Crashes and Accidents: 1940
Dedicated to Eagles who caressed our skies.
May we NEVER forget!
I am in the process of documenting every airplane crash and accident that occurred at Mitchel Field/Mitchel AFB.
Researching and cross-referencing crash records and documents is a time consuming and tedious process.
I hope to include details and photos.
Please be patient and check back often for updates.
Air crashes, mechanical failure and landing and takeoff accidents are regular events on an active airfield, especially during WWII. Airmen from Mitchel Field were constantly flying East Coast defensive fighter patrols and anti-submarine patrols, along with training and overseas transient flights. Accidents were bound to happen with all the increased wartime activity.
A new book in 2006 by researcher Anthony J. Mireles, and research by Marlyn R. Pierce in 2013 indicated that:
"Throughout the war, (1940 through 1945), the U.S. Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces suffered over 54,000 accidents, including 6,351 fatal accidents in the continental United States, resulting in the loss of 7,114 airplanes and the death of 15,530 personnel. This was an average of ten deaths and nearly 40 accidents, fatal and non-fatal, a day. The Army Air Forces reached its peak for both training and accidents in 1943. That year the Army Air Forces suffered 2,268 fatal accidents that resulted in over 5,600 fatalities and over 2,500 aircraft damaged or destroyed. The situation was better in 1944 with a 14 percent drop in accidents compared with 1943. However, there were still nearly 2,000 fatal accidents and the death of 5,000 pilots and crew."
Overall, most of the fatal accidents (2,101) occurred in primary, basic, and advanced trainers, while 2,796 aviators died in the 490 fatal B-24 accidents, followed by 1,757 who died in 284 B-17 crashes.
Of the fighter plane accidents, 455 pilots died in 404 crashes involving P-47 Thunderbolts, while 369 and 337 lost their lives in P-39 and P-38 accidents, respectively.
The U.S. Eighth Air Force in Europe suffered more than 26,000 men killed due to enemy action, mechanical problems, and accidents during the war. But training, as we have seen, was just as hazardous, with more than 15,500 losing their lives in service to their country before they were ever able to face the enemy. These accidents accounted for over 15,000 fatalities, the equivalent of a World War Two infantry division.
Unfortunately, their sacrifices were seldom noted. At a few places around the country, a simple plaque or marker or monument lists the names of those who died but, because they did not die due to enemy action, they were not eligible to receive the Purple Heart medal, posthumously. For the most part, their sacrifices are forgotten by the nation they had sworn to serve and protect.
The following web pages document my research and compilation of every crash or accident that occurred at Mitchel Field from 1917-1961. Pre-war and Post-war are subdivided by decade or half decade periods, while the war years have been divided year by year.
All fatal crashes have been noted in RED TYPE.
Where available I have included details, photos, and news clippings, as well as the further dispositions of the aircraft involved.
Thank You! Paul Martin: Webmaster
References
Anthony J. Mireles, Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945
(Jefferson NC: McFarland, 2006)
MARLYN R. PIERCE, EARNING THEIR WINGS: ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE DURING FLIGHT TRAINING WORLD WAR TWO by MARLYN R. PIERCE B.A. University of Houston, 1983 M.A. University of Louisville, 1994 MMAS, US Army Command and General Staff College, 1998 A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of History College of Arts and Sciences
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2013
