U-2 Kingfisher
U.S. Navy Photo

     On June 15, 1943, a U. S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft with two men aboard took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station on a routine flight over the Atlantic Ocean north of Boston.  The plane never returned and was declared missing.  It was later determined that the plane had gone down in the ocean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts.  The cause was never established. 

     On of the men aboard was Lieutenant (Jg.) Lloyd D. Hollingsworth, Jr., 24, of Wilmington, North Carolina.   To see a photo of Lt. Jg. Hollingsworth, click on the link below.     

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28042949/lloyd-dixon-hollingsworth

     Lt. Hollingsworth earned his pilot’s wings in April of 1942 after training in Jacksonville, Florida.  He graduated from New Hanover High School and attended the University of North Carolina.   He received the Air Medal for his actions during Operation Torch. 

     The other man aboard was Ensign Raymond John MacGregor, USNR, of Baltimore, Maryland.  His body was recovered on or about August 19th by the Gloucester fishing trawler Mayflower, about two miles south of Thatcher’s Island, near Gloucester.  

     Ensign Macgregor is buried in Milford Cemetery in Milford, Penn.  To see photographs of Ensign Macgregor click on link below. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75051586/raymond-john-macgregor

      Sources:

     The Wilmington Morning Star, (N.C.), “Navy Reports Death Of Lieut. Hollingsworth In Crash Off Rockport”, January 23, 1944, p.5

     The Wilmington Morning Star, “Wilmington Boy Gets Navy Wings”, April 18, 1942, p.10

     The Wilmington Morning Star, “2 Wilmington Men Included In UNC Alumni Honor Roll”, August 17, 1943, p.9 

     The Boston Globe, “Body Recovered By Dragger, Identified”, August 20, 1943 

     Nashua Telegraph, “Identify Body Of Naval Officer” August 20, 1943

     Updated info supplied by Eric T. Wiberg – author & historian. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Mt. Tom B-17 Crash – July 9, 1946

April 17, 2016

Mt. Tom B-17 Crash – July 9, 1946

Massachusetts

B-17G "Flying Fortress" U.S. Air Force Photo

B-17G “Flying Fortress”
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the night of July 9, 1946, a B-17G, (#43-39136), with twenty-three servicemen and two civilians aboard was en-route from Goose Bay, Labrador, to Westover Air Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, on a transport mission.  Since the war was over, the aircraft had been stripped of its guns and converted to a transport aircraft.  Some of the men aboard were getting ready to be discharged from the service after having served in WWII.   

     According to the Army crash investigation report, at about 10:15 p.m. the pilot asked Westover Tower for landing instructions and they were given.  He also asked if the runway lights were on, and was advised that they were, as well as two search lights at either end of the runway.  The pilot acknowledged, and this was the last heard from the plane.  At 10:20 p.m. the B-17 slammed into the southeast slope of Mt. Tom at an elevation of 900 feet, and immediately burst into flame.  Another large explosion occurred about ten minutes later.  When the first would-be rescuers arrived on the scene they were driven back by the intense heat. 

     The time of 10:20 p.m. was established by a gold watch found at the scene that had stopped at that time. 

    According to an Associated Press article that appeared in The Tuscaloosa News, a reporter for the Holyoke Transcript found what appeared to be the pilot’s log book and turned it over to army investigators.  The book was of interest for it mentioned a possible fire aboard the aircraft.  

     There was an entry dated July 9th that read, “Took off BW at 1400 with 24 passengers for the states”, but the next part was undated.  The article then went on in part; “but the subsequent penciled entry was undated and there was a lack of evidence that it concerned the flight which ended in disaster.  It contained a reference to Mitchell Field, a notation that oil pressure was low in the No 2 engine,, and that the cylinder head temperature was so high that it was beginning to smoke.”   

    The next paragraph stated; “Then followed the words ‘fire on the port side of naceile.  Arriving Westover on three engines at 10:20.  Will have engines changed and on inspection made for return to Newfoundland.'” 

     All 25 men aboard were killed in the crash.  Passengers included men from the Army/Army Air Force, Coast Guard, and two civilians.  They were identified as:

     Army/Army Air Force

     (Pilot) Herman J. Valdrini, Jr., 24, of Phoenix, Arizona.  A photo of him can be seen at www.findagrave.com, Memorial #51808993.  He’s buried in St. Francis Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51808993/herman-joseph-valdrini

     (Co-pilot) 1st Lt. Wayne L. Austin, 23, of Fort Collins, Colorado. He’s buried in Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins, Colorado. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54138506/wayne-l-austin

     (Navigator) Flight Officer Samuel A. Turrentine, 20, of Greenville, South Carolina.  He’s buried in Springwood Cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina.  To see an obituary for more information, go to www.findagrave.com, Memorial #9901580.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9901580/samuel-avery-turrentine

     (Radio Operator) Daniel R. Roe, 20, of  Prescott, Arizona. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207585812/daniel-roberts-roe

     Capt. Henry A. Lebrecht, 43, of Brooklyn, New York. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182222708/henry-a-lebrecht

     Pfc. Howard E. Carson, 20, of South New Berlin, New York. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/274805994/howard-earl-carson

     Pfc. Eulogio Sanchez, 19, of Detroit, Michigan. 

     Pfc. Rex A. Tansey, 20, of Salem, Oregon.  He’s buried in Clear View Cemetery in Salem, Oregon. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42740200/rex-a-tansey

     U.S. Coast Guard

     Lt. (jg.) Frank G. Meriam, 32, of Melrose, Massachusetts. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166391981/frank-g-meriam

     Lt. Wilfred U. Johnson, 25, of Winonah, New Jersey.  He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49239130/wilfred-ulrich-johnson

     Lt. (jg.) George E. Orford, 29, of Garden City, New Jersey.  He’s buried in Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121730695/george-edward-orford

     Chief Yeoman Hugh J. Worth, 31, of Boston, Massachusetts. 

     RM2c Lee Winnard, 19, of Dearborn, Michigan. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49366762/lee-winnard

     BM2c Russell S. Scott, 24, of Clayton, New jersey.  He’s buried in Cedar Green cemetery in Clayton, New Jersey, Section Q-171. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54371576/russell-samuel-scott

     RM3c Alfred L. Warm, 19, of Brooklyn, New York.  

     RM3c Arnold J. Simons, 19, of Providence, Rhode Island. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228124486/arnold-joseph-simons

     RM3c Ernest R. Gillis, 26, of Beverly, Massachusetts.  He’s buried in Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2685307/ernest-ralph-gillis

     ETM3c George R. Benfield, 18, of Dallas, Texas.  

     ETM3c George E. Fleming, 18, of Indiana, Pennsylvania.  He’s buried in Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2673960/george-eugene-fleming  

     S1c Arthur C. Miller, 19, of Springfield, Illinois. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57398325/arthur-calvin-miller

     S1c Stanley P. Warshaw, 19, of Brooklyn, New York.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179348600/stanley-p-warshaw

     S1c Gregory S. Davenport, 18, of Rhode Island.  He’s buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Section K4.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11588768/gregory-slocum-davenport

     S2c David F. Archilles, 18, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184877455/david-franklin-archilles

     U.S. Public Health Service    

     Lt. Pasquale P. Coviello, 32, of North Bergen, New Jersey – surgeon assigned to U.S. Coast Guard.  He’s buried in St. James cemetery in Woodbridge, New Jersey.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95430371/pasquale-p-coviello

     American Red Cross

     Arthur L. Bailey, 32, of Fairbury, Nebraska.  He’s buried in Fairbury Cemetery in Fairbury, Nebraska. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58277619/arthur-lindley-bailey

     In 1996 a memorial honoring those who lost the lives in the crash was erected on Mt. Tom by a group of private citizens.    

    Sources:

     Army Air Force crash investigation report  

     City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, vital records.

     www.check-six.com

     Springfield Republican, “21 In B-17 Killed on Mt. Tom”, July 10, 1946, page 1.

     Springfield Republican, “Plane From Labrador Destroyed At Summit”, July 11, 1946. 

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “23 Die In Plane Crash On Mt. Tom, Holyoke”, July 9, 1946.

     Boston Traveler, “Plane crash dead 25 – All But Five Service Men, B-17 Burns On Mt. Tom”, July 10, 1946, page 1

     St. Petersburg Times, “23 Reported Dead In Plane Crash”, July 10, 1946

     Gettysburg Times, “25 Are Killed As Army Plane Hits Mountain”, July 10, 1946

     Ludington Daily News, “B-17 Crashes; 24 Are Killed”, July 10, 1946

     Fitchburg Sentinel, “25 Die As Bomber Hits Mountain”, July 10, 1946

     Springfield Republican, “…Destroyed At Summit”, “Converted Bomber, Twice Unable To Land At Westover, Fails To Clear Peak”  July 11, 1946, page 6 

     The Tuscaloosa News, “Log Notation Tells Of Fire”, July 11, 1946

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Off Cape Cod, MA – September 15, 1948

April 17, 2016

Off Cape Cod, Massachusetts – September 15, 1948

    

F4U Corsair National Archives Photo

F4U Corsair
National Archives Photo

     On September 15, 1948, Lieutenant Commander Willard T. Gove, 29, was piloting an FG-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 88072), over the Atlantic Ocean 12 miles to the east of Cape Cod when the plane developed engine trouble.  (The FG-1D was similar to the F4U Corsair.)  He attempted to make it back to Cape Cod, but was forced to make a water landing about five miles from the coast.  The plane hit the water at an estimated speed of 85-90 knots, causing back and head injuries.  

     Lt. Cmdr. Willard was able to get out of the plane before it sank, but due to his injuries was unable to remove the life raft from the cockpit.  He inflated his life vest and floated in the 50 degree water for about one hour before being rescued by a Coast Guard rescue plane. 

     The life vest was credited with saving the pilot’s life, as the rescue plane had dropped a life raft, but the pilot was unable to climb inside due to his injuries. 

     Source: U.S. Navy crash brief, serial #28-48

        

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Plymouth Bay, MA – March 20, 1945

April 16, 2016

Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts – March 20, 1945

    

F4U Corsair National Archives Photo

F4U Corsair
National Archives Photo

     On March 20, 1945, Ensign Richard C. Forisso was piloting an F4U-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 50513), over Plymouth Bay making practice bomb runs.  At one point while at 4,000 feet, hydraulic fluid and gasoline began spraying from under the instrument panel followed by smoke filling the cockpit. The fluids got all over the pilot’s lower extremities and partially obscured his vision. 

     Ensign Forisso elected to stay with the aircraft and aim it for a safe area of the water away from shore and watercraft.  He cut the engine and made a wheels up water landing, suffering minor cuts and bruises in the process.   He was able to escape before the plane sank to the bottom. 

     Maintenance records showed that the hydraulic lines on this particular aircraft had broken twice previously.  Rough weather put off the recovery of the aircraft for four days.  Once it was recovered, mechanics discovered a 1/2 inch crack in the hydraulic line behind the instrument panel.  This aircraft was later scrapped due to the time it had stayed submerged in salt water.

     Sources: 

     U.S. Navy accident brief.     

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Otis Field Airman Prevents Crash On Plymouth Buildings”, March 21, 1945

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Hopkinton/Westborough, MA – June 24, 1943

April 14, 2016

Hopkinton/Westborough Massachusetts – June 24, 1943     

P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter Aircraft U.S. Air Force Photo

P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter Aircraft
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the morning of June 24, 1943, a flight of four U. S. Army P-47 Thunderbolt fighter planes took off from Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, on what was to be a routine formation training and intercept flight. 

     The flight leader was 2nd Lieutenant Thomas J. Beasley, flying in the number one position; followed by 2nd Lieutenant Douglas Edward G. Smith, Jr., 2nd Lieutenant Donald L. Murrie, and 2nd Lieutenant Max Itzkowitz, in the second, third, and fourth positions.  To put it in layman’s terms, the flight formation would resemble a game of “follow the leader”.      

     The aircraft headed north towards central Massachusetts and came under the direction of Boston air-traffic controllers.  Just before noontime, they’d reached the vicinity of Westborough, Massachusetts.  At that time Boston advised the flight leader to make a 45 degree left turn.  Lt. Beasley signaled for the planes to begin the turn, after which the formation would be flying abreast of each other.  It was during this maneuver that Lt. Smith’s and Lt. Murrie’s P-47s (#42-8186, and #42-8208) collided in mid-air causing severe damage to both aircraft.     

P-47N Thunderbolt - U.S. Air Force Photo

P-47N Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     Almost immediately Smith’s P-47, (#42-8186),  burst into flame and fell away from formation.  Smith managed to bail out, but his parachute only partially opened and he was killed when came down in the town of Hopkinton.  His burning aircraft came down directly on railroad tracks belonging to the Boston & Albany Railroad which ran along the Southborough and Westborough town lines.

   Meanwhile, Lt. Murrie’s P-47, (#42-8208), went into an uncontrolled spin, but he was able to bail out safely.  His plane came down and exploded in a swamp in Westborough.  Murrie landed in a nearby wooded area and was able to signal Lt. Itzkowitz circling overhead that he was alright.  

     Lt. Murrie later gave a statement to military investigators which reads in part: 

     “I was flying number three position while Lt. Beasley was leading the flight. Lt. Smith flying number two position, and Lt. Itskowitz in number four.  We were circling to the left in trail, waiting for an intercept.

     Upon receiving instructions from Boston, we rolled out of the turn and moved into right echelon, flying straight and level.  Lt. Beasley gave the signal to make a 45-degree turn to the right in order to bring the flight into a line abreast.”

     It was at this time the collision between the aircraft occurred. 

     “As soon as I found I was out of control and in a flat spin,” Lt. Murrie went on, “I jumped, landing in a swamp near my plane which was already on fire.  I was uninjured.  Lt. Smith’s plane crashed on the B and A Railroad tracks about three-hundred yrds. from me.  None of the local witnesses could tell me whether or not Lt. Smith had left his plane before it crashed.”     

     The situation then got even worse when Lieutenants Beasley and Itzkowitz realized that a passenger train was heading towards the wreckage of Lt. Smith’s airplane resting directly on the tracks.  The train was roughly five miles away, so the two pilots attempted to stop it by flying low and trying to signal the engineer.  Unfortunately, he failed to interpret their signals and continued on. 

