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