1940
400130 P-12D 31-248 5BS Mitchel Field, NY LACGL 2
Bowen, Ferrell L USA NY Suffolk County Airport, LI, NY
400130 P-12D 31-562 5BS Mitchel Field, NY LACGL 2
Gorman, Paul C USA NY Suffolk County Airport, LI, NY
400217 O-46A 38-2022CAAC DetMitchel Field, NY LAC 4
Cullerton, E. F. USA PA Emergency Field, Tower City, PA
400221 O-38F 33-326 Mitchel Field, NY FLMF 2
Reed, Minthorne W. USA NJ Central Airport, Camden, NJ
400331 A-17 35-145 18RS Mitchel Field, NY LACNU 3
Piollet, Victor E. USA NY Airport Towanda, NY
400416 B-18A 37-480 18RS Mitchel Field, NY FLoGW 5
Gorman, Edmund T. USA NY In water off Coney Island, NY
400426 O-47B 39-71 97OS Mitchel Field, NY LAC 4
Schroeck, Franklin E. USA LA Barksdale Field, LA
400602 P-12D 31-23499BS Mitchel Field, LI, NY LACSF 3 Mayne, Reuben W. USANY Mitchel Field, NY
400615 B-18A 37-524 18RS Mitchel Field, LI, NY LAC uk
O'Niell USA NY Laguardia Airport, NY
Bowen, Ferrell L USA NY Suffolk County Airport, LI, NY
400130 P-12D 31-562 5BS Mitchel Field, NY LACGL 2
Gorman, Paul C USA NY Suffolk County Airport, LI, NY
400217 O-46A 38-2022CAAC DetMitchel Field, NY LAC 4
Cullerton, E. F. USA PA Emergency Field, Tower City, PA
400221 O-38F 33-326 Mitchel Field, NY FLMF 2
Reed, Minthorne W. USA NJ Central Airport, Camden, NJ
400331 A-17 35-145 18RS Mitchel Field, NY LACNU 3
Piollet, Victor E. USA NY Airport Towanda, NY
400416 B-18A 37-480 18RS Mitchel Field, NY FLoGW 5
Gorman, Edmund T. USA NY In water off Coney Island, NY
400426 O-47B 39-71 97OS Mitchel Field, NY LAC 4
Schroeck, Franklin E. USA LA Barksdale Field, LA
400602 P-12D 31-23499BS Mitchel Field, LI, NY LACSF 3 Mayne, Reuben W. USANY Mitchel Field, NY
400615 B-18A 37-524 18RS Mitchel Field, LI, NY LAC uk
O'Niell USA NY Laguardia Airport, NY
June 17, 1940: B-18 37-576, Mitchel Field, NY MAC
1st Lt. P. Burlingame, USA NY Bellrose Queens SEE article below
June 17, 1940: B-18 37-583, Mitchel Field, NY MAC
2d Lt. R. M. Bylander, USA NY Bellerose Queens SEE article below
1st Lt. P. Burlingame, USA NY Bellrose Queens SEE article below
June 17, 1940: B-18 37-583, Mitchel Field, NY MAC
2d Lt. R. M. Bylander, USA NY Bellerose Queens SEE article below
June 17, 1940: B-18 crash, Bellerose Queens, 9:00 A.M. Monday, June 17, 1940 :
17 June, 1940
Two twin-engine Douglas B-18A Bolo bombers, 37-576, piloted by 1st Lt. P. Burlingame, and 37-583, flown by 2d Lt. R. M. Bylander, of the 9th Bomb Group, were flying out of Mitchel Field, New York, on a training exercise. While maneuvering at 2,500 feet, one plane passed too close under the other and the two collided. Fuel, metal, glass and other debris rained down onto newly built homes in Bellerose, New York, killing all 11 crew on board. One woman, inside a home set afire, succumbed to burn injuries the next day.
Two twin-engine Douglas B-18A Bolo bombers, 37-576, piloted by 1st Lt. P. Burlingame, and 37-583, flown by 2d Lt. R. M. Bylander, of the 9th Bomb Group, were flying out of Mitchel Field, New York, on a training exercise. While maneuvering at 2,500 feet, one plane passed too close under the other and the two collided. Fuel, metal, glass and other debris rained down onto newly built homes in Bellerose, New York, killing all 11 crew on board. One woman, inside a home set afire, succumbed to burn injuries the next day.
Those who died in the crash included 2nd Lieut. J.F. Dow of Houlton, Maine; 2nd Lieut. Richard M. Bylander of Little Rock, Arkansas; 2nd Lieut. H.P. Bedient of Falconer, New York; 2nd Lieut. P.M. Lambert of Lakewood, New York; 2nd Lieut. J.H. Hail of Lawrence, Kansas; Staff Sergt. Martin J. Costello of New Bedford, Massachusetts; Corp. T.P. Kraszewski of Guttenberg, New Jersey; Staff Sergt. Claude A. Shelbaer of Hempstead, Long Island, New York; Corp. Frank Deeley of Daytona Beach, Florida and Private Clinton O. Rhodes of Clinton, New Jersey.
