1944 – Aug 27, USAAF B-17G crash in thunderstorm, 20M from Bay St. Louis, MS –all 10
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-27-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–10 Biloxi Daily Herald, MS. “Ten Killed in Bomber Crash West of Lyman.” 8-29-1944, p. 1.
–10 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, p. 900.
Narrative Information
Mireles: “At 2006, a Boeing B-17G flying in poor weather crashed 20 miles north of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, killing the crew of ten…. Investigators stated,
2Lt. Harold S. Cline took off to fly a Local Celestial navigation mission and was assigned an altitude of 3,500 feet, and was to fly from Gulfport [Mississippi] to Bogalusa [Louisiana] and return. After clearing the tower, the aircraft proceeded on course to Bogalusa and after ten minutes on course ran into a thunderstorm at which time the pilot lost control and crashed. By the weather reports, there were severe thunderstorms on the outside of the local flying area.
“Investigation revealed that the airplane had slammed into the ground at a steep angle in a swampy area with few trees, exploding violently into flames upon impact.” (Mireles 2006, p. 900.)
Newspaper
Aug 29: “Ten members of a B-17 crew in training at Gulfport Field were killed Sunday night about 8 o’clock when their plane crashed a few minutes after take-off in semi-wooded and marshy country approximately 30 miles west of Lyman. Next of kin were notified Monday afternoon by Lt. Col. George L. Holcomb, commanding officer. The dead:
2nd Lt. Harold Shepherd Cline, 23, pilot, Toccoa, Ga.;
2nd Lt. Francis Charles Feascl, 23, co-pilot, RFD 3, Fostoria, Ohio;
2nd Lt. David Grolnic, 22, bombardier, Roxbury, Mass.;
2nd Lt. Paul Bishop Lyles, 20, navigator, Wilson, NC;
Cpl. Robert Royce Cole, 19, engineer, Anson, Texas;
Cpl. Charles William Marvin, 23, radio operator, RR 2, Kinsman, Ohio;
Cpl. Norman Napoleon Rocheleau, 21, armorer-gunner, Holyoke, Mass.;
Cpl. James McLean Hummel, 18, gunner, Garrison, ND;
Cpl. Harold Ross Van Marter, 26, gunner, Philadelphia, Pa.;
Pfc. Raymond Theodore Samodel, 25, gunner, Ansonia, Conn.
“….Cause of the accident is undetermined. The plane was one of several which took off a few minutes before 8 o’clock on a local night combat training mission. No distress signal was received by the flight control room, and the first indication of trouble came when the plane failed to make its routine radio report.
“The wreckage was located Monday morning from the air, 42 miles from Gulfport Field by the shortest road route. A watch on the wrist of one of the crew members indicated that the crash occurred at 8:05 p.m., and from the demolished condition of the plane it was believed that all members of the crew were killed instantly. The crew had completed ten weeks of flying training….” (Biloxi Daily Herald, MS. “Ten Killed in Bomber Crash West of Lyman.” 8-29-1944, pp. 1 & 7.)
Sources
Biloxi Daily Herald, MS. “Ten Killed in Bomber Crash West of Lyman.” 8-29-1944, pp. 1 & 7. Accessed 3-27-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/biloxi-daily-herald-aug-29-1944-p-1/
Mireles, Anthony J. Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945 (Volume 3: August 1944 – December 1945). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 2006.