     Lt. Itkowitz later related the following in his statement to investigators, “Lt. Beasley and I noticed the train about five (5) miles distance.  We flew very low and tried to signal the engineer to stop.  Apparently he didn’t understand and the entire train passed over the wreckage of Lt. Smith’s plane.  I circled long enough to see fire trucks, ambulances, police cars and many civilians standing in the vicinity of both crashes. I circled low and saw Lt. Murrie wave to me and knew he was O. K.  I then went back to the Base and gave authorities the exact position of the crash.” 

     As Lt. Itkowitz flew back towards Hillsgrove Field, Lt. Beasley continued to circle the area until advised by radio to return also to base. 

     The mid-air collision had been witnessed by civilians on the ground, one of whom was James G. Stockwell, an auxiliary police officer for the town of Southborough.  He and a civil defense volunteer were manning an aircraft spotter shack when the accident occurred, and immediately notified Boston Command.          

     Another witness was Doris M. Bigelow, who’d been standing in her yard with her son watching the planes pass overhead.  Her property abutted the train tracks. 

     The statement she later related to investigators says in part:

     “I knew from railroad schedules that a train was due by on these tracks about this time.  I ran into my house and phoned the railroad station and told them to stop all trains going out this way.  They told me that a train had already gone by the station there at Westboro.  They gave instructions to flag the train before it got to the crashed airplane.  I ran out to the tracks to stop the train from coming through.  I was about five hundred (500) feet from the wreckage of the plane when I flagged the oncoming train.  The engineer of the train saw me and immediately applied his brakes.  The train skidded hitting the wreckage of the burning plane causing several of the cars to derail”   

     Others also tried to warn the approaching train. Among them were two small boys who went running along the tracks waving their arms.   

     By the time the engineer realized the danger it was too late, and the train slammed into the burning aircraft wreckage and derailed.  The locomotive was pulling five passenger cars and one baggage car, which tore up a considerable portion of track before coming to rest.  As the dust began to settle, two of the passenger cars caught fire, but fortunately no serious injuries from those aboard the train were reported.

     Numerous people descended on the area, and state and local police had their hands full keeping onlookers and souvenir hunters at bay until military officials could arrive and take charge.   

     Lt. Smith is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.  To see a photo of him, click on the link below. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40494983/douglas-gilliam-smith

      Although printed news sources place the accident in “Southville” and/or “Westboro”, Lt. Smith died in the town of Hopkinton.  This fact was established through town of Hopkinton death records.

     All of the pilots on this flight were members of the 58th Fighter Group, 311th Fighter Squadron.  

     This particular Massachusetts World War II aviation accident is unusual due to the fact it involved a train derailment.   

     As a footnote, According to the P-47 Thunderbolts Pilots Association website, Lt. Max Itzkowitz went on to log about 1,000 hours flying a P-47 throughout the rest of WWII, 700 of which were in combat.  He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Medal with six clusters.  He left military service in December of 1945 at the rank of captain.  http://p47pilots.com/P47-Pilots.cfm?c=incP47BiographyHome.cfm&vm=BIO&pilotid=267&p=Max%20Itzkowitz

     2nd Lt. Donald Murrie was later promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and flew combat in the Pacific Theatre.  On October 22, 1944, after returning form an attack mission, he and other P-47 pilots were forced to ditch in the ocean and remained in the water for hours before being rescued.   Source: http://www.pbyrescue.com/Rescues/22oct44.htm. 

     Sources:

     U.S. Army Crash Investigation Report #43-6-24-10

     Marlboro Daily Enterprise, “Pilot Dies After U.S. Planes Hit In Air Over Westboro”, June 25, 1943, Pg. 2

     New York Times, “Plane Wrecks A Passenger Train; Crashes In Path In Massachusetts”, June 25, 1943

     Town of Hopkinton Massachusetts death records

     www.findagrave.com

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fall River, MA – March 30, 1943

April 7, 2016

Fall River, Massachusetts – March 30, 1943

    

U.S. Navy Wildcat Fighter U.S. Navy Photo

U.S. Navy Wildcat Fighter
U.S. Navy Photo

     On March 30, 1943, The aircraft carrier USS Ranger was off the coast of Massachusetts heading to the Boston Navy Yard for re-fitting.  As such, the ship’s compliment of aircraft were sent inland, ultimately bound for Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island. 

     As the aircraft neared shore they encountered a weather system with thick cloud cover that started at 200 feet and rose all the ay to 7,000 feet.  Besides zero visibility, radio communications were also affected, and the aircraft became separated. 

     One of the aircraft, an F4F-4 Wildcat, (#12196), piloted by Lieutenant Theodore A. Grell, of VB-42, began experiencing engine trouble while over a rural portion northern Fall River.  As his aircraft began to rapidly loose altitude he was forced to bail out even though he was below the recommended safe altitude for doing so.  His parachute had barely opened when he landed in an apple tree and crashed through its branches, which broke his fall.  His Wildcat crashed on a farm about a half-mile away.    

     Local residents found him the orchard and administered first aid until an ambulance arrived and took him to Trusedale Hospital. 

     This wasn’t Lt. Grell’s first brush with death. He survived being shot down over North Africa during Operation Torch in 1942.  He survived the war and retired from the Navy as a Captain.

     Sources:

     U.S. Navy Crash Brief, #43-6410

     Fall River Herald News, “Plane Falls; Pilot Drops In Parachute”, March 31, 1943, pg. 1  

       

      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Off Swampscott, MA – March 30, 1943

April 7, 2016

Off Swampscott, Massachusetts – March 30, 1943

    

U.S. Navy SBD auntless National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy SBD auntless
National Archives Photo

     On March 30, 1943, the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger was off the coast of Massachusetts en-route to the Boston Navy Yard for re-fitting.   As such, the Ranger’s compliment of aircraft were to be sent inland, their final destination to be Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.    

     One of those aircraft from the Ranger was an SBD-4 Dauntless, (#06826), piloted by Lieutenant Lykes M. Boykin.  As Lt. Boykin neared shore, the engine began running rough due to ice build-up in the carburetor.  After trying several measures to clear the ice, he was forced to ditch in the water off the town of Swampscott.   

     As the plane sank in 45 feet of water, Boykin and his radioman (2c) H. H. Reed escaped in an inflatable life raft, and were rescued a short time later by a Coast Guard boat from nearby Winter Island. 

     At the time of this accident, Lt. Boykin was assigned to VB-42 aboard the Ranger.  Later in the war he would be promoted to commanding officer of Fighting Squadron 4 aboard the U.S.S. Essex.   

     Sources:

     U.S. Navy Crash Brief, #43-6399

     Lynn Telegram, “Plane Falls Into Sea Off Swampscott Shore”, March 31, 1943

     Lynn Telegram News, “Rescue Pair In Navy Plane After Crash, “March 31, 1943, page 11

            

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Westover Field, MA – June 6, 1942

March 23, 2016

Westover Field, Massachusetts – June 6, 1942

    

P-40 Warhawk U.S. Air Force Photo

P-40 Warhawk
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On June 6, 1942, army 2nd Lt. J. M. Connelly took off from East Boston Airport in a P-40E aircraft, (#40-452) for a local familiarization flight.  Upon his return it was discovered that the left landing gear would not fully extend downward, even when Lt. Connelly attempted to do so manually.  After continuing to circle the airport while working on the problem without success, Lt. Connelly was ordered to fly to Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and make a crash landing there.   Following instructions, Connelly crash landed at Westover, and although the aircraft was substantially damaged, he was unhurt.

     At the time of this incident, Lt. Connelly was assigned to the 64th Fighter Squadron.  He received his pilot’s rating on April 29, 1942. 

     Source: U.S. Air Corps Technical report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-6-6-2

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Westover Field, MA – May 8, 1942

March 23, 2016

Westover Field, Massachusetts – May 8 1942

    

B-24 Liberator U.S. Air Force Photo

B-24 Liberator
U.S. Air Force Photo

     Just after 4:00 p.m. on May 8, 1942, an LB-30 bomber aircraft (#AL-590) came in for a landing at Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  After the aircraft had rolled approximately half-way down the runway the pilot, Capt. Kermit A. Harcos, applied the brakes and the nose wheel began to shimmy violently before it broke off causing the nose of the plane to strike the runway.  The LB-30 skidded to a stop at the intersection of runways 15 and 19.  Although the aircraft suffered damage, none of the four-man crew were hurt.

     Besides Capt. Harcos, the other crewmen were identified as:

     (Co-pilot) Capt. James A. Johnson

     (Engineer) S/Sgt. Gilbert E. Bardo

     (Radio Operator) Cpl. H. M. Cunningham

     The LB-30 aircraft was an early version of the B-24 Liberator. 

     The aircraft involved in this accident was repaired and flown to England on July 20, 1942.  On December 8, 1943, it ran out of fuel in bad weather and crash landed near Cazes, Morocco.   

     Sources:

     U.S. Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-5-8-11

     www.joebaugher.com website

      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – July 10, 1951

March 23, 2016

Otis Air Force Base – July 10, 1951

Falmouth, Massachusetts

    

U.S.A.F. F-86 Fighter Jet

U.S.A.F. F-86 Fighter Jet

     On the morning of July 10, 1951, two F-86A Sabre Jets were scheduled for take off from Otis Air Force Base for a routine training flight.  The first jet took off without incident, but the second jet, (#49-1112), was only airborne for a moment or two when it fell back to the runway while traveling at an estimated 120 knots.  The pilot attempted to apply brakes, and skidded into a runway light, which blew the front tire of the aircraft, and tore away the landing gear.  The plane finally skidded to a stop and caught fire.  The pilot escaped with minor injuries.

     The pilot later told investigators that the engine was making a rising and falling noise just before the accident.

     Source: U.S. Air Force Crash Investigation Report, #51-7-10-1  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Bedford, MA – August 17, 1946

March 18, 2016

Bedford, Massachusetts – August 17, 1946

    

P-51 Mustang U.S. Air Force Photo

P-51 Mustang
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On August 17, 1946, a flight of two P-51 aircraft took off from Bedford Army Air Field in Bedford, Massachusetts, to participate in an air show.  They were scheduled to take part in a escort formation flight with a B-29 that was also participating in the show. 

     As the B-29 was flying at an altitude between 2,500 and 3,000 feet, the two P-51’s swooped down on it from above and broke away in a roll.   One of the P-51 pilots was 25-year-old 1st Lt. Severino B. Calderon, flying aircraft  #44-64315.   After rolling away from the B-29, Lt. Calderon climbed again and made another pass, this time coming within 50 to 100 yards of the bomber.  As he did so, the P-51 rolled over into a “split-S” and began diving towards the ground.   The plane crashed on the tracks of the Boston & Maine Railroad just ahead of a train bound from Boston to Chicago.  Fortunately the train engineer was alerted to the wreckage and stopped before hitting it.      

B-29 Super Fortress U.S. Air Force Photo

B-29 Super Fortress
U.S. Air Force Photo

     Lt. Calderon was a veteran of WWII.  He earned his pilot’s wings on December 5, 1943, and served with the 8th Air Force in England.  He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the American Campaign Medal, the European – African – Mideast Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal.     

     To see photographs of Lt. Calderon, Google, “Severino B. Calderon American Air Museum Britain”.  www.americanairmuseum/person/203944

     During his time in England, Lt. Calderon flew a P-47 Thunderbolt named “SNAFU”.  There is presently a P-47 that has been restored to the markings of Lt. Calderon’s aircraft in England.  Photos of this airplane can been seen elsewhere on the Internet.    

     Lieutenant Calderon’s accident wasn’t the only incident to occur relating to the air show.  

     On August 15th, a flight of three P-51’s and two P-47’s left Mitchell Filed on Long Island, New York, to take part in the airshow at Bedford.  The aircraft were supposed to arrive two days earlier, but poor weather had kept them grounded at Mitchell Filed. Therefore they didn’t have ample time to rehearse their maneuvers before their first scheduled demonstration. 

     Their first flight was an aerial parade over Boston to advertise the opening of the air show.  A B-29 carrying news reporters was part of the parade, and the reporters requested that the escorting aircraft fly close to the bomber  so they could obtain photographs of the planes flying in formation.  As the planes were maneuvering into different formations, one P-51, (#44-64305), was suddenly caught in the prop-wash of the plane ahead of him, (P-51, #44-64308), and the propeller of 44-64305 caught the right wing of 44-64308 causing damage to the aileron and trailing edge of the wing.  Fortunately both aircraft were able to land safely.   

     Sources:

     Army Air Force Crash Investigation Report, #47-8-17-3 

     Army Air Force Crash Investigation Report, #47-8-15-4

     New York Times, “Plane Misses Train”, August 18, 1946

     American Air Museum In Brittan 

     Daily Mail Article: “Aces High: Re-built P-47 Thunderbolt To Take To The Skies In Recreation Of World War II Dogfights 70 Years Ago”, by Ben Griffiths for the Daily Mail, June 26, 2102. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Shirley, MA – August 30, 1936

March 15, 2016

Shirley, Massachusetts – August 30, 1936

 

     On August 30, 1936, an Army Air Corps 2nd Lieutenant took off from Groton, Massachusetts, after signaling to his family that he intended to land at Fitchburg-Leominster Airport.  (How this signal was accomplished was not explained in the investigation report.)  From Fitchburg, his family was to drive him back to his home in Groton.   

      The Lieutenant was piloting an O-1G observation aircraft, (Ser. No. 31-476).  As his family drove in their car, the Lieutenant circled above monitoring their progress.  At about 1:00 p.m. he saw the family car pull into an open field in the northern part of the town of Shirley, and the occupants got out and signaled the pilot.  Realizing there had been a misunderstanding, the Lieutenant glided down over a ravine at the edge of the field to signal for his family to drive on.  As he was doing so, he failed to notice a 75 foot tall tree looming ahead, and slammed into it about twenty feet from the top.  The plane spun around and crashed to the ground roughly 200 feet away.

     Although the plane was a total loss, the pilot survived.   

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, dated September 1, 1936.      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Boston Airport – September 27, 1930

March 15, 2016

Boston Airport – September 27, 1930

 

     At 1:30 p.m., on September 27, 1930, Capt. Clarence J. A’Hearn was landing at Boston Airport when the landing gear collapsed as the plane touched down.  The aircraft, a PT-1 trainer, (Ser. No. 27-145), slid to a stop and neither Capt. A’Hearn or his passenger, Pvt. John Talbert were injured. 

