Hyannis, MA. – March 25, 1945

Hyannis, Massachusetts – March 25, 1945

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On March 25, 1945, a navy TBF-1C Avenger, (Bu. No. 24329), was in the process of taking off from Hyannis when the aircraft lost power twice.  The pilot attempted to abort the take off and applied the brakes.  The aircraft went off the end of the runway onto soft ground where the wheels dug in and the landing gear was torn away.  The aircraft nosed over and skidded for an additional sixty feet before coming to rest.  There were no injuries. 

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated March 25, 1945. 

 

Hyannis, MA. – August 9, 1946

Hyannis, Massachusetts – August 9, 1946

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

On August 9, 1946, a navy Lieutenant (Jg.) was taking off from Hyannis Airport in a Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter plane when the aircraft suddenly went into a roll and crashed just after leaving the ground.  The unidentified pilot was badly burned in the accident, and the aircraft was destroyed.  The pilot was found about forty feet from the burning plane, and was transported to the hospital via ambulance. 

     Source: Cape Cod Standard Times, “Navy Pilot Badly Hurt As Plane Crashes, Burns Near Hyannis.”, August 9, 1946, page 1. 

 

Hyannis, MA – April 20, 1945

Hyannis, Massachusetts – April 20, 1945

     On the night of April 20, 1945, Ensign Roger Lee Thornton, 22, was killed when the navy aircraft he was piloting crashed about 1.5 miles N.N.E. of the Hyannis Naval Auxiliary Air Field.  The type of plane and cause of the crash are unknown.

     Ensign Thornton’s body was brought to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, before being sent to Columbus, Ohio, for burial. He was survived by his wife Laura Katherine Thornton.  

     To see a photo of Ensign Thornton’s grave go to www.findagrave.com and see memorial #51907830.

     Sources:

     North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records #45-39 

     Cape Cod Standard Times, “Navy Pilot Killed In Crash”, April 21, 1945

      

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