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Two twin-engine Douglas B-18 Bolo bombers, with twofighter escorts left Mitchel Field on a routine training flight. The two bombers carried a crew of 11. 15 miles from Mitchel Field, above densely populated Bellerose Manor of Queens, NY, the two bombers executed a maneuver at 2,500 feet, one passing under the other. The two planes collided and crashed in flames. One landed within a block of a school and the second smashed into a one-story residence that instantly went up in flames. All 11 crewmen — two of whom unsuccessfully attempted to escape by parachute — perished in the wreckage.” |
Asbestos companies seized the opportunity to run full-page ads touting the safety of their product, as the homes with asbestos siding, shingles and roofing did not ignite and burn when sprayed with the fuel.
From author Rich Dann:
Douglas B-18A – AAC 37-576 Accepted 17 May 1939 and immediately assigned to Langley Field, VA. To Mitchel Field, NY 10 November 1939. Accident 17 June 1940 at Bellerose, Long Island, NY 1LT P. Burlingame, collided with B-18A 37-583 (q.v.), w/o. Coded 9B45 and 9B43 at the time, order uncertain.
Douglas B-18A – AAC 37-583 Accepted 9 June 1939. Assigned to Langley Field, VA 10 June 1939. To Mitchel Field, NY 12 November 1939. Accident 17 June 1940 at Bellerose, LI, NY, 2LT R. M. Bylander, collided with B-18A 37-576 (q.v.), w/o.
Douglas B-18A – AAC 37-576 Accepted 17 May 1939 and immediately assigned to Langley Field, VA. To Mitchel Field, NY 10 November 1939. Accident 17 June 1940 at Bellerose, Long Island, NY 1LT P. Burlingame, collided with B-18A 37-583 (q.v.), w/o. Coded 9B45 and 9B43 at the time, order uncertain.
Douglas B-18A – AAC 37-583 Accepted 9 June 1939. Assigned to Langley Field, VA 10 June 1939. To Mitchel Field, NY 12 November 1939. Accident 17 June 1940 at Bellerose, LI, NY, 2LT R. M. Bylander, collided with B-18A 37-576 (q.v.), w/o.
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Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2015 10:30 am by Ron Marzlock, Chronicle Contributor This year marks the 75th anniversary of the terrible midair crash over Bellerose Manor that rained destruction down on the homeowners of 239th Street off Hillside Avenue. On June 17, 1940 two twin-engine Douglas B-18 bombers were sent out from Nassau County’s Mitchel Field for a training exercise at 2,500 feet, in which one plane would pass under the other one. The maneuver did not go off as planned and the two collided, raining down metal, glass, other debris and fuel onto the newly built homes. All 11 men on board — including two who tried to parachute to safety — died. |
The scene on 239th Street south of Hillside Avenue in Bellerose Manor shortly after the plane crash of June 17, 1940.
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One civilian, Emily Kraft, age 35, died the next day of burns suffered due to fuel that ignited in her home. Queens General Hospital, a new state-of-the-art facility at the time, responded to the scene with its “Catastrophic Squad.” A small plaque later was set up near the site to mark the tragic event. Asbestos companies seized the opportunity to run full-page ads touting the safety of their product, as the homes with asbestos siding, shingles and roofing did not ignite and burn when sprayed with the fuel. |
Grave Photo courtesy Shamrocks
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1LT Paul “Junie” Burlingame, Jr BIRTH 16 Jan 1909 Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA DEATH 17 Jun 1940 (aged 31) Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL United States Military Academy Post Cemetery West Point, Orange County, New York, USA PLOT Section XIII, Row E, Site 161. |
Photo courtesy Sam Pennartz
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USMA Class of 1934. Cullum No. 10078. On June 28, 1934, he married Susan Wall at the Holy Name Church in Louisville, Kentucky.
Seventy-Second Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, June 10, 1941, The Moore Printing Company Inc., Newburgh, New York.
Paul Burlingame Jr.
No. 19978. Class of 1934.
Died June 17, 1940, at Bellrose, New York, aged 31 years.
Than Junie, there never was a better. Happy, boisterous, carefree, loyal and thoroughly capable, he was one in a million.