     Investigators determined the pilot did nothing wrong, and the accident was due to a defect in the metal of the struts.

     Source: Army Air Service Aircraft Accident Report, dated September 27, 1930 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Boston Airport – December 19, 1925

March 15, 2016

Boston Airport – December 19, 1925

 

     On December 19, 1925, a Curtiss JN-4, (Ser. No. 24-100), piloted by an Army Air Service 1st Lieutenant, was approaching the runway at Boston Airport, when the plane’s landing gear struck a pile of iron pipes at the end of the runway.  The landing gear was torn away and the plane crashed and broke in two on the pavement.

     The pilot was knocked unconscious and required three stitches in his face, nostril, and mouth.  The aircraft was a total wreck. 

     This aircraft had been involved in a previous accident in Cranston, Rhode Island, on September 8, 1925.  In that incident the aircraft lost power on takeoff and struck a fence. 

     Source: Army Air Service Aircraft Accident Report, dated January 11, 1926.        

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Boston Harbor – March 17, 1930

March 15, 2016

Boston Harbor – March 17, 1930

     On March 17, 1930, three U.S. Army PT-1 trainer aircraft were getting ready to take off from Boston Airport for a formation training flight.  As the planes were warming up, a sudden snow squall passed over the area lasting about fifteen minutes and leaving behind about 3/8 of an inch of snow. 

     The light snow covered the wings of the aircraft, but ground crews didn’t bother to  brush it off as it was assumed it would blow off on its own once the planes began their take off runs.  However, a bit of sleet had fallen at the beginning of the squall and had formed as ice on the wings before being covered by the snow, thus adding additional weight to the aircraft and changing the wing aerodynamics.  The pilots were unaware of this, and each began to take off towards Boston Harbor.         

     The first two planes slowly made it into the air, but the third, (Ser. No. 27-147), piloted by Captain Clarence J. A’Hearn, had difficulty gaining altitude once it left the ground and gradually settled lower until it went down in the water about 2,000 feet off the end of the runway.  

     Captain A’Hearn and his observer, Private Buell E. Warner, were rescued from the cold water without injury.

     Investigators blamed ice build-up on the wings as the cause of the accident.

     Source: Army Air Corps Aircraft Accident Report dated March 17, 1930

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Fort Devens, MA – May 4, 1942

March 14, 2016

Fort Devens, Massachusetts – May 4, 1942

      

U.S. Air Corps O-52 Aircraft #40-2713 U.S. Army Air Corps Photo Ft. Devens, Mass. May 4, 1942

U.S. Air Corps O-52 Aircraft
#40-2713
U.S. Army Air Corps Photo
Ft. Devens, Mass.
May 4, 1942

     At about 11:30 a.m., on May 4, 1942, 2nd Lt. Howard E. Conklin, and 1st Lt. Arthur L. Miller, took off from Fort Devens Field in an O-52 observation plane, (Ser. No. 40-2713), for a routine patrol flight.  Upon their return at 1:00 p.m., strong gusty winds were buffeting the field.  After circling the field, Lt. Conklin decided it would be better to land on the west runway.  Just as the plane touched down a strong crosswind caught the tail and swung the plane to the right.  Lt. Conklin applied full rudder and brake, but there was no response as the plane continued to swing to the left.  Then the wingtip hit the ground and swung the plane to the right before coming to rest. 

     Although there was damage to the plane, neither man was hurt.

     The aircraft was assigned to the 152nd Observation Squadron at Fort Devens. 

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-5-4-15  Photo of wrecked aircraft is from the report.  

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Boston Airport – August 9, 1932

March 14, 2016

Boston Airport – August 9, 1932

     At about 10:25 a.m. on August 9, 1932,  a 1st Lieutenant of the Massachusetts National Guard, taxied an O-38B observer type aircraft (Ser. No. 32-106) out of the hangar at Boston Airport and made his way to the end of the runway in preparation for take off.  Meanwhile, for some unknown reason, a Boston Parks Department truck that was in the area, began moving towards the lieutenant’s airplane, approaching the aircraft on the runway from straight ahead.  Due to the way the O-38 was sitting, with its nose up and tail down, the pilot couldn’t see the truck that was operating in his “blind spot”.  As the aircraft began to make its run for takeoff the truck and plane collided. 

     Both plane and truck were damaged, however no injuries were reported.  It was noted by the accident investigation committee that the O-38 was constructed in such a way that a blind spot was created while taxying.   

     The aircraft was assigned to the 101st Observation Squadron at Boston Airport.

     Source: Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, dated August 26, 1932.          

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Norwood, MA – June 16, 1942

March 13, 2016

Norwood, Massachusetts – June 16, 1942

Curtis P-40 Aircraft
U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     On June 16, 1942, 2nd Lt. Herbert C. Chamberlain, (23), was piloting a Curtiss P-40E (Ser. No. 41-25161) over Norwood, Mass., when the aircraft experienced engine trouble.  Lt. Chamberlain attempted an emergency landing at Norwood Airport, but went down in a swampy area near the edge of the field.  The plane was damaged but Lt. Chamberlain was unhurt.     

     Lt. Chamberlain was killed a few days later in another P-40 crash at Hillsgrove Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, on June 24, 1942.  For more information, see Hillsgrove, June 24, 1942

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-6-16-37  

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East Boston Airport – June 22, 1942

March 13, 2016

East Boston Airport – June 22, 1942

    

P-40 Warhawk U.S. Air Force Photo

P-40 Warhawk
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On June 22, 1942, 2nd Lt. Malcolm A. McNall, Jr., was piloting a Curtiss P-40E, (Ser. No. 40-390) over Boston Harbor towing a gunnery target, as part of a target practice mission.  At about 2:00 p.m. he was attempting to return to East Boston Airport when he discovered that he was unable to release the target. 

     After trying five times to do so, he radioed East Boston tower of his situation, and was advised to fly low over the water at the north end of the field so that the target would get caught in the water and tear away form the plane.   Following instructions, Lt. McNall came in low over the water, but when the target dug in to the water, it didn’t tear free as expected.  Instead, the target pulled the aircraft down into the water.  Fortunately Lt. McNall wasn’t seriously injured. 

     The accident investigation committee blamed poor aircraft maintenance by maintenance personnel.

     At the time of the accident Lt. McNall was assigned to the 64th Fighter Squadron.     

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-6-22-18 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Mattapoisett, MA – May 12, 1942

March 12, 2016

Mattapoisett, Massachusetts – May 12, 1942

     On May 12, 1942, 2nd Lt. Clarence V. Jones was piloting an L-1 observation aircraft, (Ser. No. 40-276) on a patrol mission over the Buzzards Bay area of Cape Cod.  At  1:30 p.m., he turned inland over the town of Mattapoisett.  Shortly afterwards the plane’s engine began to run rough and the aircraft began to rapidly loose altitude.  The aircraft dropped so low that it was headed straight for a private home, so Lt. Jones banked to the left to avoid crashing into it.  He was hoping to make for an open area when the wing struck a telephone pole and wrecked the plane.  The plane landed upside down, but there was no fire.  Lt. Jones and his passenger, 2nd Lt. William E. Plumer escaped with minor injuries.   

     The men were assigned to the 101st Observation Squadron at Otis Field, In Falmouth, Massachusetts. 

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-5-12-6    

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Fort Devens Airport, MA – December 23, 1941

March 10, 2016

Fort Devens Airport

Fort Devens, Massachusetts – December 23, 1941

    

L-3C Ser. No. 42-459 Ft. Devens Airport, Mass. December 23, 1941 U.S. Air Corps Photo

L-3C Ser. No. 42-459
Ft. Devens Airport, Mass.
December 23, 1941
U.S. Air Corps Photo

     On December 23, 1941, 2nd Lt. Lorenz F. Kubach was attempting to take off from Fort Devens Airport for a training flight when the engine of his airplane suddenly quit after he’d left the runway and had reached an altitude of 100 feet.  Knowing he didn’t have sufficient altitude to turn around, he attempted to get the plane back on the ground before reaching the end of the runway.  Going beyond the runway was not an option due to the rough terrain and a cliff that lay ahead at the edge of the field.   Therefore he dove the plane to the runway hoping to ground loop it, but his instead the plane bounced on one wheel and nosed over onto its back. 

     The aircraft was an L-3C, ser. No. 42-459.

     Although the plane was badly damaged, Lt. Kubach, and his passenger, 1st Lt. Hartzel R. Birch, received only minor injuries.

     The men were assigned to the 152nd Observation Squadron based at Fort Devens. 

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-12-23-5 

    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Boston Airport – July 3, 1929

March 10, 2016

Boston Airport – July 3, 1929

     On July 3, 1929, a Curtiss O-1B army observation aircraft, (Ser. No. 27-285), took off from Mitchell Field, Long Island New York, bound for Boston.   As the aircraft was landing at Boston Airport a gusty cross-wind caught the left side of the aircraft and flipped it so that the plane crashed on its left wing and nose.  Neither the pilot, 2nd Lt. T. R. Starratt, or his passenger, 1st Lt. S. G. Frierson, were injured. 

     To see a photo of this crash click here: https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:6682z778w

     Source:  Air Corps Aircraft Accident Report, dated July 3, 1929  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Holyoke, MA – November 4, 1955

July 29, 2015

Holyoke, Massachusetts – November 4, 1955

   

C-47 Aircraft - U.S. Air Force Photo

C-47 Aircraft – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the night of November 4, 1955, a U. S. Army C-47 transport plane (#43-48276) en-route from Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C to its home base at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, crashed into the Connecticut River during a heavy rainstorm in an area known as Smith’s Ferry, in the town of Holyoke.  There were eight men aboard, and when the plane hit the water four managed to get away before the aircraft sank taking the rest with it.   

     A civilian later told reporters he heard the plane’s engines sputtering and backfiring before the crash.

     The four survivors were identified as :

     U.S. Navy Captain Henry C. Nichols of Salem, Mass.  

     1st Lt. Joseph M. Delaunentis, 40, of South Hadley, Mass.

     S/Sgt. Alex Wermeichik, of Brooklyn, New York.

     T/Sgt. Richard Gearhard, 32, of Rochester, New York.

     The heavy rains caused the level of the river to rise, and the current to flow faster, which hampered recovery efforts.  The water was so muddy that visibility for rescue and recovery divers was zero.   

     The dead were later identified as:

     Capt. Wilmer R. Paulson, 35.  He was survived by his wife Barbara and three children.

     A2C Gerald J. Jolicoeur, of Augusta, Maine.

     A2C John Carrington, of Rutland, Vermont.

     Navy Pharmacist Mate Emanuel Casserly, 19, of Washington, D.C..  He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 33, Site 2485.  To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com, memorial #49165016.

     Sources:

     New York Times, “4 lost In Air Crash”, November 6, 1955

     Spokane Daily Chronicle, “C-47 Falls Into River; 4 Saved And 4 Missing”, November 5, 1955

     Lowell Sun, “Muddy Water Curbs Search For Missing Men In Holyoke Crash”, November 6, 1955

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hyannis Airport, MA – June 13, 1942

March 9, 2016

Hyannis Airport, MA – June 13, 1942

 

     On June 13, 1942, an L-1 military observation aircraft, (Ser. No. 40-282), with two men aboard, lost power and crashed on takeoff from Hyannis Airport.  The plane was wrecked, but the pilot, 2nd Lt. Benjamin H. Shiffrin, and his observer, Raymond D. Cawyer, escaped with minor injuries.

    The aircraft was assigned to the 103rd Observation Squadron based at Hyannis. 

    Lt. Shiffrin received his pilot’s rating on August 15, 1941.    

    Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-6-13-2

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Boston Airport – February 27, 1925

March 9, 2016

Boston Airport – February 27, 1925 

     At about 10:30 a.m. on February 27, 1925, Army 1st Lieutenant Max Balfour took off from Boston Airport in a De Havilland DH4B  bi-wing aircraft (Ser. No. 64609).  With him as a passenger was Major Louis H. Beuer of the Medical Corps.  Strong wind gusts of 35-40 mph were blowing from the northwest, and as the plane lifted off from the runway  it was hit by a powerful wind gust and crashed at the waters edge.  Neither man was injured, but the plane was described as “completely washed out.”

     Prior to taking off, Lt. Balfour had been experiencing trouble with frozen water lines in the engine, and they had to be thawed before the flight.  However, investigators didn’t believe that this had any bearing on the crash.     

     Source: Army Air Service Crash Report dated February 27, 1925

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Westover Air Field, MA – May 19, 1942

March 9, 2016

Westover Army Air Field, Chicopee, Mass. – May 19, 1942 

    

B-25 Mitchel bomber USAF Museum photo

B-25 Mitchel bomber
USAF Museum photo

      At 1:00 p.m., on May 19, 1942, a B-25B twin-engine bomber, (Ser. No. 40-2230), piloted by 1st Lt. John P. Henebry, took off from Westover Field for a two hour training flight.  Besides Lt. Henebry, there were five other men aboard:

     (Co-pilot) 1st Lt. Edgar H. Dunn

     (Engineer) S/Sgt. Charles E. Scarborough

     (Gunner) Cpl. Charles K. Hatton

     (Radio Operator) Cpl. Abraham L. Saluk

     (Bomber) Pfc. Gerald F. Kiefer

     Upon their return to Westover, it was discovered that the landing gear would not come down due to a loss in hydraulic pressure.  Lt. Henebry radioed the tower of the situation, and began circling the base while the crew set about fixing the problem.

     The nose landing gear was successfully lowered via the emergency hand-cranking system.  However, while attempting to lower the left and right landing gear, the emergency crank broke under the strain after the wheels had been lowered half-way. 

     Lt. Henebry then put the plane into a series of sharp maneuvers in an effort to bring the landing gear completely down and into a locked position, but he was only successfully in bringing down the left wheel. 

     With the plane running low on fuel, and a crash landing seemingly the outcome, Lt. Henebry was granted permission to salvo the four depth charges aboard.  It was then he discovered that the bomb bay doors wouldn’t open due to low hydraulic pressure, so he tried to open them with the pilot’s emergency bomb release, but that didn’t work either.   The doors were finally opened using the emergency hand-crank.  Another problem occurred once the doors were opened – the depth charges suddenly dropped away on their own!  Fortunately the charges weren’t armed, and caused no damage when they fell.

