ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 98501
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| Date: | Saturday 5 May 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Boeing B-29 Superfortress |
| Owner/operator: | 248th BU USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-65294 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 13 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 7 Miles North East of Gorham, Kansas -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Walker AAF, Victoria, Kansas |
| Walker AAF, Victoria, Kansas |
Martin-Omaha B-29-25-MO Superfortress 42-65294: Built under licence by Glenn L. Martin Company, Omaha, Nebraska. Delivered to the USAAF 29 December 1944. Assigned to 876th Bomb Squadron, 383rd Bomb Group. Re-Assigned to 248th Army Air Force Base Unit, Walker AAF, Victoria, Kansas.
Reportedly written off (damaged beyond repair) May 3, 1945 when crashed 7 miles north east of Gorham, Kansas. There were nine named fatalities out of the thirteen crew on board (the other four parachuted to safety). According to a contemporary newspaper report - the "Wichita Beacon" , May 8, 1945, page 11 (see link #3):
"AIR CRASH FATAL FOR 12
Victoria, Kansas, May 8.
Col. Claude E. Putnam, commander of Walker army air field, reported yesterday that nine men were killed in the crash of a four-engine bomber seven miles northeast of Gorham, Kansas., Saturday night. Four other crewmen parachuted to safety.
The dead were listed as:
Capt. Delbert J. Fleming, 28, Spenceport, N.Y.
First Lieut. Sheldon S. Cole, 26, Leavenworth, Indiana
First Lieut. John R. Meldrum, 28, Milwaukee, Oregon
Corp. John A. Albus, 26, Saco, Montana
Corp. Harry S. Alexander, Jr., 19, Albany, N. Y.
Corp. Darrel A. Diehn, Osborn, Ohio
Corp. Carl G. Zugelder, Jr., 19, Dayton, Ohio
Pvt. John R. McCreary, 31, Barboursville, Kentucky
The name of the ninth victim was withheld pending notification of next of kin."
42-65294 was Authorised for reclamation for scrap and components at Walker AAF, Kansas, November 14, 1945.
Sources:
1. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3a.html
2. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/May1945S.htm
3. http://www.ksgenweb.org/sedgwick/military/milcrash45.html
4. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70961717
5. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76624167/cole
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jul-2017 19:27 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Feb-2020 16:56 | Iwosh | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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