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