    

B-25B #40-2230 Westover Field, Massachusetts May 19, 1942 U.S. Army Air Corps Photo

B-25B #40-2230
Westover Field, Massachusetts
May 19, 1942
U.S. Army Air Corps Photo

Afterwards, someone tried to close the bomb bay doors using the hand-crank, but the crank broke, and they remained partially open.

     Lt. Henebry and the flight engineer, S/Sgt. Scarborough, tried again to get the right landing gear to come down but all efforts to do so were unsuccessful. 

     The B-25 circled the field for two hours and forty minutes before the pilot had no choice but to try and land the plane.  The crew was told they could bail out if they wished, but none did.  Lt. Henebry brought the plane in from the southwest and landed on a soft, damp, dirt area which had been graded.  He successfully landed on only the front and left wheel.  Towards the end of its run the plane fell on the right wing and skidded to a stop with no injuries to the crew.

     The Aircraft was assigned to the 39th Bomb Squadron stationed at Westover Field.

     Lt. Henebry went on to have a distinguished military career, and recounted some of his memoirs in a book he wrote called, The Grim Reapers: At Work In The Pacific Theatre: the Third Attach Group Of The U.S. Fifth Air Force, published in 2002. 

     He retired a Major General.       

     Source: U. S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-5-19-10     

    

       

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Boston Airport – September 15, 1941

March 7, 2016

Boston Airport, Massachusetts – September 15, 1941

    

P-40 Warhawk U.S. Air Force Photo

P-40 Warhawk
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On September 15, 1941, a U.S. Army P-40C fighter aircraft (Ser. No. 41-13393) was cleared for take off from Boston Airport.  As the army plane was becoming airborne it was involved in a collision with a Stinson civilian aircraft (NE-87) belonging to Northeast Airlines, Inc.

     The army pilot escaped with minor injuries.  However, the Stinson pilot, and two of the three passengers were seriously injured.

     The P-40 was assigned to the 66th Pursuit Squadron in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-9-15-3, dated September 17, 1941

           

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Boston Harbor – August 18, 1941

March 7, 2016

Boston Harbor – August 18, 1941

     On August 18, 1941, a O-47A observation aircraft, (Ser. No. 38-306), was pulling anti-aircraft targets over the waters of Boston Harbor when the pilot needed to land for refueling.  After flying for two hours, the fuel in the two main tanks was exhausted, so the pilot switched to the reserve tank, which according to the fuel gauge in the cockpit held 50 gallons, and began to approach the field.   As he was making the approach the engine suddenly quit, forcing the pilot to ditch in the water.  The plane sank, but the three crewmen aboard were able to climb out and be rescued. 

     The crewmen were identified as:

     (Pilot) 1st Lt. J. F. Barrett

     Pvt. Melvyn A. Cady

     Pvt. Harold E. Sutcliffe

     The men were assigned to the 152nd Observation Squadron based at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.  

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Air Craft Accident dated August 27, 1941         

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Lunenburg, MA – June 4,1941

March 6, 2016

     Lunenburg, Massachusetts – June 4, 1941

     On June 4, 1941, an O-38E observation plane, (ser. No. 34-14), was landing at Lunenburg Airdrome when the wheels hit a soft spot in the unpaved runway and the plane nosed over onto its back.  The pilot, 2nd Lt. John F. Barrett, and the observer, 2nd Lt. Ernest O. Lindblom, (Spelled with one “o” in report.) escaped with minor injuries, however the plane was reportedly “demolished beyond economical repair.”    

     The men were assigned to the 152nd Observation Squadron based at Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island.  

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #41-6-4-1

    

    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Fitchburg-Leominster Airport – May 21, 1941

March 6, 2016

Fitchburg-Leominster Airport – May 21, 1941

     At 2:00 p.m., on May 21, 1941, a O-38E observation plane (Ser. No. 34-16) was taking off from Fitchburg-Leominster Airport for a photo reconnaissance flight, when it was hit  by a strong cross-wind gust that pushed the aircraft off course and into a pile of dirt left by a construction crew.  Although the airplane was demolished, the pilot, Captain Augustus Becker, and his observer, 1st Lt. Arthur L. Miller, escaped with only minor injuries. 

     The men were assigned to the 152nd Observation Squadron based at Hillsgrove Field in Warwick, Rhode Island.    

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical report Of Aircraft Accident #41-5-21-5   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – October 10, 1958

July 22, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – October 10, 1958

    

C-123K Cargo Plane U. S. Air Force Photo

C-123K Cargo Plane
U. S. Air Force Photo

     On October 10, 1958, a C-123 cargo plane based out of Otis Air Force  Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, was returning to Otis from Miami, Florida, when a fire erupted on board while the plane was off the coast of Virginia.  There was a crew of three aboard: the pilot, Captain Frederick W. Meyer, 29, the co-pilot, Captain Warren W. Swenson, 37, and Staff Sergeant Paul F. D’Entremont. 

     Captain Meyer gave the order to bail out, and the three men parachuted into the ocean.  Meyer and Swenson were rescued by a navy helicopter, and D’Entremont was pulled from the water by the crew of a Coast Guard boat.

     D’Entremont had suffered unspecified injuries, and was transported to the Portsmouth, Virginia, Naval Hospital, where he passed away.  He had been assigned to the 551st Periodic Maintenance Squadron.

     Source:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Sergeant Dies After Plane Crash”, October 14, 1958      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Fort Devens Airport, MA – April 21, 1942

March 5, 2016

Fort Devens Airport, Fort Devens, Massachusetts

April 21, 1942        

      Fort Devens Airport was active at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, during World War II.  It was later named Moore Field after Chief Warrant Officer 2 Douglas Moore, who was killed in Vietnam.  The field closed in 1995.

     At 7:55 p.m., on April 21, 1942, an Army O-52 observation plane (Ser. No. 40-2702) was returning to Fort Devens Airport after a reconnaissance flight when the aircraft crashed in four feet of water at the edge of a pond.  The plane fell from an altitude of 500 feet while making a turn in preparation for landing.   Both the pilot and observer were killed.

      The dead were identified as 1st Lt. Gerald Patrick Kennedy, 26, of Providence, R.I., and 2nd Lt. Robert Wright Booker, 24, of Illiopolia, Ill.  

     Lt. Booker, the pilot,  is buried in Macon County Memorial Park, Section 14, in Harristown, Illinois.  He received his pilot’s wings on October 31, 1941. 

     Lt. Kennedy is buried in St. Francis Cemetery, Section 51, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.  

     Later in the evening Lt. Kennedy was scheduled to attend a party in his honor due to his recent promotion to first lieutenant.  As a point of fact, Lt. Booker wasn’t scheduled to be on that flight, but he’d taken the place of another officer.  

     Today there is a hanger named for Lt. Kennedy  at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, R.I. (Formerly Hillsgrove)

     The men were assigned to the 152nd Observation Squadron, and it was reported that these men were the first airplane related fatalities in the history of the 152nd.  The 152nd had been stationed at Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick, R.I. prior to being transferred in the summer of 1941 to  Fort Devens. 

     Sources:

     U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-4-21-23

     Woonsocket Call, “Army Probing Devens Plane Crash In Which 2 Met Death”, April 22, 1942, Pg. 1

     Wikipedia – Fort Devens Airport 

     www.findagrave.com

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Off Scituate, MA – February 24, 1942

March 3, 2016

Off Scituate, Massachusetts – February 24, 1942

Curtis P-40 Aircraft

U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     On February 24, 1942, 2nd Lt. Dennis J. Dowling, 22, was on a formation flying training flight when his P-40E (Ser. No. 41-5692) inexplicably crashed into the water two-and-a-half miles off the coast of Scituate, Massachusetts, from an altitude of 2,000 feet.    

     Lt. Dowling did not survive, and a search for his body was instituted.  It’s unknown as of this posting if he was recovered.  

     The accident investigation committee was unable to determine a cause for the crash, but mechanical failure was suspected based on two witnesses who stated they saw intermittent smoke trailing from the airplane shortly before the accident.

     Lt. Dowling had recently been married only two weeks earlier in Revere, Massachusetts.   He’d received his pilots wings December 12, 1941, at Turner Field, in Alabama.  At the time of the crash he was assigned to the 64th Pursuit Squadron (I), stationed in Boston, Mass.

     Sources:

     U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-2-24-1.   

     Daily Record, “Bridegroom Dies In Plane Plunge”, February 25, 1942

     Boston Herald, “Plane Plunge Kills Army Bridegroom”, February 25, 1942

     Boston Evening Globe, “Army Flyer, Wed 10 Days, Killed; Body Still In Sea”, February 25, 1942

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Westover Field, MA – March 20, 1942

March 3, 2016

Westover Field, Massachusetts – March 20, 1942 

    

U.S. Army A-29 Attack Bomber - U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Army A-29 Attack Bomber – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On March 20, 1942, a U.S. Army A-29, (ser. no. 41-23329) lost power and crashed and burned on take off at Westover Field.  Fortunately the entire six man crew was able to escape through the rear of the aircraft.

      

     Source: U.S. Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident #42-3-20-2

    

      

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , ,

Cape Cod Bay – March 25, 1954

June 23, 2015

Cape Cod Bay – March 25, 1954

    

F-94 Starfire U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 12:45 p.m., on March 25, 1954, 2nd Lt. Boyd L. Erickson, 24, was killed when the F-94 Starfire jet he was piloting crashed in Cape Cod Bay near Orient during a routine training flight.

     The newspaper account mentioned that there was a radar observer aboard who was “missing”.  He was not identified.  

     Lieutenant Erickson was from Grand Forks, North Dakota, and he’s buried there in Memorial Park Cemetery.  He was survived by his wife Dona Mae Erickson.

     Lieutenant Erickson entered the U.S. Air Force in early 1951, and began his pilot training in August of 1952.  He received his wings and officer’s commission August 1, 1953, and had been assigned to Otis Air Force Base at the time of the accident.

     Sources:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Pocasset Pilot Dies In Crash Of Aircraft”, March 26, 1954        

     Findagrave.com  Memorial # 24523991

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Cape Cod Bay – July 14, 1991

March 1, 2016

Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts – July 14, 1991

     On July 14, 1991, an A-4 Skyhawk jet (Bu. No. 154622) took off from the South Weymouth Naval Air Station for a training flight over Cape Cod Bay.  While over the water the pilot experienced mechanical problems with the aircraft and was forced to eject.  The plane crashed in the bay about four to five miles from the mouth of the cape Cod Canal.  The unidentified pilot was rescued by the fishing vessel Tigger Two. 

     The pilot was transported to Falmouth Hospital as a precautionary measure.  

     The aircraft was assigned to VMA-322 at South Weymouth.  The squadron was deactivated June 27, 1992. 

     Sources:

     Lewiston Sun Journal, “Navy Jet Crashes Into Cape Cod Bay”, July 15, 1991 

     New York Times, “Navy Jet Crashes Into Bay”, July 15, 1991 

     www.a4skyhawk.org

     Wikipedia – VMA-322

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Otis Air Field/Litchfield, N.Y. – February 14, 1943

June 21, 2015

Otis Air Field, Falmouth, Massachusetts/Litchfield, New York

February 14, 1943

    

B-25C Twin-Engine Bomber - U.S. Air Force Photo

B-25C Twin-Engine Bomber – U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 6:23 p.m. on February 14, 1943, a U.S. Army B-25C, twin-engine bomber, (#42-53401), left Rome, New York, en-route to its home base at Otis Air Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  The temperature that evening was well below zero, and snow was falling.  Near Albany, New York, the aircraft encountered blizzard conditions and was forced to turn back towards Rome.  As the plane flew over the Mohawk Valley it is speculated that the pilot began looking for a place to make an emergency landing because witnesses remembered hearing the plane circling, and seeing a pink flare light up the sky shortly the B-25 crashed in an area of the town of Litchfield known as “Cranes Corners”.    

     The crash occurred at 7:25 p.m. on the farm of John Wheelock. (Contemporary maps show a Wheelock Road in Litchfield.)  According to one newspaper account, “The bomber, which plowed though the snow as it crashed, burrowed through the field and skidded along to the road, stopping less than 200 yards from the Richards’ home.”  Debris was scattered over a wide area and the plane burned on impact.  There were no survivors.

     Volunteer fire crews from the town of Ilion, (which is about six miles to the north), arrived with great difficulty, hampered by mounting snow drifts, sub-zero temperatures, and gale-force winds.  A snow plow from the town of Litchfield managed to clear a path to the site.  Many of the first responders, which besides the firemen, included state and local police, and military personnel from Rome, suffered frostbite due to the extreme weather conditions. 

     The B-25 took down power lines which left many area homes in darkness. 

     The dead were identified as:

     (Pilot) 1st Lt. John R. Rogers, of Gouverneur, New York. 

     (Co-pilot) 2nd Lt. Richard Lee Vance, of Scraggy Neck, Cataumet, (Town of Bourne) Massachusetts.  He was 21-years-old.  he’s buried in Greenlawn cemetery in Columbus, Ohio.     

     (Crew Chief) Technical Sergeant Arthur A. Sobczak, of Milwaukie, Wisconsin.  (This name is misspelled in newspaper and other accounts as “Sobzak”.  The correct spelling is “Sobczak”) T/Sgt. Sobczak is buried in St. Adalbert’s Cemetery, Milwaukie, Wisconsin, Section 15, Block 8, Lot 20.  (Findagrave.com Memorial # 115077354)

     The men were assigned to the 14th Anti-Submarine Squadron stationed at Otis Field.

     Sources:

     Rome Daily Sentinel, “Three Airmen Killed After Leaving Rome”, February 15, 1943, pg. 2

     (Unknown Newspaper), “Cold, Snow, Wind Hamper Salvage Of Wrecked Plane”, February 18, 1943 

     (Book) Litchfield Through The Years, by the Litchfield Historical Committee, C. 1976

     Findagrave.com

     With thanks to the Ilion Free Public Library, Ilion, N.Y.

