1944 — Jan 6, Army Air Force bus hit by train at RR crossing, Kingman Army AF, AZ– 28
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-16-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 28 Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Crash Kills 16 Here.” 6-9-1959, p. 3.
— 28 Kingman Army Air Field & Depot 41. “1944.” 1990-2009.
— 28 Kingman Army Airfield Historical Society & Museum. “A Brief History of…” 2010-11.
— 28 Mohave Museum of History and Arts. “Kingman Army Airfield.” 2008.
— 28 Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “All but One Soldier in Bus-Train Wreck…” 1-10-1944, 14.
— 28 Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Crash Was Not Fault of Army.” 1-12-1944, p. 4.
— 28 Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “Death Toll of Kingman Train, Bus Crash Now 28.” 1-8-1944, 1.
Narrative Information
Arizona Republic, 1959: “Twenty-eight men were killed and seven injured when a bus from Kingman Air Force Base and a train collided near Kingman Jan. 6, 1944.” (Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Crash Kills 16 Here.” 6-9-1959, p. 3.)
Mohave Museum of History and Arts: “….on January 6, a bus loaded with gunnery students bound for the base, crossed the railroad tracks just north of the entrance. The driver did not see the oncoming train. Train and bus collided, and twenty-eight students died.” (Mohave Museum of History and Arts. “Kingman Army Airfield.” 2008.)
Newspapers at the Time
Jan 7: “Kingman, Ariz., Jan. 7 (UP) — A Transcontinental fast freight slashed into an army bus crammed with air cadets just outside the main gate of the Kingman air base last night, killing 27 and injuring eight in one of the worst bus-train wrecks in Arizona’s history. Army authorities said the bus, a semi-trailer type, was returning 36 cadets from night gunnery practice when the accident occurred. Witnesses said the heavy diesel-powered Santa Fe freight was rolling west of a slight downgrade as it approached the crossing.
Bus Leaps Forward.
“At a signal from the crossing guard the bus halted. After pausing for several seconds, it suddenly leaped forward onto the tracks directly in the path of the onrushing freight.
The train’s cowcatcher caught the vehicle squarely jackknifing it and dragging the crumpled wreckage several hundred yards down the track. Pieces were thrown over a wide area.
Base medical officers immediately set up a field hospital at the scene and ordered 300 men to stand by for blood transfusions to the more seriously injured.
Difficulty Is Met.
“Considerable difficulty was met in removing dead and injured from the mass of crumpled steel and metal that had been the bus. In some instances it was necessary to pry the wreckage apart to extricate the bodies.
“Engineer C. L. Hickey, Needles, Calif., said his train was making a normal, 45-mile-an-hour approach to the crossing at the time. “I whistled for the crossing and noticed the bus in the glare of my headlight,” Hickey said. “It appeared to be making a full stop at the crossing. Suddenly it jumped forward and landed squarely in front of us. I didn’t even have time to apply the air before we hit it.”
“Twenty-five of the dead were air cadets, one a student officer and the other, the driver, an enlisted man. One officer miraculously escaped injury….” (Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “27 Killed as Train Hits Bus, Kingman.” 1-7-1944, p. 1.)
Jan 7: “Kingman, Jan. 7. (AP) — Twenty -seven soldiers were killed and eight critically injured when a Kingman Army airbase bus collided with a Santa Fe freight train at the entrance to this gunnery school about 9 p. m. yesterday. The airbase public relations officer said all of the dead but one were aviation cadets who had been on a night gunnery mission at a range across the railroad tracks from the base.
“Army officials said C. L. Hickey, Needles, Calif., engineer of the freight, said that his train was
going at the ‘usual speed of about 45 miles an hour’ when he saw the flagman at the crossing wave down the bus.
Bus Out Of Control
“Hickey was quoted by the public relations office as saying the bus appeared to stop and then went out of control.
“Bodies and wreckage of the bus were scattered for about 100 feet along the railroad right-of-way. The bus was carrying 36 passengers, none of whom escaped injury.
“Only two bystanders were known by the public relations office to have witnessed the accident. They were the flagman, who is an Army guard, and another serviceman. The latter soldier was hospitalized for shock after witnessing the accident and could not be interviewed. The flagman was not available.
“Several transfusions were given to the injured and many soldiers at the base volunteered their blood, Army officials said.
“The dead were identified by the public relations office as:
Second Lt. Altemont R. Britton, Jr., whose parents reside in Hamilton, Ala.
Robert L. Johnson, son of Irvin Johnson, Pottstown, Pa.
Seymour Kahn, son of Morris Kahn, the Bronx, New York.
Donald B. Keller, son of Francis B. Keller, Minot, N. D.
Kenneth L. Kirk, son of Michael T. Kirk, Sioux Falls, S. D.
Alfred M. Kite, son of Mrs. Ethel B. Kite, Waynesboro, Va.
Robert J. Knapp, 20, son of. Mrs. Elizabeth A. Knapp, Davenport, Ia.
Robert W. Knapp, Jr., whose father resides at St. Louis, Mo.
John H. Kubiak, 22, son of Mrs. Constance Kubiak, Olean, N. Y.
Chester S. Kulpa, husband of Mrs. Lorayne R. Kulpa, Chicago, Ill.
Donald Jusnerek, 21, son of Louis B. Jusnerek, Little Falls, Minn.
Norman F. Leap, 24, son of Mrs. Elizabeth Leap, Riverside, Calif.