No gathering, no matter how solemn or gay, will ever be aroused by laughter louder or more contagious than his. No team will ever be more inspired by a player more aggressive or more capable of rising to the heights. Who can ever forget Junie as a member of the great team of 1933, Saturday after Saturday, giving away thirty to fifty pounds to opposing tackles, never asking quarter, surely never giving any and never licked? No players will ever be led by a coach better qualified, more inspiring. From 1936 to 1939 the Army ends that Junie turned out played with a dash and ability that reflected his own. No coach will ever be helped by an assistant more capable, conscientious and loyal.
Junie was born in Louisville, Kentucky, January 16, 1909. He was a graduate of the Louisville Public School System and then attended the University of Louisville for two years before entering West Point in 1929. After winning his letter as an end during the fall of 1930, Junie was found a few months later. He returned to West Point in the summer of 1931. After a brilliant career on the gridiron as well as on the basketball floor, Junie graduated in 1934. He married Susan Wall that June. Following a fall at West Point as Assistant Football Coach and a few months as a doughboy, Junie tried the Air Corps and won his wings. He was called back to West Point each fall after that to help coach the football team and did a brilliant job with the varsity ends.
On June 17th, 1940, Junie was killed when two bombers collided while changing position in formation over Long Island, New York.
His wife and his two daughters survive him, as do his brothers Anson and Lieut. Creed Burlingame, United States Navy. Junie is buried in the cemetery at the West Point he loved and served so well, beside his little son, Peter, born and deceased during the 1937 football season. Junie is gone. His going could not have been felt more by us, his friends, were he a brother. But happy, boisterous, sincere, he is gone only from our association for from our hearts he will never disappear. He was too fine a man!
Gar Davidson.
Seventy-Second Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, June 10, 1941, The Moore Printing Company Inc., Newburgh, New York.
Paul Burlingame Jr.
No. 19978. Class of 1934.
Died June 17, 1940, at Bellrose, New York, aged 31 years.
Than Junie, there never was a better. Happy, boisterous, carefree, loyal and thoroughly capable, he was one in a million.
No gathering, no matter how solemn or gay, will ever be aroused by laughter louder or more contagious than his. No team will ever be more inspired by a player more aggressive or more capable of rising to the heights. Who can ever forget Junie as a member of the great team of 1933, Saturday after Saturday, giving away thirty to fifty pounds to opposing tackles, never asking quarter, surely never giving any and never licked? No players will ever be led by a coach better qualified, more inspiring. From 1936 to 1939 the Army ends that Junie turned out played with a dash and ability that reflected his own. No coach will ever be helped by an assistant more capable, conscientious and loyal.
Junie was born in Louisville, Kentucky, January 16, 1909. He was a graduate of the Louisville Public School System and then attended the University of Louisville for two years before entering West Point in 1929. After winning his letter as an end during the fall of 1930, Junie was found a few months later. He returned to West Point in the summer of 1931. After a brilliant career on the gridiron as well as on the basketball floor, Junie graduated in 1934. He married Susan Wall that June. Following a fall at West Point as Assistant Football Coach and a few months as a doughboy, Junie tried the Air Corps and won his wings. He was called back to West Point each fall after that to help coach the football team and did a brilliant job with the varsity ends.
On June 17th, 1940, Junie was killed when two bombers collided while changing position in formation over Long Island, New York.
His wife and his two daughters survive him, as do his brothers Anson and Lieut. Creed Burlingame, United States Navy. Junie is buried in the cemetery at the West Point he loved and served so well, beside his little son, Peter, born and deceased during the 1937 football season. Junie is gone. His going could not have been felt more by us, his friends, were he a brother. But happy, boisterous, sincere, he is gone only from our association for from our hearts he will never disappear. He was too fine a man!
Gar Davidson.