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Worcester, MA – July 18, 1957

February 29, 2016

Worcester, Massachusetts – July 18, 1957

   

T-33 Trainer Jet U.S. Air Force Photo

T-33 Trainer Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 18, 1957, a flight of three National Guard T-33 trainer jets left Grenier Air Force Base in Manchester, New Hampshire, for a routine training flight.   While over the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, one T-33 exploded over a residential neighborhood spewing flaming fuel and debris over a wide area setting six homes on fire.  The main fuselage came down in front of a home on Forest Street.  The home was destroyed by fire.    

     Both crewmen aboard the aircraft were killed.  They were identified as:

     Captain John F. Murphy Jr., 32, of Worcester, Massachusetts.

     1st Lieutenant Lawrence C. Guild, 26, of Quincy, Massachusetts.

     The crash occurred about a half mile from Captain Murphy’s home.

     There were no reported injuries to civilians on the ground.

     Sources:

     The Toldeo Blade, “Pilots Killed As Jet Crash Fires Homes”, July 19, 1957

     Desert Sun, “Resident(s) Escape From Death Called Miracle”, July 19, 1957

     Nashua Telegraph, “6 Sue For Jet Crash Damage In Worcester”, July 16, 1959

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – March 1, 1945

June 16, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – March 1, 1945

Updated April 29, 2016

     On March 29, 1945, the body of Richard Parr Harper, 19, (United States Navy) was found floating in the Atlantic Ocean eight miles north of Race Point Lighthouse located in Provincetown, Massachusetts.   He had been aboard a navy airplane that was lost at sea on March 1, 1945.  No further details of the accident are known. 

     Harper was born in Lincoln Park, Michigan.  His body was brought to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before being sent to Detroit for burial.    

     Source: North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #45-27 

     Updated Information   

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger

National Archives Photo

     The United States destroyer U.S.S. Schenck (DD-159) was launched in 1919, and served various duties during its career including service in World War II.  In September of 1944 she was re-designated AG-82, and served the remainder of the war as a surface vessel that provided target practice for student pilots.  

     On the night of March 1, 1945, the Schenck was ten miles off Provincetown, Massachusetts, serving in her role as a target vessel, when a navy TBM-3D, (Bu. No. 22955), crashed into her superstructure and plunged into the ocean taking both crewmen to the bottom with her.

     Those aboard the Avenger included the pilot, Ensign Chapman W. Lucas, Jr., (20), and ADM 3/c Richard P. Harper, (19).  The body of Ensign Lucas was recovered on August 17, and the body of ADM 3/c Harper was recovered on March 29. 

     To see a photo of ADM 3/c Harper click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198486134/richard-parr-harper    

     A crewman aboard the Schenck was also killed in this incident, but he was not identified in the newspaper articles.

    Updated Information, January 26, 2022

     The Crewman aboard the Schenck who was killed in this accident was Seaman 2d Class Richard A. Hewat, 24, of North Adams, Massachusetts.  To learn more info about Seaman Hewat click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198466105/richard-alexander-hewat

Sources:

     Lewiston Evening Journal, (ME.) “Navy Plane Collides With Surface Craft; Two Fliers Missing And Seaman Dead”, March 2, 1945  

     Norwalk Hour,(CT.) “2 navy Filers Lost In target Practice”, March 2, 1945

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Three Lose Lives In Harbor Crash”, March 8, 1945

     Wikipedia – U.S.S. Schenck

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Martha’s Vineyard – May 8, 1945

June 16, 2015

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts – May 8, 1945 

Updated January 12, 2018

    

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On the morning of May 8, 1945, Lieutenant Joseph F. Koll, Jr., 29, of Boise, Idaho, was taking off from Martha’s Vineyard Naval Auxiliary Air Field in an F6F-5N Hellcat, (Ser. No. 70448), for a scheduled training flight.  When the aircraft had reached an altitude of about 50 feet it suddenly rolled over and dove into the ground and exploded, killing Lt. Koll.   The cause of the accident was undetermined.

     Lieutenant Koll’s body was brought to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before being transported to Idaho for burial.  He’s buried in Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise, Section N 68-2.  To see a photo of Lt. Koll, see findagrave.com Memorial #53030333. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53030333/joseph-f-koll

     Sources:

     U.S. Navy crash investigation report

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records.

       

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Gloucester, MA – November 10, 1929

February 29, 2016

Gloucester, Massachusetts – November 10, 1929

     On November 10, 1929, a U.S. Coast Guard amphibian aircraft with a crew of three aboard took off from Gloucester Harbor for a routine patrol flight.  No sooner had the plane become airborne when it was struck by a downdraft causing it to loose altitude and strike the forestay and rigging of an outward bound fishing schooner, the Jackie B.   The impact ripped the right wing from the airplane, and caused damage to the schooner’s masts. The plane’s momentum carried it another 100 yards where it crashed into the water and flipped upside down. 

     All three crewmen aboard the aircraft were seriously injured.  The pilot, Lt. L. M. Melka, was rescued from the sinking plane by Herman Mathisen who just happened to be passing by in a small boat when the plane hit the water near him.   The other two coastguardsmen, William Kenley, and Arthur J. Descoteau, were rescued by the crew of the Jackie B.  All three airmen were taken to Addison Gilbert Hospital where they were treated for a variety of injuries including fractures, shock, and hypothermia.  

     The aircraft was assigned to Coast Guard Station 7 in Gloucester.

     Source: Lewiston Daily Sun, “Coast Guardsmen Injured In Crash”, November 11, 1929

    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Hyannis, MA – November 20, 1944

May 22, 2015

Hyannis, Massachusetts – November 20, 1944

     Very little information about this accident.

     On November 20, 1944, Ensign Andrew Charles Butko, 24, was killed in an aircraft crash at what was listed as “Cape Cod Airport” in Hyannis.  (This was likely present-day Barnstable Municipal Airport in Hyannis, Mass.)   

     Ensign Butko was assigned to Quonset Point Naval Air Station at the time of his accident.  He’s buried in McKeesport, Penn.

     Source: Rhode Island Department Of Health death certificate

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Northfield, MA – September 15, 1920

January 7, 2016

Northfield, Massachusetts – September 15, 1920

     On September 15, 1920, army aviator, 2nd Lt. Haven H. Spencer, 27, flew a de Havilland, DH-4B, biplane (AS-63454) from Mineola, Long Island, N.Y. to Northfield, Massachusetts, and crashed into a tree on landing.  Lt. Spencer was killed, but his passenger, Herbert McMillian, a student at Dartmouth College escaped with minor injuries. 

     In recent weeks, Lt. Spencer had accompanied the body of Lt. Irving C. Stenson, a fellow aviator from Chelsea, Massachusetts, who was killed in a plane crash at Kelly Field in Texas where both had been stationed, home for burial. 

     Lt. Spencer entered the Aviation Corps in August of 1917.  He was assigned to the 166th Aero Squadron. He was a native of Northfield, Massachusetts, born February 22, 1894, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rev. George Spencer.  He’s buried in Center Cemetery in Northfield.

     Sources:

     Oklahoma Leader, “Aviator Killed When Plane Drops”, September 17, 1920  

     The Butte (Montana) Daily Bulletin, “Aviation Chief Killed”, August 21, 1920

     The (Washington DC) Evening Star, “Army Aviator Killed”, September 17, 1920, page 15.

     www.findagrave.com  memorial #127956908      

     www.accident_report.com

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Off Provincetown, MA – May 8, 1944

May 21, 2015

Off Provincetown, Massachusetts – May 8, 1944

41 52.1N/70 16.4W

     Few details are available about this accident. 

     Updated March 2, 2016

     On May 8, 1944, a navy plane out of Quonset Point Naval Air Station crashed in the ocean off Provincetown, Massachusetts, resulting in three fatalities.  The coordinates of the crash are listed above.  They were obtained from the Rhode Island Department of Health Death Certificates.

     The dead were identified as:

     Lt. Jg. Norwood Harris Dobson, 27, of Ellenboro, North Carolina.  He’s buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Ellenboro. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53923003/norwood-harris-dobson

     ARM 3c Arthur Normand Levesque, 18, of Lonsdale (Lincoln) Rhode Island. He’s buried Notre Dame Cemetery in Pawtucket, R.I. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247820374/arthur-normand-levesque   

     (Missing) Aviation Ordinance man 3c John Werner Dahlstrom, 19, believed to be from Michigan.  Information about him was not listed among the death certificates.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/246269817/john-werner-dahlstrom      

     Sources:

     Rhode Island Department of Health Death Certificates (N.K. GOV. 77) and (N.K. Gov. 78)

     Lewiston Evening Sun, “Identifies Fliers Killed In Cape Cod navy Plane crash”, May 10, 1944

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – May 29, 1944

May 20, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – May 29, 1944

Updated March 5, 2019     

Updated May 4, 2025  

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
U.S. Navy Photo

     On May 2, 1944, a TBM Avenger with a crew of three aboard was on a bomb training flight over Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts when a wing suddenly folded and the plane crashed into the sea killing all aboard.    

 

     The pilot: Lieut. (Jg. )William Hinson Gallagher, 22, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was killed.   He’s buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Charlotte, in plot DX-121. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93301867/william-hinson-gallagher

     AMM2/C Kenneth Eiler, Jr., (20) of Pottsville, Penn.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247181136/kenneth-eiler

     ARM3/C Anthony F. Spaminato, (No further info.)

     Sources:

     Rhode Island Department Of Health Death Records.

     Find A Grave website www.findagrave.com

     The Wilmington Morning Star, (Del.), “Charlotte Flier Dies In Rhode Island Crash”, May 13, 1944.

     Northern Air Group A.C.I Aircraft Accident And Crash Report, (1st Naval District), dated June 1, 1944, covering naval crashes for the month of May, 1944.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mansfield, MA – September 13, 1945

June 12, 2015

Mansfield, Massachusetts – September 13, 1945

Updated July 15, 2019    

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On April 19, 1945, a flight of two navy SB2C Helldiver aircraft left Groton Field in Connecticut for a familiarization training flight.  One of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 83654), was piloted by Ensign Thomas Daniel Murphy, 21, of Chicago.  While at about 2,800 feet over the town of Mansfield, Massachusetts, Ensign Murphy’s aircraft entered a partial wingover and stalled, and then went into a progressive spin.  Murphy pulled out of the spin at about 500 feet, but then went into another and crashed.  The aircraft exploded on impact and Ensign Murphy did not get out. 

     Ensign Murphy was assigned to Bombing Squadron 4 (VB-4) based at Groton Field in Groton, Connecticut.  His body was brought to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before being sent to Chicago for burial.  

     Sources:

     The Attleboro Sun, (Ma.), “Probe Plane Crash At W. Mansfield”, September 14, 1945.

     U. S. Navy accident report dated September 13, 1945.

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #45-87

     Naval History & Heritage Command – U.S. Navy, www.history.navy.mil

    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Yarmouth, MA – June 17, 1989

February 18, 2016

Yarmouth, Massachusetts – June 17, 1989

     Late on the night of June 16, 1989, an Army National Guard UH-1 Bell Helicopter left T.F. Green State Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, bound for Camp Edwards in Mashpee, Massachusetts.  Just after midnight on June 17, while flying in heavy fog conditions over the town of Yarmouth, Massachusetts, the helicopter went down in a wooded area behind some houses.  The aircraft cut a swath twenty feet wide and debris was thrown thirty feet in all directions.

     All six men aboard were killed.  The dead were identified as:

     1st Lt. David Joseph Hendry, 26, of Wilmington, Delaware.

     Chief Warrant Officer Hugh Bryan Pearce, 35, of Wilmington, Delaware.

     M/Sgt. Robert E. Lucey Jr., of Emporia, Virginia.

     S/Sgt. Benjamin Robert Greenplate, 40, of Newark, Delaware. 

     Sgt. Ward Arthur Cornell, 43, of Mansfield, Connecticut.

     Specialist Samuel K. May, of Richmond, Virginia.

     Hendry, Pearce, and Greenplate were all members of the Delaware Army National Guard stationed in New Castle, Delaware, and had just completed the first week of their annual two week training period at Camp Edwards.

     M/Sgt. Lucey and Specialist May were part of the 80th Maneuver Training Command of Virginia.

     Sources:

     (Fla.) Ocala Star-Banner, “National Guard Helicopter Crashes; 6 Crewmen Killed”, June 18, 1989  

     Philly.com, “Six Guardsmen Die In Helicopter Crash”, by Amy S. Rosenberg, June 18, 1989

     Los Angeles Times, “6 Killed As National Guard Copter Crashes In cape Cod Fog”, June 18, 1989

     (Ore.) The Register-Guard, “Military Helicopter Crash Probed”, June 19, 1989

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Boston Harbor – May 2, 1925

February 17, 2016

Boston Harbor – May 2, 1925

     On the morning of May 2, 1925, Lieutenant Alexander V. MacAulay, and his observer, Private Angus D. MacPhee, both of the Massachusetts National Guard, took off from East Boston Airport to join other military aircraft circling overhead for a formation flight over Boston in celebration of Loyalty Day.  When MacAulay’s aircraft reached 800 feet, it suddenly went into a spin and dove into the mud flats of Boston Harbor.    

     Lt. MacAulay died later that day.  Private MacPhee was seriously injured, but not fatally. 

     Lt. MacAulay, a veteran of World War I, was from Beverly, Massachusetts, and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in that town.  (See www.findagrave.com memorial #87490098) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87490098/alexander-vernon-macaulay

     Sources:

     New York Times, “Dies After Plane Dive, Honored As Safe Flyer”, May 3, 1925

     The Pawtucket Times, (R. I.), “Bay State National Guard Airplane Falls 800 Feet; Two Airmen Escape Death”, May 2, 1925.  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Plymouth, MA – August 13, 1912

February 9, 2016

Plymouth, Massachusetts – August 13, 1912

     On August 12, 1912, two army lieutenants, identified only by their last names as Kirtland and Arnold, took off from Marblehead, Massachusetts, in a “hydro-aeroplane” bound for an army maneuvers field situated along the Housatonic River in Connecticut, to take part in war simulation games.  The distance between the two points was about 200 miles, which was quite considerable for the time.

     The men had only gone as far as Duxbury, Massachusetts, when the plane developed engine trouble forcing them to land and make repairs.  After spending the night in Duxbury, they resumed their flight the following morning on the 13th.  While attempting to negotiate a turn over Plymouth Bay, the aircraft “volplaned” and fell into the water.  Fortunately the plane came down in shallow water and neither man was reported to be injured.  However, the aircraft suffered a broken propeller, pontoon, and other damage rendering it inoperable, and it had to be towed to shore.

