Limestone, Maine – July 29, 1958
B-52 Stratofortress
U.S. Air Force Photo
On July 28, 1958, a B-52D Stratofortress, (Ser. No. 55-0093), with nine men aboard, crashed about three miles south of Loring Air Force Base while on a training flight. According to a newspaper account of the incident, the aircraft had approached the air base from the south for “a low level run across the base”. After completing the run, it turned and made a second pass. After the second pass the aircraft began to gain altitude. This had been witnessed by the newspaper editor of the Fairfield Review, who later told investigators that as the plane was climbing he heard the sound of an explosion.
The plane came down in a field on Noyes Road in Limestone, about a quarter-mile from a grange hall. One of those aboard, Major Moody E. Denton managed to escape the aircraft and parachute safely. The other eight men aboard perished.
The men were identified as:
Major Milo Claude Johnson, (36), of Leavenworth, Kansas. He’s buried in Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3658094/milo-claude-johnson
Major Kirkwood G. Myers, (35) of Roanoke, Va. He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49263393/kirkwood-coulter-myers
Lt. Lane L. Kittle, (24) of Oaklawn, Ill.
1st Lt. Leonard M. Corsaro, (24), of Niagara Falls, N. Y. He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49171027/leonard-michael-corsaro
Sgt. Oran C. Reily, (32), of Corpus Christi, Texas.
1st Lt. Robert E. Testerman, (25) of Aubrey, Texas. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19006756/robert-e-testerman
1st Lt. Leslie N. Martin, Jr. (27), of Montgomery, Alabama.
2nd Lt. James F. Thompson, (23), of Hardy, Maine. He’s buried in Sunrise Cemetery in Wahoo, Nebraska. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49558721/james-everett-thompson
Sources:
Fort Fairfield Review, no headline, photo of air craft – July 30, 1958, page 1.
Aviation Safety Network, Wikibase #48396
www.findagrave.com
www.ejection-history,org
togetherweserved.com https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=PersonAircraftExt&ID=63603