Lt. Richard Murray Bylander
BIRTH 29 Oct 1915 Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri, USA DEATH 17 Jun 1940 (aged 24) Nassau County, New York, USA BURIAL Roselawn Memorial Park Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA PLOT Hillcrest Section |
Grave photos courtesy Whitney McLaughlin
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Photo courtesy Sam Pennartz
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Lt. James Frederick Dow BIRTH 20 Nov 1913 Oakfield, Aroostook County, Maine, USA DEATH 17 Jun 1940 (aged 26) Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL Evergreen Cemetery Houlton, Aroostook County, Maine, USA PLOT Section 5, Block 5, Grave 104 |
Grave photos courtesy Duke Thatcher
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Hugh Palmer Bedient
BIRTH 13 Oct 1915 Falconer, Chautauqua County, New York, USA DEATH 17 Jun 1940 (aged 24) Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL Levant Cemetery Poland, Chautauqua County, New York, USA |
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In 1908, Hugh Bedient (father of Hugh P. Bedient, Jr.) struck out 42 batters in a 23-inning semi-pro game in Falconer, New York. This unparalled iron-man feat attracted the attention of professional scouts and he signed with the Boston Red Sox organization in 1910. In his rookie season at Fenway Park in 1912, Bedient won 20 games against just nine losses and remained in the major leagues until developing a sore arm following the 1915 season.
Bedient was pitching for the aptly named Toledo Iron Men of the American Association, when his son, Hugh, Jr., was born in 1916. A tall, hard-throwing right-hander, Hugh Bedient, Jr., starred in baseball and basketball at Falconer High School, New York, pitching five no-hitters before graduating in 1933. He also played three years with the Jamestown nine in the American Legion series, with his team winning the state championship two of the three years. He then enrolled at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and attracted much attention from baseball scouts after he transferred to the University of Alabama. Bedient had three wins without a defeat for the Crimson Tide freshmen in 1935, and became the varsity team’s most dominant pitcher over the next three seasons. During the summer months, he also pitched in the Dixie Amateur League as he eyed a career in the professional game. |
"The strong right arm of sophomore Hugh Bedient may some day hurl a baseball over the plate with the speed and deception his dad used back in 1912 to whip Christy Mathewson in two games and win the World Series for the Boston Red Sox," declared an Associated Press article on March 15, 1936. "He shows signs of developing into professional timber," Alabama coach Tilden 'Happy' Chandler told the Associated Press. "He certainly has the physical qualifications." Bedient gave his father credit for his success as a college hurler. "He used to give me tips on delivery and form," he recalled in 1937. "He wants me to be a big league pitcher." Bedient wanted to be one too, but he wasn't building up his hopes. "I know what it takes to get you there," he said, "and if I've got it then everything will be fine. If I haven't . . . then I'm going to try to be a sports writer."
Following graduation in June 1938, Bedient signed with the Boston Braves and joined the Evansville Bees of the Class B Three-I League in July. On July 6, he made his professional debut against the Clinton Owls at Evansville’s Bosse Field, allowing just four hits and one run before being relieved by Charlie Frye in the eighth. He also contributed a single and a double to his first professional win. But it was to be a short-lived career. Bedient made just two further unsuccessful appearances for the Bees before injuries brought his playing career to an end.
On June 28, 1939, the 23-year-old turned his back on any hopes of making a return to baseball and enlisted with the Army Air Corps; the decision was possibly influenced by the University of Alabama’s extremely popular aeronautical engineering department. He first attended elementary flying school at Randolph Field, Texas, and then earned a commission as a second lieutenant at Kelly Field, Texas. Shortly afterwards, he was assigned to the Air Defense Command at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York, with his living quarters at Madison Barracks, Sackets Harbor, New York. On May 4, 1940, Bedient married Jimmy Lee Malone of Anniston, Alabama, at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Six weeks later, on Sunday, June 16, 1940, Bedient sent his parents a telegram stating that he was spending the day with his wife at Great Neck. The following day, at around 9:00 A.M. on Monday, June 17, two twin-engined Douglas B-18 Bolo bombers, escorted by two fighter planes, left Mitchel Field on a routine training flight. The two bombers carried a crew of 11, including Second Lieutenant Bedient. Just 15 miles from Mitchel Field, above the densely populated area of Bellerose Manor on the eastern edge of Queens, New York, the two bombers were executing a maneuver at 2,500 feet. One plane had to pass under the other and there was not enough clearance. The two planes collided and crashed in flames. One landed within a block of a school and the second smashed into a one-story residence that instantly went up in flames. All 11 crewmen — two of whom unsuccessfully attempted to escape by parachute — perished in the wreckage.