     Source: (Providence, RI) The Evening News, “Army Aviators Give Up Flight”, August 13, 1912.

     Although the first names of the lieutenants were not stated in the article, it’s possible, given the date of the accident, that their full names were Roy C. Kirtland, and Henry H. Arnold, both of whom were military aviation pioneers.  Kirtland Air Force base in New Mexico is named for Colonel Roy C. Kirtland, and General Henry “Hap” Arnold was the Commander of the United States Army Air Forces During World War II.        

 

        

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – June 21, 1945

June 12, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – June 21, 1945

Updated June 8, 2018

     On the night of June 21, 1945, navy pilot John Huddleston Heath, 27, was killed when his aircraft crashed in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.   His body was not recovered until September 13, 1945, about two miles off Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.

     The type of plane, Heath’s rank, and details of the accident are unknown.

     Heath’s body was brought to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before burial.  The location of his burial is unknown.  He was originally from New Orleans, La.  He died just three days before his 28th birthday.  

     Source: North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #45-86  

     Update:

     Source: Cape Cod Standard Times, “Navy Searches For Two Bodies”, June 22, 1945, page 1.

     According to an article found in the Cape Cod Standard Times, there were two men aboard the aircraft at the time of this accident.  The article reported how search vessels were operating south of Hyannisport, Massachusetts, searching for two navy men believed lost when their airplane was observed to crash into the water approximately three miles south of Hyannisport around 10:00 a.m. on June 21st.   

     The aircraft was described as an advanced trainer with two officers aboard.  Their names were being withheld.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Hyannis, MA – April 20, 1945

June 11, 2015

Hyannis, Massachusetts – April 20, 1945

     On the night of April 20, 1945, Ensign Roger Lee Thornton, 22, was killed when the navy aircraft he was piloting crashed about 1.5 miles N.N.E. of the Hyannis Naval Auxiliary Air Field.  The type of plane and cause of the crash are unknown.

     Ensign Thornton’s body was brought to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before being sent to Columbus, Ohio, for burial. He was survived by his wife Laura Katherine Thornton.  

     To see a photo of Ensign Thornton’s grave go to www.findagrave.com and see memorial #51907830.

     Sources:

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #45-39 

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Navy Pilot Killed In Crash”, April 21, 1945

      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rochester, MA – May 13, 1946

June 11, 2015

Rochester, Massachusetts – May 13, 1946

Updated October 15, 2023

Updated October 18, 2023

     On May 13, 1946, two U. S. Navy aircraft with lone pilots aboard were practicing aerial maneuvers over the town of Rochester, Massachusetts, when they collided in mid-air.  One aircraft had its tail sheared off, while the other lost a wing.  The tailless plane went down in Mary’s Pond, while the other crashed and exploded in a cranberry bog about 100 feet from the pond.  Both pilots perished in the accident. 

     Thee aircraft were SB2C Helldivers.   Both pilots had taken off from the Quonset Point Naval Air station in Rhode Island.  One newspaper account which appeared in the Waterbury Democrat stated that the planes were part of a six plane training flight. 

     One pilot was identified as Ensign Ralph Raymond Reid, 23, from Casper, Wyoming.  A photo of him can be found at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188718076/ralph-raymond-reid

     Ensign Reid was survived by his wife Margaret.

     His body was brought to Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before being sent to Wyoming.

     The other pilot was identified as Ensign James C. Nichols, of Kings Mountain, North Carolina.   

     Sources:

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #46-33

     Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.), “Quonset Pilots Die In Plunge”, May 15, 1946. 

     Winston-Salem Journal, (N.C.), “Tar Heel Is Killed In Plane Collision”, May 16, 1946, pg. 8

     First hand written account of Connie Eshbach, from the files of the Rochester Historical Society, forwarded to New England Aviation History by Eric Wiberg, author and historian. 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Douglas, MA – September 12, 1944

June 8, 2015

Douglas, Massachusetts – September 12, 1944 

Updated February 15, 2018

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

      At 1:50 p.m. on the afternoon of September, 12, 1944, a flight of F6F Hellcat aircraft took off from the naval auxiliary air field at Westerly, Rhode Island, for a high-altitude oxygen training flight.   One of those assigned to the flight was Ensign Arthur Joseph Stockus, 23, piloting an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 42800).

     When the planes had reached an altitude of about 13,000 feet, the flight leader lead the squadron in a northerly direction towards Massachusetts, all the while continuing to gain altitude.  The goal was to reach 30,000 feet.      

     At approximately 2:50 p.m. while the flight was at 28,000 feet, Ensign Stockus’s aircraft was seen to suddenly break away from formation, go into a slow roll, and then disappear into an alto cumulus cloud.  Efforts to contact him via radio were unsuccessful.

     Ensign Stockus was killed when his Hellcat crashed and exploded in a wooded area about two miles west of the center of Douglas, Massachusetts.    

     Navy investigators later speculated that his oxygen system had failed, which could lead to disorientation or unconsciousness.  

     Ensign Stockus was from Monessen, Penn., and had been assigned to CASU-27.  He entered the navy on October 15, 1942, at Washington, D.C.  He died just two days after his 23rd birthday.

     Ensign Stockus had a brother Robert who was also serving as a naval officer.

     To see a photo of Ensign Stockus’s grave, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237847778/arthur-joseph-stockus

     Sources:

     U.S. Navy Investigation Report

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #44-72   

     The Daily Republican, (Penn.), “Plane Crash Kills Monessen Ensign”, September 18, 1944

     Newport Mercury, (R.I.), “Dead Flyer Identified”, September 22, 1944, page 6.

     Copy – Application for World War II Compensation Form – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – June 20, 1947

May 10, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – June 20, 1947

15 Miles South of Nantucket, Mass.

     On June 20, 1947, Ensign Malcolm Sillars was on an operational flight over the Atlantic Ocean, 15 miles south of Nantucket Island, when the Hellcat fighter he was piloting developed engine trouble.  He was forced to make a water landing, and when his plane sank he inflated his life vest.  There he floated in the water as fellow Hellcat pilots circled above.

     A crash-rescue flying boat was dispatched, but when it arrived on the scene the water was too choppy for a safe landing.  The pilot was ordered not to attempt the rescue, but disregarded the command, and landed anyway, successfully plucking Sillars from the water.

     During take-off, a large wave reportedly tossed the rescue-craft 30 feet in the air, but the pilot successfully made it into the air. 

     Source: New York Times, “Pilot Rescued At Sea” , June 21, 1947      

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Ayer, MA – September 30, 1944

June 7, 2015

Ayer, Massachusetts – September 30, 1944

Naval Auxiliary Air Facility

     On September 20, 1944, Seaman 1st Class John Harding Bell, 19, was working at the Ayer, Massachusetts, Naval Auxiliary Air Facility  when he accidentally backed into a spinning aircraft propeller and was killed.

     He was born in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and is buried in Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery , Section A, Site 254-A.

     The Ayer NAAF was built for the army in 1929, but was turned over to the navy during WWII to support the Squantum Naval Air Station.  After the war it reverted back to the army as part of Fort Devens. 

     Sources:   

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #44-77

     Findagrave.com memorial # 350676

     Wikipedia – Moore Army Airfield 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Dorchester Bay – July 16, 1944

June 6, 2015

Dorchester Bay – July 16, 1944

    

F6F Hellcat U.S. Navy Photo

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On July 16, 1944, Ensign William Oran Seymour Jr., 23, was piloting an F6F-5 Hellcat,(Bu. No. 58882), with other aircraft based at the Squantum Naval Air Station, on an air-to-air target practice mission over Dorchester Bay.  (Seymour’s aircraft was assigned to tow a cloth target sleeve behind it while other aircraft took turns making attack runs.)

     Afterwards, as the planes returned to Squantum in preparation for landing,  the engine of  Seymour’s Hellcat began misfiring.  Being over a heavily populated area, the pilot opted to stay with the aircraft rather than bail out.  The plane rapidly lost altitude as it passed over Dorchester’s Savin Hill neighborhood, heading towards Malibu Beach where the pilot hoped to make an emergency landing.  Unfortunately, it being a hot summer day, the beach was crowded with roughly 3,000 people.  As Seymour approached the beach at barely 100 feet off the ground, his vision of the crowd was blocked by a sea wall.  It wasn’t until the last second that he saw all the people and quickly yanked the Hellcat towards the water.  He crashed about 200 yards from shore in about 15 feet of water.   

     One lifeguard who witnessed the accident later told reporters, “It hit first on the left wing, because he swung away from the beach sharply to avoid striking the crowd.  It snapped over so fast that it went end over end, and then the fuselage seemed to crumple up and the plane sank.”

     Several men swam out to the spot where the Hellcat went down in an attempt to rescue the airman, but they were unsuccessful.  Seymour’s body was later recovered by men from the crash-rescue boat sent form Squantum.  

     Ensign Seymour was born in Monroe, North Carolina, and graduated Valedictorian of his high school class in 1938.  He volunteered for the navy in July of 1942, and received his pilot’s wings and Ensign’s commission on October 9, 1943.  He is buried in Monroe Cemetery. 

     For his actions and quick thinking in sacrificing himself in order to save others, he was posthumously awarded a Presidential Citation and the Navy & Marine Corps medal for bravery.

     He was assigned to Fighter Squadron 45, (VF-45)

     Sources:

     NAS Squantum: The First Naval Air Reserve Base, by Marc Frattasio (Pgs. 218-219)

     The Boston Post, (No headline available) Monday, July 17, 1944

     The Gold Star Mothers Homepage – William O. Seymour, Jr.

     U.S. Navy Accident Report dated July 16, 1944

 

  

             

    

        

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Sandwich, MA – August 29, 1961

June 3, 2015

Sandwich, Massachusetts – August 29, 1961 

    

RB-57F. The U.S. Version of the English Electric Canberra. U.S. Air Force Photo.

RB-57F. The U.S. Version of the English Electric Canberra. U.S. Air Force Photo.

     On August 29, 1961, Major Harold D. LaRoche, 27, took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, in a Martin B-57 Canberra en-route to Andrews Air Force base in Virginia.  (He was the only person aboard.)

     Shortly after take off  LaRoche radioed Otis tower that he had an emergency and turned back towards the base.  On his approach he crashed in the Forestdale section in the town of Sandwich, Massachusetts.  The plane exploded and the major was killed. 

     Major LaRoche was assigned to Ent Air Force base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and had been on a cross-country flight.     

 

Source:

Falmouth Enterprise, (Photo) “Wreckage Of Bomber Which Crashed In Forrestdale”, September 1, 1961

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Boston Airport – February, 1934

January 28, 2016

Boston Airport – February, 1934 

    

Early Air Mail Advertisement

Early Air Mail Advertisement

     On March 1, 1934, the U.S. Army Eastern Zone Air Service announced it had cancelled until further notice all air mail flights to Boston due to hazardous landing conditions at the airport there.  The decision came after there had been three air mail plane accidents on the narrow runways within four days.  Apparently the runways had been plowed of recently fallen snow, but the mounds were piled high right at the edges.

     On February 26th and 27th, two air mail planes were damaged upon landing when their wings clipped the snow drifts. 

     On the morning of February 28th, a plane piloted by Lt. Charles E. Flaherty, carrying 81 pounds of mail hit another snowdrift damaging the propeller and both wings.  (It wasn’t stated if Lt. Flaherty was injured or not.)  

     Source: New York Times, “Air Mail Cancels Trips To Boston”, March 1, 1934

    

 

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Nomans Land Island – September 2, 1949

January 26, 2016

Nomans Land Island – September 2, 1949

     On September 2, 1949, a 35-foot New Bedford fishing boat with three men aboard tied up at a wharf on Noma’s Land Island and began cutting up sharks they had caught.  The island was (And still is.) off limits to all civilian personnel due to the fact it was utilized by the U.S. Navy for gunnery practice by ships and aircraft.   (The boat’s captain would later claim he was not aware that the dock was part of the restricted area.)

     As the men sat near their boat, a military fighter aircraft came zooming at them about 20 feet off the water and opened fire spraying the boat and surrounding area with machine gun bullets.  Twenty rounds pierced the boat while others spattered the nearby water and ground.  Fortunately none of the men were hit. 

     The fishing boat captain field a complaint which was investigated.  He stated that several other military planes were flying over the area at the time, but the one that shot at them had been flying alone. 

     Military officials for both the army and navy denied responsibility.  It was reported that several aircraft from Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island had been scheduled to fly to the island that day, but according to officials, when they arrived they found other “unscheduled” aircraft already there, and returned to Quonset without firing a shot.

     Source:

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “Fishing Vessel Strafed By Mystery Plane off Mass; Navy Denies Responsibility”, September 3, 1949 

      

    

    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With:

Off Nantucket – April 25, 1967

June 2, 2015

Off Nantucket – April 25, 1967

     At 6:30 p.m. on April 25, 1967, a “radar picket plane” with sixteen men aboard took off from Otis Air Force Base for patrol duty over the Atlantic.  “A half hour later,” it was reported, “eye witnesses heard the plane roaring over their homes at Madaket on the western end of Nantucket.”   

     The plane crashed into the sea off the western end of the island.  A commercial pilot flying in the area saw the plane go down, and said the Air Force pilot had made a deliberate effort to avoid crashing in the center of town.      

     The plane was piloted by Col. James P. Lyle Jr., 47, commander of the 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing based at Otis.

     Of the sixteen men aboard, there was only one survivor: the navigator, Lieut. Joseph H. Guenet, 29, of Montreal.

     To learn more about this accident click here: http://www.dean-boys.com/extras/lost/ac549.htm

     This was the second radar plane out of Otis to be lost within two years.  The other went down in July, 1965, with sixteen lives lost.   

Sources:

New York Times, “Plane with 16 Crashes Off Coast”, April 26, 1967

New York Times, “Air Force Seeks Survivors Of Crash Off Nantucket”, April 27, 1967

New York Times, “Hope Gone For 13 On Plane”, April 28, 1967

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – December 12, 1943

November 8, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – December 12, 1943

B-24 Liberator U.S. Air Force Photo

B-24 Liberator

U.S. Air Force Photo

     On December 12, 1943, a B-24 Liberator (42-7225) took off from Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts, for a nighttime high altitude navigational and gunnery training flight over the Atlantic Ocean.  The aircraft was never seen again.

