Otis Air Field – March 27, 1944
Falmouth, Massachusetts
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.