F.W. Watkins, whose home was within 50 yards of the scene of the crash, was sitting in his living room when the planes came down. "I ran outside immediately, and two houses directly across the street, which were hit by wreckage, were already blazing fiercely. It seemed only a few minutes before rescue squads arrived and the bodies were being dragged from the wreckage. At short intervals there were explosions which sounded as though small bombs were going off."[1]
The loss of life on the ground was miraculously low. The only civilian fatality was 35-year-old Emily Kraft, who suffered severe burns when her home was set on fire. She died at the Queens General Hospital the following day.
Funeral services were held for Hugh P. Bedient, Jr., at Falconer Funeral Home and at Levant Cemetery in Poland, New York. Members of the Henry Mosher post, American Legion of Falconer, formed the guard of honor, while Reverand Harold L. Knappenberger officiated at the funeral home and Reverand R.W. Neathery was the graveside chaplain.
Courtesy http://www.baseballsgreatestsacrifice.com/biographies/bedient_hugh.html
Following graduation in June 1938, Bedient signed with the Boston Braves and joined the Evansville Bees of the Class B Three-I League in July. On July 6, he made his professional debut against the Clinton Owls at Evansville’s Bosse Field, allowing just four hits and one run before being relieved by Charlie Frye in the eighth. He also contributed a single and a double to his first professional win. But it was to be a short-lived career. Bedient made just two further unsuccessful appearances for the Bees before injuries brought his playing career to an end.
On June 28, 1939, the 23-year-old turned his back on any hopes of making a return to baseball and enlisted with the Army Air Corps; the decision was possibly influenced by the University of Alabama’s extremely popular aeronautical engineering department. He first attended elementary flying school at Randolph Field, Texas, and then earned a commission as a second lieutenant at Kelly Field, Texas. Shortly afterwards, he was assigned to the Air Defense Command at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York, with his living quarters at Madison Barracks, Sackets Harbor, New York. On May 4, 1940, Bedient married Jimmy Lee Malone of Anniston, Alabama, at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Six weeks later, on Sunday, June 16, 1940, Bedient sent his parents a telegram stating that he was spending the day with his wife at Great Neck. The following day, at around 9:00 A.M. on Monday, June 17, two twin-engined Douglas B-18 Bolo bombers, escorted by two fighter planes, left Mitchel Field on a routine training flight. The two bombers carried a crew of 11, including Second Lieutenant Bedient. Just 15 miles from Mitchel Field, above the densely populated area of Bellerose Manor on the eastern edge of Queens, New York, the two bombers were executing a maneuver at 2,500 feet. One plane had to pass under the other and there was not enough clearance. The two planes collided and crashed in flames. One landed within a block of a school and the second smashed into a one-story residence that instantly went up in flames. All 11 crewmen — two of whom unsuccessfully attempted to escape by parachute — perished in the wreckage.
F.W. Watkins, whose home was within 50 yards of the scene of the crash, was sitting in his living room when the planes came down. "I ran outside immediately, and two houses directly across the street, which were hit by wreckage, were already blazing fiercely. It seemed only a few minutes before rescue squads arrived and the bodies were being dragged from the wreckage. At short intervals there were explosions which sounded as though small bombs were going off."[1]
The loss of life on the ground was miraculously low. The only civilian fatality was 35-year-old Emily Kraft, who suffered severe burns when her home was set on fire. She died at the Queens General Hospital the following day.
Funeral services were held for Hugh P. Bedient, Jr., at Falconer Funeral Home and at Levant Cemetery in Poland, New York. Members of the Henry Mosher post, American Legion of Falconer, formed the guard of honor, while Reverand Harold L. Knappenberger officiated at the funeral home and Reverand R.W. Neathery was the graveside chaplain.