Arlo Q. Leavitt, 20, husband of Mrs. Leverne H. Leavitt, Bunkerville, Nev.
Herbert A. Lewis, son of Mrs. Iva May Lewis, Schenectady, N. Y.
Norman Levine, son of Benjamin Levine, Flushing, L. I., N. Y.
John P. Liddell, son of Mrs. Clement Wechter, Lackawanna, Pa.
Miles E. Long, .son of Mrs. Florence Long, Bethlehem, Pa.
Pvt. Frank E. Smith, 26, son of Fred. Smith, West Point, Ia
John H. Stiltz, Jr., 20, son of Mrs. Ethel Stiltz, Wilkinsburg Pa.
George T. Stine, husband of Mrs. Doris Jean Stine, Aliquippa, Pa.
William M. Stolle, Jr., 23, whose father resides at St. Louis, Mo.
William F. Swagner, son of Mrs. Margaret B. Swagner, Indianapolis, Ind.
Joseph C. Taylor, son of Cecil M. Taylor, Atlanta, Ga.
Alfred H. Tees, son of Mrs. Lorraine Tees, Philadelphia, Pa.
Louis M. Thompson, Jr., brother of Morton Thompson, Hollywood, Calif.
R Thornell, 21, son of Mrs. Daisy H. Thornell, Metuchem, N.J.
Fred C. Vogley, husband of Mary Jane Vogley; Canton, 0.
(Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Train Strikes Kingman Army Bus, Kills 27.” 1-7-1944, p. 1.)
Jan 8: “Kingman, Ariz., Jan. 8 (UP) – The death toll from the worst transportation accident in Arizona history stood at 28 today, with investigators unable to explain why a jammed bus halted for on oncoming train and then lurched into its path. Twenty-six of the dead wee Army air cadets returning from night gunnery drill to Kingman air base. The heavy Diesel locomotive smashed into the center of the bus, burling bodies and wreckage for 100 yards.
“Twenty-seven were killed outright in the crash early yesterday. Aviation Cadet Robert T. Tingley, Marshall, Ill., died later in the day.
“C. L. Hickey, Needles, Cal., engineer said the bus leaped in front of his train just as it hit the crossing. He hadn’t time to reach the brake before the impact, he said.” (Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. Death Toll of Kingman Train, Bus Crash Now 28.” 1-8-1944, 1.)
Jan 10: “Kingman, Jan. 10. (AP) – All but one of the eight servicemen who survived the rail-bus collision that took the lives of 28 of their classmates are considered out of danger from the injuries they received, Kingman Army air field officials said today.
“Twenty-six aviation gunnery cadets, their officer instructor and an Army private were injured fatally when their Army bus was in collision Thursday night with a fast Santa Fe freight train near the entrance to the field.
“Officers from the headquarters of the western flying training command at Santa Ana, Calif., and Santa Fe railroad officials were conducting a thorough investigation of the accident and preparing measures to prevent a similar occurrence.
“Meanwhile, guards at the crossing are stopping motor vehicles further back than formerly from
the tracks which intersect the only highway to the school.” (Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “All but One Soldier in Bus-Train Wreck now out of Danger.” 1-10-1944, 14.)
Jan 12: “Kingman, Jan. 12. (AP) – Military personnel at the Kingman Army airfield have been absolved of responsibility in a statement by Col. Harvey P. Huglln, commanding officer, upon the Army’s investigation of the railroad-bus accident Thursday night that killed 28 servicemen stationed at the field. Huglin’s report said:
“Although the investigation is continuing, the results to date show that the cause of the crash may remain undetermined but the investigation showed also that the cause was not from carelessness or neglect of anyone connected with this command.”
Driven By Private
“The Army bus, carrying 34 aviation gunnery cadets, and their officer instructor, was driven by an Army private. The railroad tracks which intersect the only motor vehicle entrance to the field are patrolled by an Army watchman.
“Twenty-six cadets, the instructor, and driver were injured fatally when a fast Santa Fe freight train was in collision with the bus at the grade crossing. Eight injured servicemen are believed out of danger.
“Reports have not been made public of investigations by the railroad, interstate commerce commission and the Arizona corporation commission.” (Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Crash Was Not Fault of Army.” 1-12-1944, p. 4.)
Sources
Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Crash Kills 16 Here.” 6-9-1959, p. 3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=126549781
Kingman Army Air Field & Depot 41. “1944.” 1990-2009. Accessed at: http://kingmanaafdepot41.weebly.com/1944.html
Kingman Army Airfield Historical Society & Museum. “A Brief History of Kingman Army Air Field.” The Cactus – The Official Publication of Kingman Army Air Field Historical Society. 2010-11. Accessed 10-28-2011 at: http://main.kingmanaafhsmuseum.org/Kingman_Army_Air_Field.html
Mohave Museum of History and Arts. “Kingman Army Airfield.” 2008. Accessed 10-28-2011 at: http://www.mohavemuseum.org/kaaf.htm
Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “All but One Soldier in Bus-Train Wreck now out of Danger.” 1-10-1944, 14. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=85127533
Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Crash Was Not Fault of Army.” 1-12-1944, p. 4. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=85127547
Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. “Train Strikes Kingman Army Bus, Kills 27.” 1-7-1944, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=85127498
Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “27 Killed as Train Hits Bus, Kingman.” 1-7-1944, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=54233978
Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “Death Toll of Kingman Train, Bus Crash Now 28.” 1-8-1944, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=50557616