1945 — Sep 1, USAAF B-24J takeoff crash, near Hondo Army Air Field, TX –11-12
Last edit Nov 28, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–11-12 Blanchard:
We know that nine men and one woman definitely died in the crash. We also know that Cpt. Warren, the pilot, died in a San Antonio Army hospital before Sept. 7, making 11 deaths. On Sept. 7 there were still two critically injured men in the hospital — Tech. Sgt. Roland Thiebault, 21, of Biddeford, Maine, and Cpl. I. L. McElliott, 28, Prescott, Ariz. We have not located information on their release or death. In that Mireles is generally a very reliable source we decide to rely on a death-toll range – 11-12 — the eleven we know died and perhaps one of the two of the critically injured as of September 7.
–12 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, 1161.
–11 Aviation Safety Network. USAAF B-24J Liberator crash, Hondo AAF, TX, 1Sep1945.
–11 Hondo Anvil Herald, TX. “Air Crash Claims Eleven.” 9-7-1945, p. 1.
Narrative Information
Mireles: “At 0556, a Consolidated B-24J crashed at Hondo Army Air Field, Hondo, Texas, killing 12 passengers and crew and seriously injuring three others. Investigators stated,
“[The airplane] took off on Runway 35 from Hondo Army Air Field at 0554 CWT on a Pilot-Navigator Proficiency cross-country flight, having been cleared CFR direct to Newark Airport, Newark, New Jersey. Take-off was normal, and after gaining an altitude of approximately 100 to 150 feet the plane seemed to settle in. First hitting an obstruction light 40 feet high approximately 2,500 feet from the end of Runway 35 and then a tree approximately 100 feet further on. From then on parts of the plane were found over a distance of approximately 300 feet from where the main part of the wreckage settled. No other evidence was found to bear out navigator’s statement that an explosion occurred prior to the crash of the aircraft. Investigation revealed that there were two unauthorized passengers aboard.” Investigators noted that no more than thirteen passengers and crew were permitted on board B-24 type airplanes.” (Quoted in Mireles 2006, 1161.)
Newspapers
Sep 1: “Hondo, Tex., Sept. 1. AP. Nine men and a WAC private from Hondo army airfield were killed today and five were injured when a B-24 Liberator training plane crashed and burned on a ranch two miles north of Hondo Field. The crash occurred at 5:55 a.m., shortly after the plane took off from the field. Three of the injured were in critical condition….The plane was on a proficiency flight from the AAF flight engineering school at Hondo….” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Ten Killed in Crash of Bomber.” 9-2-1945, p. 6.)
Sep 2: “By Associated Press. Hondo, Tex., Sept. 2—Nine men and a WAC private from Hondo Army Airfield were killed Saturday and five were injured when a B-24 Liberator training plane crashed and burned on a ranch two miles North of Hondo field. The crash occurred shortly, after the plane took off from the field. Three of the injured were in critical condition. The dead were:
Maj. Harvey G. Wible, 35, Wilkensburg, Pa., a flight surgeon.
2nd. Lt. Timothy F. Murnane, 26, engineering officer, Hartford, Conn.
Lt. John A. McGrane, 22, Wilkes Barre, Pa., Instructor.
Lt. Marlon. O. Nelson, 24, Montgomery, Ala., co-pilot.
Pfc. George A. Lawry, 23, Haven, Maine.
WAG Pvt. Barbara Hogan, 21, Salisbury Beach, Mass.
Cpl. Louis S. Federinand, 20, Newark, N.J.
Pfc. Kenneth P. Palmer, 25, Adams, Mass., aerial engineer.
Cpl. Michael Lechus, 29, Watery, Conn.
Tech. Sgt. Stanley J. Rembisz, 23, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Critically injured were:
Capt. Billy S. Warren, 26, Sherman, Tex., pilot.
Tech. Sgt. Roland Thiebault, 21, Biddeford, Maine.
Cpl. I. L. McElliott, 28, Prescott, Ariz.
Also injured but not believed critically hurt were:
Lt. Elmer J. Murray, 23, Bronx, N.Y., instructor.
Aviation Student Charles G. Ronkos, 21, Buffalo, N.Y.”
(San Antonio Express, TX. “10 Killed, 5 Injured in Crash of B-24…Hondo Field.” 9-3-1945, 2.)
Sep 7, Hondo Anvil Herald: “Nine men and a WAC private from Hondo Army Airfield were killed Saturday and five were injured when a B-24 Liberator training plane crashed and burned a few hundred yards north of the field. Later reports are that one of the injured men died Sunday in a San Antonio army hospital. The crash occurred about 5:55 a.m. shortly after the plane took off from the field. The plane crashed almost in the front yard of the Ferd Rock home and wreckage was scattered over the premises and damage was done to live oak trees and an implement shed nearby.
“The WAC killed was Pvt. Barbara Hogan, 21, of Salisbury Beach, Mass. The nine men killed were Maj. Harvey G. Wible, 35, Wilkinsburg, Pa., a flight surgeon; 2nd Lt. Timothy F. Murnane, 26 engineering officer, Hartford, Conn.’ Lt. John A McGrane, 22, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., instructor; Lt. Marion O. Nelson, 24, Montgomery, Ala., co-pilot; Pfc. George A Lawry, 23, Haven, Maine; Cpl. Louis S. Ferdinand, 20, Newark, N.J.; Pfc. Kenneth P. Palmer, 25, Adams, Mass., aerial engineer; Cpl. Michael Lechus, 29, Watery, Conn.; Tech. Sgt. Stanley J. Rembisz, 23, Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Capt. Billy S. Warren, 26, of Sherman, the only Texan…died Sunday of his injuries. Warren was pilot of the plane.
“….The plane was on a proficiency flight from AAF Flight Engineering School [at Hondo], Col. Robert B. Davenport, commanding officer, said. The cause of the accident was not announced.” (Hondo Anvil Herald, TX. “Air Crash Claims Eleven.” 9-7-1945, p. 1.)
Sources
Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 117. USAAF B-24J Liberator crash, Hondo AAF, TX, 1 Sep 1945. Accessed 11-28-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/101497
Galveston Daily News, TX. “Ten Killed in Crash of Bomber.” 9-2-1945, p. 6. Accessed 10-7-2012 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=42654205
Hondo Anvil Herald, TX. “Air Crash Claims Eleven.” 9-7-1945, p. 1. Accessed 11-28-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hondo-anvil-herald-sep-07-1945-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.
San Antonio Express, TX. “10 Killed, 5 Injured in Crash of B-24 Near Hondo Field.” 9-3-1945, 2. Accessed 10-7-2012: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=70947012