1945 — Aug 17, two USAAF B-29s collide at night, 3 miles west of Weatherford, TX — 18

lornajarrettblanchard April 17, 1945

Last edit Nov 29, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–18 AP. “18 Bodies Found After Two Huge Bombers Collide.” Denton Record-Chronicle, TX. 8-18-1945, p. 1.

–18 Aviation Safety Network. Two USAAF B-29s collide at night 3M W of Weatherford, TX.

–9 USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 42-93895

–9 USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 44-86276

–18 Mireles 2006. Fatal Army AF Aviation Accidents…US…, V3, Aug 1944-Dec 1945, p.1155.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 114 (Weatherford):

“Crew of 42-93895:

Corporal Anthone J. Agliata,
Corporal Robert M. Apirian,
2nd Lt John W. Burtis,
Corporal Willard A. Byerly,
2nd Lt Robert L. Knight,
S/Sgt Clifford D. Longmire,
1st Lt Robert A. Mayer,
Corporal Jasper C. Wilson Jr.,
Flight Officer Robert O. Zaleska.

“Crew of 44-86276 (all killed):

2nd Lt Benson W. Cohen,
Sgt Clarence A. Jurgens,
2nd Lt Edward E. Lahniers,
Sgt Donald V. Lefebvre,
Sgt Johnny A. Moseley,
2nd Lt Gordon E. Myers,
Sgt Donald E. Reed,
1st Lt Aubrey K. Stinson,
2nd Lt Harold Lannis Swaim.

Mireles: “At 2128, two Boeing B-29 bombers collided in mid-air and crashed three miles west of Weatherford, Texas, killing 18 fliers and seriously injuring two others. B-29 #44-86276 took off from the Army Air Field at Alamogordo, New Mexico. B-29 #42-93895 took off from the Army Air Field at Clovis, New Mexico…. Investigators stated,

“The aircraft from Alamogordo, New Mexico [44-86276] had flown a two-hour local flight near Alamogordo, and the instructor pilot turned the aircraft over to the student airplane commander…. The last position report entered on the navigator’s log was Abilene, Texas, at 1956 MWT…Abilene is 115 miles west of Weatherford on the airways. At all times the navigator’s log showed that the Alamogordo aircraft was flying at 15,000 feet indicated altitude. The indicated airspeed was 200 mph from Alamogordo, to Hudspeth and 195 mph from Hudspeth to Abilene. The ground speed was 210 mph.

The aircraft from Clovis Army Air Field [42-93895] was on a routine radar-bombing mission from the home station to Fort Worth, Texas, to shoot simulated radar bombing attacks on Meacham Field from IP south of Fort Worth at 15,000 feet. The crew experienced difficulty in contacting the radar station and completed one bombing run, flying a rectangular pattern without making contact. The pilot decided to make one more run and if contact could not be established they would return to their home station. They had completed their first run and were on the downwind leg, flying a course of approximately 270 degrees at an altitude of 15,000 feet. The flight engineer noticed that his voltage regulators were not adjusted properly and while he was adjusting them the airplane commander took over the flight engineer’s position. The bombardier was in the nose using a flashlight to look at his charts. The aircraft was on C-1 autopilot, with the radar operator in secondary control. The co-pilot was in the co-pilot’s position watching the instruments and paying particular attention to the operation of the centering knob in order to maintain zero degrees rate of climb, altitude 15,000 feet….

The airplane commander returned to his position and shortly after that he looked up and exclaimed ‘Oh my God!’ The copilot looked up and noticed two engines and a wing of a four-engine aircraft approaching them from the right forward side at approximately a 45- degree angle. The aircraft was very close to them, and before any maneuvers could be attempted the right wing of the Alamogordo aircraft struck the right wing and number-four engine of the Clovis aircraft. The Clovis aircraft immediately caught fire. The co-pilot was thrown against the gun turret and dislocated his shoulder. The aircraft appeared to be in a spin. The co-pilot fought his way to the controls and attempted to control the aircraft, but the controls were jammed. Realizing the situation, the co-pilot opened his emergency window and climbed out of the aircraft. He was caught in the slipstream but worked his way free. The number-three propeller struck his foot and cut the top of his shoe off but did not injure him. The co-pilot pulled his ripcord and realizing that he did not give a sufficient pull attempted to open his backpack parachute by reaching behind and tearing the cover. At this time he realized that his parachute had opened and shortly after that he hit the ground.

The gunner riding in the left blister of the Clovis aircraft heard the pilot state on intercom ‘Oh my God!’ When the crash came, not having his safety belt fastened, he was thrown free in the waist of the aircraft. He had a chest-type harness on and in the light from the fire he noticed his parachute. He picked it up and fastened it onto the harness and then attempted to break the plexiglass blister. Unable to break the plexiglass blister he succeeded in breaking the casting of the [gun] site, and being pressurized it aided in breaking the blister. He continued to kick the blister until he broke out an opening sufficient for him to get through. He freed himself from the aircraft and his parachute opened very shortly before he hit the ground. The co-pilot and the gunner from the Clovis aircraft suffered major injuries.

The remainder of the crew was fatally injured. No other crewmembers of either aircraft used their parachutes. From statements of witnesses and investigation from the home station of the aircraft, it is believed that both aircraft were equipped and using blinker-type navigation lights. Both aircraft were totally wrecked.” (Quoted in Mireles 2006, 1156.)

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 114 (Weatherford):

“Crew of 42-93895:

“Crew of 44-86276 (all killed):

Baugher on 42-93895: “….Boeing B-29A-10-BN Superfortress….93895 Delivered to USAAF 7Nov44….Assigned to Combat Crew Training Squadron, 234^th Army Air Force Base Unit, Clovis AAF, NM. Mid air collision 17Aug45 with B-29 44-86276 during a bombing exercise at night 3 miles west of Weatherford, TX. Two crew bailed out and survive.”

Newspaper

Aug 18, AP: “Weatherford, Aug. 18. – (AP) – The bodies of 18 airmen, recovered after the crash of two B-29 Superfortresses high above Weatherford, Tex., were brought to Fort Worth Army Air Field today. The injured survivors were in the Camp Wolters, Tex. Hospital.

“The planes, on flights from Alamogordo and Clovis, N.M., Army air fields, collided at 15,000 feet last night with a terrific, flaming explosion, which threw Weatherford into wild excitement, and was seen from as far away as 30 miles. The blast shook houses in Weatherford and left many frightened persons with the first impression that the town had been hit by a Japanese balloon bomb.

“One of the bombers fell a mile northwest of Weatherford that the other struck four miles west of the town….

“The two surviving crewmen said they were hurled clear of the wreckage and parachuted to safety while blazing parts of the huge ships rained about them. The survivors parachuted to safety in a peach orchard on the farm of Bud Northington, four miles west of Weatherford. One of them made has way to the Northington farm, where neighbors had already begun to gather, and help was called.” (Associated Press. “18 Bodies Found After Two Huge Bombers Collide.” Denton Record-Chronicle, TX. 8-18-1945, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “18 Bodies Found After Two Huge Bombers Collide.” Denton Record-Chronicle, TX. 8-18-1945, p. 1. Accessed 11-29-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/denton-record-chronicle-aug-18-1945-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 114. Two USAAF B-29s collide at night 3M W of Weatherford, TX, 17 August 1945. Accessed 11-29-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/98550

Baugher, Joseph F. 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers 42-91974 to 42-110188. 8-7-2023 revision. Accessed 11-29-2023 at: https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_5.html

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.