1962 — March 8, USAF C-130A Hercules Plane Crash near Alencon, western France — 15

–15 317th Veterans Group. “Memorial.”
–15 ASN. Accident description USAF Lockheed C130A Hercules, Alencon, France, 8Mar1962
–15 Baugher. 1955 USAF Serial Numbers. 10-29-2011 rev.
–15 Logansport Pharos-Tribune, IN. “Lafayette Airman Killed in France.” 3-11-1962, p. 1.
–15 Stars and Stripes. “Evreux AB Pays Respect to Deceased Crewmen…Services.” 1962.
–15 Titusville Herald, PA. “C130 Crash in France Fatal to 15.” 3-12-1962, p. 5.
–15 Troy Record, NY. “Three Planes Crash, Kill 31.” 3-10-1962, p. 1.
–15 Wikipedia. “List of C-130 Hercules crashes.” 12-21-2011 modification.

Narrative Information

317th Veterans Group Memorial: “The following 15 crewmen [317th Troop Carrier Wing, 322nd Air Division] died in the crash of an Evreux C-130A (55-0020) on March 8, 1962 in Alencon, France while on a training mission:

Major William J. Wilson
Capt. Edward J. Vianco
Capt. Vincent Stantucci
1st Lt. Stanley C. Hardin
1st Lt. James S. Douglass
T Sgt. Robert L. Conway
T Sgt. Harold E. Kazee
S Sgt. Alfred J. Knight
AIC Huey Green
AIC Theodore Shedelbower
AIC Cecil Williams
Sp 4 James Waples
Sp 4 Lee Taylor
A2 C Stanley E. Royster
A3C Gayle J. O’Grady.” (317th Veterans Group. “Memorial.”)

ASN: “First flight: 1957….
“Crew: Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13
“Passengers: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
“Total: Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 15….
“Location: 11 km (6.9 mls) N of Alencon (France)….
“Nature: Military test….
“Destination airport: Evreux Airport…France
“Narrative: Crashed in poor weather. The Hercules was returning to Evreux AB following a mission with five other Hercules planes.” (Aviation Safety Network. Accident description. USAF Lockheed C-130A Hercules, Alencon, France, 08 Mar 1962.)

Baugher: “Lockheed C-130A-LM Hercules….020 (c/n 182-3047, 40th TCS) crashed in bad weather 7 mi N of Alencon, France May 8 [Mar 8], 1962. All 15 aboard killed.” (Baugher. 1955 USAF Serial Numbers. 10-29-2011 rev.)

Wikipedia: March 8, 1962: C-130A 55-0020, c/n 3047, of the 40th Troop Carrier Squadron, crashed 11 km from North Alencon, France in bad weather. 13 crew and 2 passengers killed.” (Wikipedia. “List of C-130 Hercules crashes.” 12-21-2011 modification.)

Newspapers

March 10, AP: “Associated Press. Three plane crashes in Europe — two into mountain tops and one in a lonely forest – have killed 31 persons, 17 of them Americans.

“In Alencon, France, police reported no survivors among 15 American military men in a C130 jet-prop U. S. Air Force transport that crashed into a forest. Aboard the training flight, the Air Force said, were five officers, eight enlisted men and two Army jump masters….” (Troy Record, NY. “Three Planes Crash, Kill 31.” 3-10-1962, p. 1.)

March 11, AP: “Paris (AP) – An Air Force pilot from Lafayette, Ind., was among 15 servicemen killed Thursday when a C130 transport plane crashed in Western France….He was identified as Capt. Edward J. Vianco, 36, the instructor pilot aboard the plane….Vianco’s wife, Irene, and their three children were living with him at his European base.” (Logansport Pharos-Tribune, IN. “Lafayette Airman Killed in France.” 3-11-1962, p. 1.)

Stars and Stripes, 1962: “….The fifteen crewmen killed in the crash included five Air Force officers, eight airmen and two Army enlisted men. Their airplane was reported missing the evening of March 8. It was last heard from while flying a mission with five other Hercules that were returning to Evreux Air Base from a paradrop near Bouard, France.

“The four-engine transport was found late the following morning in the Ecouve forest near Alencon by French civilian and U.S. rescue personnel. The crash site is about 80 miles southwest of Evreux Air Base. French police began a search early on the morning of March 9 after a forest ranger reported he had found debris near one of the highest points in the wooded area.” (Stars and Stripes. “Evreux AB Pays Respect to Deceased Crewmen at Protestant-Catholic Memorial Services.” 1962.)

March 12, AP: “Alencon, France (AP) – A U.S. Air Force C130 jet-prop with 15 men aboard crashed into a lonely forest near here during a drizzle Thursday night and no survivors were found when rescuers finally reached the scene Friday morning. The plane was based in Evreux…. Residents of the area said the transport — on a training mission — apparently had engine trouble and was attempting to land at the small civilian airfield near Alencon. One resident said the plane made one pass at the short runway and apparently was circling for another approach when it slammed into a nearby wood, exploded and burned.” (Titusville Herald, PA. “C130 Crash in France Fatal to 15.” 3-12-1962, p. 5.)

Sources

317th Veterans Group. “Memorial.” Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://www.usaf317thvet.org/1962crash.html

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Accident Description. United States Air Force Lockheed C-130A Hercules, Alencon, France, 08 Mar 1962. 12-19-2010 update. Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19620308-2

Baugher, Joseph F. 1955 USAF Serial Numbers. 10-29-2011 revision. Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1955.html

Logansport Pharos-Tribune, IN. “Lafayette Airman Killed in France.” 3-11-1962, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com

Stars and Stripes. “Evreux AB Pays Respect to Deceased Crewmen at Protestant-Catholic Memorial Services.” 1962. Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://www.usaf317thvet.org/62newsarticle.html

Titusville Herald, PA. “C130 Crash in France Fatal to 15.” 3-12-1962, p. 5. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=104237002

Troy Record, NY. “Three Planes Crash, Kill 31.” 3-10-1962, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=90351438

Wikipedia. “List of C-130 Hercules crashes.” 12-21-2011 modification. Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C-130_Hercules_crashes