     The air crew was assigned to the 758th Bombardment Squadron, 459th Bomb Group.  

     The lost crewmen were listed as follows:

     (Pilot) Lt. William P. Masters 

     (Co-Pilot) Lt. Robert R. Hansen  To see an obit and photo of Lt. Hansen’ s grave, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70943303/robert-rollin-hansen

     (Gunner) Sgt. Cecil H. Conklin

     (Gunner) Sgt. Anthony L. Greco

     (Gunner) Sgt. Dean G. McCaffrey

     (Radio Operator) Sgt. Bernard G. Stoeckley

     (Gunner) Sgt. Anson G. Wiseman

     (Flight Engineer) Sgt. Stanley E. Zajac

A bronze memorial plaque at the New England Air Museum honoring the lost crew of a B-24 Liberator (42-7225)

A bronze memorial plaque at the New England Air Museum honoring the lost crew of a B-24 Liberator (42-7225)

   A memorial to these men can be seen at the New England Air Museum in Winsor Locks, Connecticut.

     Click on image to enlarge.

     Source: 459th bombardment Group website

www.459bg.org/758th_squadron_servicemen.cfm

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Missing Aircraft – April 27, 1966

June 2, 2015

Missing Aircraft – April 27, 1966

    

B-57 Reconnaissance Bomber U.S. Air Force Photo

B-57 Reconnaissance Bomber
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 27, 1966, an Air Force B-57 reconnaissance bomber was on a training flight from Newburgh, New York, to Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, when it disappeared after radioing a distress signal, presumably  somewhere near the Falmouth area. 

     There were two men aboard the aircraft: (Pilot) Major Malcolm T. Kalser, 42, of Biggs, California, and (Navigator) Major Frank N. Guzzetta, 40, of Darby, Penn.    

     After a widespread search nothing was found, and the Air Force called off the search after eight days.

     Then, on Sunday, May 9, 1966, two fishermen from Cuttyhunk Island reported finding what they though might be pieces of the missing aircraft on a nearby beach.  “The wreckage”, it was reported, “included one part about five feet long and a rubber de-icing boot.” 

     The pieces were turned over to the Air Force.

    Source:

    Woonsocket Call, “Plane Search May Resume; Parts Found”, May 9, 1966, Pg. 6       

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Atlantic Ocean – July 11, 1965

June 2, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – July 11, 1965

Approx. 100 miles northeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts

EC-121 Super Constellation U.S. Air Force Photo

EC-121 Super Constellation
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the night of July 11, 1965, an Air Force EC-121H Super Constellation radar aircraft with a crew of 19 aboard, was flying over the Atlantic when a fire in one engine forced the pilot to ditch in the water. 

     The last radio transmission received from the pilot was , “Altitude 200 feet, I am ditching.”   

     The Constellation broke up when it hit the water. 

     The aircraft carrier U.S.S. Wasp and several other ships were in the area on naval exercises, and immediately launched a search and rescue operation.  Of the 19 men aboard, only three were rescued.  Nine bodies were recovered.  The other seven were listed as “missing, presumed dead”.

     Those rescued were :

     1st Lt. Bruce E. Witcher, navigator, of Redding, CA.

     Airman 1c John N. Puopolo, of Roslindale, Mass.

     Airman 2c David A. Surles, of Raleigh, N.C.

     The dead and missing were identified as:

     Capt. Murray J. Brody, pilot, of New York City. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47581457/murray-joseph-brody

     2nd Lt. Fred Ambrosio, pilot, of Otis AFB.

     1st Lt. Thomas Fiedler, pilot, of Davenport, Iowa. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180145092/thomas-john-fiedler

     2nd Lt. Ira J. Husik, navigator, of Philadelphia. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24081498/ira-jay-husik

     Capt. Edward N. Anaka of Akron, N.Y. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/215621805/edward-nicolas-anaka

     Capt. Michael R. Barbolla, of the Bronx, N.Y. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24014841/michael-richard-barbolla

     T. Sgt. Gilbert T. Armstrong, flight engineer, of Newport, VT. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23940483/gilbert-l-armstrong

     T. Sgt. Eugene J. Schreivogel, of Springfield, Colorado. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23936020/eugene-j-schreivogel

     S. Sgt. Raymond M. Washam, of Wilmington, Del. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95227906/raymond-michael-washam

     S. Sgt. Francis J. Griffin, of Toronto, Canada.

     S. Sgt. John L. Howard, of Sanford, PA.

     Airman 1c George R. West, of Wyoming, Mich. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104573894/george-raymond-west

     Airman 1c Charles K. Sawyer, of Anderson, S.C. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116457890/charles-keith-sawyer

     Airman 2c William E. Howe Jr., of North Augusta, S.C. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17478270/william-ernest-howe

     Airman 2c Charles H. Williams, of Worcester, Mass. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/256181142/charles-h-williams

     Airman 3c Charles J. Podjaski, of Evergreen Park, Ill. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/256181165/charles-j-podjaski

     The aircraft was assigned to Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

     There is much more information available relating to this accident.  To find out more, go to http://www.heinzalbers.org/aircrash.htm  to read numerous articles from the Cape Cod Standard Times about this incident.    

Sources:

New York Times, “9 Airmen Perish In Plane Ditching”, July 13, 1965

New York Times, “Crash Survivors Describe Ordeal”, July 14, 1965

Chicago Tribune, “Buddies Tell How Airmen Died In Crash”, July 14, 1965, Pg. 2

New York Times, “Coast Guard Halts Search For Airmen In Plane Crash”, July 18, 1965

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – May 25, 1958

June 2, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – May 25, 1958

    

EC-121 Super Constellation U.S. Air Force Photo

EC-121 Super Constellation
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On May 25, 1958, an Air Force RC121 Super Constellation radar aircraft was destroyed by a series of explosions while sitting at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  The crew of fourteen managed to escape with only minor injuries. 

     The plane was valued at $2,225,000. 

     The cause of the explosions was not apparent. 

     Source: New York Times, “Plane Explodes At Base”, May 26, 1958  

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – May 8, 1957

June 2, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – May 8, 1957

Falmouth, Massachusetts

     On May 8, 1957, Lieutenant Donald J. Flower Jr., 26, of Yonkers, New York, was killed when the fighter jet he was piloting crashed and burned upon landing at Otis AFB.  He had flown to Otis from Shaw AFB in South Carolina. 

     The exact type of aircraft wasn’t stated.  

     Flower joined the Air Force in 1953 after graduating from Iona College in New Rochelle, New York.  He was survived by his parents and four siblings.

     Source: New York Times, “Yonkers Pilot Killed”, May 10, 1957

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Off Sandwich, MA – June 24, 1956

June 2, 2015

Off Sandwich, Massachusetts – June 24, 1956

     

F-94 Fighter Jet U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Fighter Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the evening of June 24, 1956, a flight of three F-94 Starifre jets left Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, en-route to Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  When they arrived at Otis they encountered poor weather conditions, and Otis tower held off their landing.  As the F-94’s circled in a three-jet formation, two of the jets ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea. 

     The pilot and radar observer of one jet were rescued after they bailed out over the ocean.  The pilot of the second plane was not recovered.  (His aircraft did not have a radar observer aboard.)      

     A Coast Guard helicopter out of Boston taking part in the search and rescue operations crashed in Boston Harbor where it encountered thick fog upon its return.  Two crewmen were rescued, a third was lost.

     No names were listed in the source article.

     Source: New York Times, “Two Jet Planes Crash”, June 25, 1956  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Vineyard Sound – August 10, 1952

June 2, 2015

Vineyard Sound – August 10, 1952

Between Martha’s Vineyard and Falmouth, Massachusetts

    

F-94 Fighter Jet U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Fighter Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On August 10, 1952, a U. S. Air Force F-94 fighter jet piloted by Captain Hobart R. Gay, 28, took off from Otis Air Force base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for a training flight.  As he was returning to base, Gay radioed for landing instructions.  Just afterwards, a Coast Guard watchman reported seeing his aircraft suddenly plunge into the water of Vineyard Sound and disappear. 

     The crash was also witnessed by a Falmouth auxiliary policeman who reported he saw a “streak of light” drop from the sky.

     A search and rescue mission was immediately launched, but all that was found was an oil slick, and fragments of Captain Gay’s aircraft.  His body was never recovered.  

     Captain Gay was a 1946 graduate of West Point.  He flew 105 combat missions in Korea, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

     He was survived by his wife Jane, and his son, Hobart R. Gay III. 

     Source:

     New York Times, “Jet Crash Victim Found To be Hero”, August 12, 1952

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Auxiliary Policeman Sees Jet Plane Fall”, August 15, 1952

    

 

    

 

 

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

From Otis Air Force Base – August 7, 1951

June 2, 2015

From Otis Air Force Base – August 7, 1951

    

T-33 Trainer Jet U.S. Air Force Photo

T-33 Trainer Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On August 7, 1951, a T-33 trainer jet with two men aboard left Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for a training flight to Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York.  The pilot was Major C. H. Imschweiler, 34, of Schuylkill, Penn. The second man was Lieutenant John A. Carver Jr., 30, of Ann Arbor, Michigan.   

     When the plane reached Griffiss, they encountered bad weather, and made two unsuccessful attempts to land.  By this time the T-33 was low on fuel, and rather than risk another attempt at landing, the crew was advised to fly north and bail out of the plane.  At 6:03 p.m. Imschweiler radioed Griffiss that they were bailing out.  Nothing more was heard of the plane, and large-scale search and rescue operation was begun. 

     It took five days to locate the downed aircraft .  The crew was found to be still inside the wreck. 

Sources:

Geneva Daily Times, “City CAP Joins Search For Missing Jet Pilots” August 10, 1951, Pg. 7

New York Times, “2 Missing Fliers Hunted”, August 11, 1951

New York Times, “2 Lost Jet Airmen Are Dead In Wreck”, August 12, 1951

 

    

    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Chatham, MA – July 11, 1949

June 2, 2015

Chatham, Massachusetts – July 11, 1949

    

Republic F-84C - U.S. Air Force Photo

Republic F-84C – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 12, 1949, 2nd Lt. William M. King, 25, of Kenmore, N.Y., was piloting an F-84 Thunderjet (Ser. No. 47-1475) on a gunnery practice mission over Cape Cod, Massachusetts, when he crashed on Monomy Point in the town of Chatham and was killed.   

     King was assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Otis Air Force Base.

     Source: New York Times, “Pilot Killed In Jet Crash”, July 12, 1949   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mashpee – Falmouth, MA – October 9, 1951

October 9, 2015

Mashpee-Falmouth Area

 Massachusetts – October 9, 1951 

     

F-94 Starfire U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On October 9, 1951, a U. S. Air Force F-94 Starfire jet was coming in for a landing at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, when a wingtip fuel tank, reported to be, “probably empty”, unexpectedly fell away and came down in a wooded area somewhere to the west of a traffic rotary on Route 28 in the nearby town of Mashpee, Massachusetts.  The pilot estimated that the tank might have landed far enough to the west of the traffic rotary that it came down in Falmouth.  

     A search for the missing tank was instituted, but as of October 12th it hadn’t been found.  The tank was described as being about five feet long, cigar-shaped, and made of aluminum.  Citicens with any information as to its whereabouts were asked to notify Falmouth police or Otis base.    

    

 

Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Wingtip Gas Tank Falls From Otis Jet”, October 12, 1951

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: ,

Otis Air Force Base – April 14, 1958

October 9, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – April 14, 1958 

Falmouth, Massachusetts

    

F-94 Fighter Jet U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Fighter Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 14, 1958, an F-94 Starfire jet was returning to Otis Air Force Base after a training flight when it was discovered that the landing gear wouldn’t come down.  The pilot, 2nd Lt. Ragner Erickson,and his radar observer, 1st Lt. Francis DePipi, circled the area for 45 minutes using up the fuel supply as base fire crews coated the runway with foam.    

     When it was time, Lt. Erickson brought the aircraft in for a wheels-up belly landing.  The foam did its job and there was no fire.  The crew was uninjured.

     Source: Falmouth Enterprise, (no headline) (two photos) (short narrative)    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – November 6, 1958

October 9, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – November 6, 1958

Falmouth, Massachusetts

   

F-94 Starfire U.S. Air Force Photo

F-94 Starfire
U.S. Air Force Photo

      On November 6, 1958, an F-94 Starfire jet was taking off from Otis Air Force Base when both auxiliary fuel tanks unexpectedly fell from the wings, struck the runway, and exploded.  The F-94, piloted by 1st Lt. Raymond Nishibayashi, managed to get airborne, and circled the base while ground crews put out the fires.

     Nishibayashi and his radar observer, 1st Lt. Allen E. Freiberg landed safely.

     Both men were assigned to the 60th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis.

     Source:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Fire On Runway”, November 7, 1958   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Otis Air Force Base – July 9, 1954

October 9, 2015

Otis Air Force Base – July 9, 1954

Falmouth, Massachusetts

     On the afternoon of July 9, 1954, air force captain Robert J. Fox was scheduled to fly a single-engine L-20 airplane on a routine training flight from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.   As he was lifting off the runway at 4:05 p.m., the aircraft suddenly lost altitude dipping its wing which caught the ground causing the plane to crash.  Despite heavy damage to the plane, was no fire, and Captain Fox escaped without injury. 

     Fox was assigned to the 4707th Air defense Wing as a communications electronics officer.         

     Source:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Capt. Robert Fox Unhurt In Crash”, July 9, 1954

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Saugus, MA -October 21, 1915

January 23, 2016

Saugus, Massachusetts – October 21, 1915

     On October 21, 1915, Capt. Charles P. Redding of Melrose, Mass., and his mechanic, Phillip Bowman, of Malden, Mass., left Marblehead, Mass. in a Burgess biplane bound for Saugus Aviation Field. 

     The duo landed successfully, and later in the day took off again for a flight over Lynn, Massachusetts.  On their way back to Saugus Field, the plane crashed into a pool of water in the marshes of Saugus.   

     Charles Upham, a witness to the crash, made his way to the wrecked airplane and found both men still alive, however, they died within ten minutes.

