Near Wardsboro, VT – September 13, 1947

Near Wardsboro, Vermont – September 13, 1947 

     On September 13, 1947, two brothers, Leroy B. Church, 38, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and Clarence  Bruce Church, 40, of New York City, rented an airplane in Westfield, Massachusetts, for a flight to Poughkeepsie, New York.  While en-route to their destination they encountered severe weather and crashed in a remote wooded area near the small town of Wardsboro, Vermont.  Both were killed.

     Source: New York Times, “Brothers Die In Crash”, September 15, 1947

Updated April 12, 2017

     The aircraft involved in this accident had been seen circling the town of Wardsboro.   At approximately 7 p.m., a housewife saw the aircraft go down, and notified the local telephone operator who then notified authorities.   A search party of between 40 to 50 volunteers trekked into the now dark woods in search of the wreck.  The plane was located in a wooded area about a half-mile from a road. 

     Clarence Church was a manager at the IBM company in New York City.

     Leroy Church was an inspector for Pratt-Whitney Aircraft in Massachusetts.

     Source: Rutland Herald, “Two Killed In Light Plane, Eight Hurt In Road Crashes Add To Toll Over Week-End”,  September, 15, 1947.  Article supplied by Mr. Brian Lindner, Vermont Aviation Historian.   

 

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