Courtesy http://www.baseballsgreatestsacrifice.com/biographies/bedient_hugh.html
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Paul Moffett Lambert BIRTH unknown DEATH 17 Jun 1940 Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL Newton Cemetery Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA PLOT O,321 |
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2LT James Herbert Hail BIRTH 25 Sep 1915 DEATH 17 Jun 1940 (aged 24) Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, USA |
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Martin J Costello
BIRTH 8 May 1909 England DEATH 17 Jun 1940 (aged 31) Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL Long Island National Cemetery East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA PLOT F, 3187 |
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SSGT Claude A Shelbaer
BIRTH 1909 DEATH 17 Jun 1940 (aged 30–31) Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL IOOF Cemetery Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA Frank X Deeley
BIRTH unknown DEATH17 Jun 1940 Bellerose, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL Long Island National Cemetery East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA PLOT SECTION F SITE 3186 |
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"In Memory of Eleven Army Airmen Who Lost Their Lives Here For Their Country On June 17, 1940"
Photo Courtesy of Michael Gannon
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By Michael Gannon:
Queens Chronicle , June 28, 2018 World War II had been raging in Europe for less than a year when U.S. Army Lts. Paul Burlingame and Richard Bylander of the 9th Bomb Group took off from Mitchel Field for a training flight on June 17, 1940.
Then a maneuver went horribly wrong, causing the planes to collide over the heart of Bellerose. Both B-18s came down on 239th Street; one at 87th Avenue, killing all the crew but miraculously missing all nearby houses, churches and a school. The other came down mid-block, killing all on board and setting a house fire that claimed the life of Emilie or Emily Kraft, 35, who succumbed to burns at a nearby hospital. |
“There’s a monument right across the street from here,” Jim Buccellato said Monday night at Bellerose Assembly of God Church at a meeting of Community Board 13. “You may pass that monument every day and not know it’s there.” It also does not have the names of Kraft, the pilots or their crewmen who perished less that 200 yards from the church.
Buccellato and Richard Weinberg of the American Legion came to CB 13 in an effort to change that.
“These men have not been properly memorialized,” Weinberg said. The veterans are hoping to raise $50,000 to erect a new monument on the site of the existing one, a small stone marker that has sat just south of Hillside Avenue on a landscaped traffic island in the middle of 239th Street since 1941.The existing marker would be relocated to the wreck site at 87th Avenue.
They said Councilman Barry Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gardens) suggested visiting the community board, civic associations and anyone else who might be able to spread the word and help raise money. Armed with research tools that were not available in 1940, the veterans found that Burlingame was from Kentucky and Bylander from Arkansas. The other deceased crewmen included Lt. Hugh Bedient and Cpl. Thadius “Teddy” Kraszwewski of New York; Staff Sgt. Martin Costello and Lt. Paul Lambert of Massachusetts; Cpl. Frank Deeley of Florida; Lt. James Dow of Maine; Lt. James Hail of Kansas; Pvt. Clinton Rhodes of New Jersey; and Staff Sgt. Claude Shelbaer of Pennsylvania.
Their research also has turned up evidence that both crews fought for control of their doomed aircraft in an effort to avoid civilian casualties on the ground. They have even found living relatives of some of the crew members, including two children. Some have agreed to attend an unveiling should the effort be successful.
They have not been able to trace any family of Kraft, the civilian victim.
Weinberg and Buccellato on Monday night did get a formal resolution of support from the board, and also cleared up one mystery they had not been able to solve. “We don’t even know who erected the monument,” Buccellato said. “That would be my civic association,” said CB 13 executive Secretary Jerry Wind, who serves with the Bellerose Hillside Civic Association.
Buccellato and Richard Weinberg of the American Legion came to CB 13 in an effort to change that.
“These men have not been properly memorialized,” Weinberg said. The veterans are hoping to raise $50,000 to erect a new monument on the site of the existing one, a small stone marker that has sat just south of Hillside Avenue on a landscaped traffic island in the middle of 239th Street since 1941.The existing marker would be relocated to the wreck site at 87th Avenue.
They said Councilman Barry Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gardens) suggested visiting the community board, civic associations and anyone else who might be able to spread the word and help raise money. Armed with research tools that were not available in 1940, the veterans found that Burlingame was from Kentucky and Bylander from Arkansas. The other deceased crewmen included Lt. Hugh Bedient and Cpl. Thadius “Teddy” Kraszwewski of New York; Staff Sgt. Martin Costello and Lt. Paul Lambert of Massachusetts; Cpl. Frank Deeley of Florida; Lt. James Dow of Maine; Lt. James Hail of Kansas; Pvt. Clinton Rhodes of New Jersey; and Staff Sgt. Claude Shelbaer of Pennsylvania.