     Source:

     (Vermont) The Bare Daily Times, October 22, 1915, Page 3.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Saugus, MA – June 6, 1918

January 22, 2016

Saugus, Massachusetts – June 6, 1918

     On June 6, 1918, U.S. Army Lieutenant Torrey H. Webb was piloting a Curtis JN-4H “Jenny” airplane, (#39366) from New York to Franklin Field, (a.k.a. Atwood Field) in Saugus, Massachusetts.  The purpose of the flight was to deliver sacks of mail containing 4,400 letters, weighing 228 pounds. 

     It was reported that this flight marked the first New York to Boston aerial mail service.

     Lt. Webb made the historic trip in three hours and twenty-two minutes by following the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad tracks.  While en-route his compass developed a malfunction, so he landed briefly at Shailerville, Connecticut, a village within the town of Haddam, to make repairs.   After adjusting the compass, Webb took off again for Saugus.  Upon landing at Saugus, the wheels of his aircraft sank into soft ground causing the plane to abruptly nose over and toss Webb and his mechanic, Raymond Heck, from their seats.  Neither was injured.  The aircraft was sufficiently damaged to prevent an immediate return to the air.

     The mail was taken to Boston by automobile.

     A photograph of this accident can be seen at Digital Commonwealth. (Click on site below) 

     http://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/6682z638q

1918 Hamilton Watch Advertisement mentioning Torrey Webb as one of the aviators who wore a Hamilton watch.

     Sources:

     (Norwich CT.) Norwich Bulletin, “First New York – Boston Airplane Mail Service”, June 7, 1918

     The Sun, (New York), “Plane With Boston Mail Damaged When It Lands”, June 7, 1918 

 

    

   

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Atlantic Ocean – June 29, 1948

May 31, 2015

Atlantic Ocean – June 29, 1948

Near “No Man’s Land” Island, Martha’s Vineyard

    

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat U.S. Navy photo

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On June 29, 1948, a Grumman Hellcat which had been converted into a remote control drone was launched from Otis Air Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for a test flight.  Once airborne the aircraft was controlled by equipment aboard the U.S.S. Providence sailing in Buzzards Bay off Falmouth.  After flying over portions of Massachusetts and Rhode Island it went out to sea where it failed to respond to further signals from the Providence.  It crashed in the ocean near “No Man’s Land” Island, off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.  The total flight covered nearly 190 miles.    

     Parts of the wrecked aircraft were later recovered by fishing boat in the area and turned over to the Coast Guard.   The aircraft had been painted red as part of the conversion.

     Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Radio-Controlled Target Plane Crashes Into Bay”, July 2, 1948

 

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East Boston Airport – December 22, 1937

January 20, 2016

East Boston Airport – December 22, 1937

     On the afternoon of December 22, 1937, the Army Air Corps detachment stationed at East Boston Airport was giving a Christmas party for children of the servicemen.  Part of the celebration was to include Santa Clause arriving by parachute from an airplane.  

     Dressed in a Santa suit was Corporal Harold Kraner, 35, of Winthrop, Massachusetts, who boarded an airplane piloted by Captain Richard E. Cobb, the commanding officer of the detachment.   The plane took off and began circling the airport at 1,500 feet as roughly 100 children gathered on the tarmac to await Santa’s arrival.   At the designated time, Kraner stepped outside the aircraft and jumped.  The parachute opened, however a strong wind blowing at 40 miles-per-hour carried Kraner out over Boston Harbor where he landed in the icy water and drowned. 

     Captain Cobb landed immediately, and after obtaining a life preserver, took to the air again and dropped it in the spot where he saw the parachute in the water.

     “I don’t know whether he got it,” he later told the press, “but he seemed to be above the water then.”

     Meanwhile calls for help went out to Boston police and military bases in the area.  A Boston police car racing to the waters edge with under-water searchlights collided with an army plane which had just landed and was taxiing to a stop.  The accident seriously injured Boston Police Sergeant Edward J. Seiboldt, and to a lesser extent, Patrolman John Clorin, both of whom were taken to Boston Relief Hospital. 

     Darkness was falling, and about the same time as the police car – airplane accident occurred, a small boat with two army men inside capsized spilling both into the water.  Both men, Richard Miller and Earl Jordan were rescued by a nearby Coast Guard boat and treated for hypothermia.

     Kraner’s body was recovered on the 24th in about 15 feet of water, with the parachute cords wrapped around his neck.  He was survived by his wife and child, both of whom had witnessed his jump.   

     Sources:

     New York Times, “Flying Santa Lost In Boston Harbor”, December 23, 1937  

     New York Times, “Kraner’s Body Is Found”, December 25, 1937  

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Martha’s Vineyard – January 6, 1945

May 31, 2015

Martha’s Vineyard – January 6, 1945

    

U.S. Navy TBM Avengers National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy TBM Avengers
National Archives Photo

     Just after midnight on the morning of January 6, 1945, navy Lieutenant Robert L. deVeer was making a night training flight from Martha’s Vineyard to Otis Air Field in Falmouth, Massachusetts, when his plane, a TBM Avenger, went down in a wooded area near the Mayhew Memorial Chapel in North Tisbury, on Martha’s Vineyard.  Although seriously injured, deVeer was able to extricate himself from the burning wreckage.  He was transported to Chelsea Naval Hospital for treatment.  

     Source: Falmouth Enterprise, “Injured Flyer Has Home Here”, January 12, 1945

         

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Fort Devens, MA – April 21, 1942

April 22, 2015

Fort Devens – April 21, 1942

     At about 7:45 p.m. on April 21, 1942, a U.S. Army O-52 (40-4702) was returning from a training flight when it suddenly crashed near a small pond at Fort Devens killing both occupants. 

     The dead were identified as 1st Lt. Gerald Patrick Kennedy, 26, of Providence, R.I., and 2nd Lt. Robert Wright Hoeker, 24, of Illiopolia, Ill.   Later in the evening Kennedy was scheduled to attend a party in his honor due to his recent promotion to first lieutenant.  As a point of fact, Lt. Hoeker wasn’t scheduled to be on that flight, but he had taken the place of another officer.   

     The aircraft was part of the 152nd Observation Squadron, and it was reported that these were the first airplane related fatalities in the history of the 152nd.  The 152nd had been stationed at Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick, R.I. prior to being transferred in the summer of 1941 to  Fort Devens. 

     Today there is a hanger named for Lt. Kennedy  at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, R.I. (Formerly Hillsgrove)

Source:

Woonsocket Call, “Army Probing Devens Plane Crash In Which 2 Met Death”, April 22, 1942, Pg. 1

 

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Boston Airport – June 28, 1942

September 15, 2015

Boston Airport – June 28, 1942

Updated March 7, 2016

     

P-40 Warhawk U.S. Air Force Photo

P-40 Warhawk
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On June 28, 1942, 2nd Lt. Albert J. Wiebe was on a formation training flight over the Boston area when his aircraft, a P-40E, (Ser. No. 40-539) developed engine trouble.  He left the formation to return to Boston Airport.  As he was making his approach to land when his plane lost power and crashed.  Lt. Wiebe did not survive.

      Lt. Wiebe was from West New York, New Jersey.  He enlisted in September of 1941, and received his commission on April 23, 1942.  He was survived by his wife.    

     At the time of his death he was assigned to the 64th Fighter Squadron.

     Sources:

     New York Times, “4 Army Fliers Die In Ohio”, June 29, 1942  (The article covered more than one accident.)

     U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, dated July 12, 1942

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Braintree, MA – April 4, 1939

April 21, 2015

Braintree, Massachusetts – April 4, 1939

     Updated January 14, 2023

     On April 4, 1939, a flight of six U.S. Navy biplanes were cruising at 2,000 feet over the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, as part of the launching ceremony for the Navy’s new aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Wasp, (CV-7).   (The Wasp was launched April 4, 1939, and commissioned April 25, 1940. )

     The type of aircraft were Vought SBU-2 Corsairs, with serial numbers 0816, and 0817. 

     While passing overhead, the aircraft began to execute a maneuver where each in turn would roll over and dive downward.  As they were doing so, the second and third planes in the formation collided in mid-air, and both crashed as a result.     

     The incident was witnessed by West Williams, a flight instructor who was flying another airplane nearby at the time.  West told reporters, “The second plane was just torn to pieces and plunged downward and crashed into a house, setting the house afire.  There were just pieces of fabric left floating down.  The pilot of the (other) plane may have been stunned for a moment and then tried to regain control.  The ship staggered and partially righted itself and then shot down in a power dive.  It seemed to hit a house about half a mile away from the first, and went up in flames.”        

     Both planes came down in the neighboring town of Braintree.  The first slammed into the home at 26 Edgemond Road, which was occupied by 74-year-old William Madden.  Madden escaped the burning house with only minor injuries, but died of a heart attack later in the day.   

     The second plane hit the roof of 30-32 Shepherd Avenue.   J. C. Kirkbride of the Cities Service Company’s refinery saw the second plane glance off the roof of the house where it then “bounced the length of two city blocks, and plowed into the living room of another house.” 

     John Tower, a World War I veteran, suffered sudden death as he tried to assist at the site of the second crash.  

     Another employee of the refinery told reporters he saw the body of one aviator lying on the ground with his parachute partially opened.  

     Each plane carried a pilot and an observer.  The dead were identified as:

     Lieutenant Commander Waldo H. Brown, 43, of Milton, Mass. (Naval Reserve)  (There is a memorial to Brown at Wychmere Beach in in the town of Harwich, Massachusetts.) https://threeharbors.com/waldobrown.html

     Aviation Cadet Ellsworth Benson, 26, of Newton, Mass.  (Naval Reserve) Buried in Arlington, National Cemetery, Section 6, Site 9183.    https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43679281/ellsworth-benson

     Aviation Chief Carpenters Mate Walter Kirk, 40, of Quincy, Mass. (Naval Reserve) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189381723/walter-kirk

     Aviation Chief Machinists Mate John Ausiello, 35, of Revere, Mass. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189359245/john-ausiello

 Sources:

Woonsocket Call, “Navy Biplanes Fall On Houses At Braintree”, April 4, 1939, Pg. 1

The Evening Star, (Wash. D. C. ) “Four Die As Planes Collide And Crash, Firing Two Houses”, April 4, 1939, pg 1. 

The Palm Beach Post, “Fatal Air Crash Mars Launching”, April 5, 1939

(Book) NAS Squantum: The First Naval Air Reserve Base by Marc J. Frattasio, C. 2009

Cape Cod Chronicle, “Waldo Brown: The Man Behind The Wychmere Jetty Memorial” November 6, 2003    

www.findagrave.com 

New York Times, “Wing-Crash Kills Four Navy Fliers”, April 5, 1939

 

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Boston Airport – July 24, 1923

April 20, 2015

Boston Airport – July 24, 1923

     On the afternoon of July 24, 1923, Lieutenant Kitchell Snow of the 101st Observation Squadron of the Massachusetts National Guard,  took off from Boston Airport in a former British training aircraft.   There were two passengers aboard, Sergeant Oscar D. Lecain, and his cousin, 10-year-old Howard Carkin of North Chelmsford, Mass. 

     As the plane rose off the runway and headed out towards the water, the engine suddenly quit.  Not wanting to land in the water with two passengers aboard, Snow banked the plane back towards shore, and when he did the aircraft suddenly dove nose first into the mud flats.  

     The impact drove the motor into the cockpit crushing Lieutenant Snow. Both passengers survived.

     It was reported that Lieutenant Snow was “the second victim of accidents at the field since its opening in June.”  The particulars of the first accident weren’t stated. 

     Another accident involving a plane from the 101st Observation Squadron occurred on December 18, 1924, when Chester E. Wright, flying a JNS-1 (23-536) crashed in Boston Harbor.   

Source: Woonsocket Call, “Lieut. Snow Killed In Airplane Crash”, July 25, 1923, Pg. 5

 

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Nantucket Sound – April 3, 1945

April 18, 2015

Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts – April 3, 1945     

Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz

Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz

    

The F6F-5 Hellcat flown by Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz undergoing restoration at the Quonset Air Museum in R.I. Photo taken June, 2008.

The F6F-5 Hellcat flown by Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz undergoing restoration at the Quonset Air Museum in R.I. Photo taken June, 2008.

     On April 3, 1945, a flight of seven U.S. Navy Hellcats were on a training mission off the coast of Nantucket when one suffered a loss of oil pressure; an F6F-5, Bu. No. 70185.   The pilot, Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz, notified the flight leader of his predicament, and was ordered to land at Martha’s Vineyard, and began heading that way.  While en-route, the engine seized, and he was forced to ditch in the water.  Frankwitz scrambled from the plane before it sank, and was seen bobbing in the 42 degree water for the next twenty minutes.  Rescue craft were launched, but Ensign Frankwitz succumbed to hypothermia before help could arrive, and his body sank beneath the waves.  It was never recovered.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/260429479/vincent-a-frankwitz

     On August 13, 1993, a Massachusetts Army National Guard helicopter was flying over Nantucket Sound when the crew chief saw what he thought was an aircraft wreck on the ocean floor.  The Coast Guard was notified, and investigation revealed that the wreck was an old one, draped with fishing nets.      

A portion of the Hellcat flown by Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz, removed during restoration, with the original blue paint still visible - Quonset Air Museum

A portion of the Hellcat flown by Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz, removed during restoration, with the original blue paint still visible – Quonset Air Museum

      Later in 1993, the aircraft was identified by Larry Webster, an aviation archeologist and historian with the Quonset Air Museum in Rhode Island, as likely being the one flown by Ensign Frankwitz.   Divers who examined the wreck later confirmed this to be the case.    

     The  Hellcat was in remarkably good condition despite its years in salt water.  On December 4, 1993, the aircraft was raised and brought to Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, where it was carefully dismantled before it was shipped to the Quonset Air Museum for restoration.    

     As of this writing, the Hellcat is still undergoing restoration, and when it’s completed, it will serve as a memorial to Ensign Frankwitz, and all Navy and Marine airmen who lost their lives in WWII.   

     Update: The Quonset Air Museum has permanently closed.  What became of the partially restored aircraft is unknown. 

      The name of Ensign Frankwitz can be found on the Charlestown Auxiliary Landing Field  memorial in Ninigret Park, in Charlestown, Rhode Island.  

 

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