Castle Hill, ME. – July 2, 1943

Castle Hill, Maine – July 2, 1943

 

B-26G Bomber
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 2, 1943, a B-26C twin-engine bomber aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-35181), with five men aboard, took off from Presque Isle Field bound for overseas duty.  Three miles from the airfield the starboard engine developed a problem and the pilot was forced to shut it down.  With only one engine, the pilot was unable to sufficiently  climb to maintain a safe altitude as the aircraft passed over increasingly rising terrain.  About six miles later the aircraft crashed into a wooded area and exploded killing three crewmen and seriously injuring two others. 

     The dead were identified as:

     (Pilot) 1st Lt. Walter M. Cothran.  

     (Co-Pilot) 1st Lt. Walter H. Peoples, of Wilmington, Delaware. 

     (Flight Engineer) Corporal Albert L. Williams of New Mexico.  

     Sources:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006

     The Imperial Valley Press, (Calif.) “Three Army Fliers Killed In Wreck”, July 4, 1943, page 3. 

 

Deer Mountain, ME. – July 11, 1944

Deer Mountain, Maine – July 11, 1944

 

B-17G “Flying Fortress”
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 11, 1944, a B-17 “Flying Fortress”, (Ser. No. 43-83023), with ten crewmen aboard left Kearney Army Air Field in Nebraska for a cross-country flight to Dow Army Air Field in Bangor, Maine.  The purpose of the flight was to land in Maine before proceeding overseas for combat duty.   

     As the aircraft came into the New England area in encountered bad weather, with low visibility, and low cloud cover.  The last radio transmission from the plane was received by the control tower at Grenier Army Air Field in Manchester, New Hampshire at 11:55 a.m.  At some point afterwards the plane crashed into Deer Mountain in the unincorporated area of North Oxford, Maine. 

     When the aircraft failed to arrive at Dow a search was instituted, and when searchers reached the crash site they found all ten crewmen deceased. 

     The crew were identified as:

     Pilot: 2nd Lt. John T. Cast, (27) of Springfield, Ohio.  He’s buried at St. Bernard Cemetery in Springfield, OH.  He was survived by his wife and five month old son.      

     Co-pilot: 2nd Lt. John W. Drake, (21) from Port Arthur, Texas. He buried in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Groves, Texas.

     Navigator: 2nd Lt. William H. Hudgems of Flagstaff, Arizona. 

     Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Robert S. Talley, (26) of San Angelo, Texas.  he’s buried in Fairview Cemetery in Pampa, Texas.  He was survived by his wife. 

     Engineer: Staff Sgt. Wayne D. McCavran, of Seymour, Iowa.

    Radio Operator: Sgt. Cecil Leon Murphy, (21) of Falls City, Nebraska.  He’s buried in Falls City Cemetery, Falls City, Neb. 

    Gunner: Cpl. John H. Jones, Jr., of Buffalo, New York.  He was survived by his wife.   

    Gunner: Sgt. Clarence Marvin Waln, (22), of Ten Sleep, Wyoming.  He’s buried in Ten Sleep Cemetery.  He would have been 22 on July 30th. 

    Gunner: Sgt. Gerald V. Biddle, (23) of East Orange, New Jersey.  He’s buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron, Ohio.  he was survived by his wife. 

     To see a photo of Sgt. Biddle, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10196746/gerald-v.-biddle

     Armor Gunner: Sgt. James A. Benson, (21), of Clark, South Dakota.  He’s buried in Clark Center Cemetery, Clark, S.D.

     Sources:

     The Nashua Telegram, “Army Squads Search Woods For Wreckage Of Fortress”, July 14, 1944

     www.findagrave.com

 

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