Their research also has turned up evidence that both crews fought for control of their doomed aircraft in an effort to avoid civilian casualties on the ground. They have even found living relatives of some of the crew members, including two children. Some have agreed to attend an unveiling should the effort be successful.
They have not been able to trace any family of Kraft, the civilian victim.
Weinberg and Buccellato on Monday night did get a formal resolution of support from the board, and also cleared up one mystery they had not been able to solve. “We don’t even know who erected the monument,” Buccellato said. “That would be my civic association,” said CB 13 executive Secretary Jerry Wind, who serves with the Bellerose Hillside Civic Association.
400628 P-12E 31-562 5BS Mitchel Field, Hempstead, NY FLEF 5
Collins, Herbert A USA MD La Plata. MD
400715 A-17 35-87 2ABS Mitchel Field, NY TAC 3
Nichols, Warren G. USA NY Miitchel Field, LI, NY
400720 P-36A 38-115 36PS Langley Field, Hampton, VA LAC 3
Austin, George l, Jr USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
400802 P-12D 31-248 5BS Mitchel Field, NY LACGL 4
Higgins, Edward W., Jr USA AL Maxwell Field, AL
Collins, Herbert A USA MD La Plata. MD
400715 A-17 35-87 2ABS Mitchel Field, NY TAC 3
Nichols, Warren G. USA NY Miitchel Field, LI, NY
400720 P-36A 38-115 36PS Langley Field, Hampton, VA LAC 3
Austin, George l, Jr USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
400802 P-12D 31-248 5BS Mitchel Field, NY LACGL 4
Higgins, Edward W., Jr USA AL Maxwell Field, AL
400818 BT-14 40-1210 5BS 9Bg Mitchel Field, NY KSSPCR 5
Thompson, Henry C. USA NY Rye, NY 1210 W/o Aug 18, 1940 at Rye, NY
Thompson, Henry C. USA NY Rye, NY 1210 W/o Aug 18, 1940 at Rye, NY
Lt Henry Clayton Thompson, Jr
BIRTH 1915 DEATH 19 Aug 1940 (aged 24–25) Long Island City, Queens County, New York, USA BURIAL Mona View Cemetery Muskegon Heights, Muskegon County, Michigan, |
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400910 BT-14 40-1212 5BS 9BG Mitchel Field, LI, NY LACNO 3
Schirmer, Robert F. USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
400929 O-46A 35-200 2CAAC Det Mitchel Field, NY TACNU 3
Cronk, H. M. USA NY Miller Field, Staten Island, NY
400930 OA-9 38-560 97OS Mitchel Field,NY TOA 5
Stunkard, McClelland F, USA NY West Point, NY
401012 P-12E 31-568 2CA AC Det Mitchel Field, NY TOA 3
Gerlach, Lawrence A. USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
401014 A-17 35-111 2ABG Mitchel Field, NY LAC 3
Goff, Lyman H. USA MA Westover Field, MA
401117 P-40 39-192 36PS Mitchel Field, NY FLEFNO 4
Readey, John V. USA VA 5 mi NE of Parksley, VA
401219 P-40 39-198 33PS 8PG Mitchel Field, NY LACNO 4
Waugh, Robert J. USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
401219 P-40 39-178 33PS 8PG Mitchel Field, NY LACNU 3
Benney, Sherman USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
SEE Sep 5, 1941: Wrecked near Westbury, NY and damaged beyond repair.
Schirmer, Robert F. USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
400929 O-46A 35-200 2CAAC Det Mitchel Field, NY TACNU 3
Cronk, H. M. USA NY Miller Field, Staten Island, NY
400930 OA-9 38-560 97OS Mitchel Field,NY TOA 5
Stunkard, McClelland F, USA NY West Point, NY
401012 P-12E 31-568 2CA AC Det Mitchel Field, NY TOA 3
Gerlach, Lawrence A. USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
401014 A-17 35-111 2ABG Mitchel Field, NY LAC 3
Goff, Lyman H. USA MA Westover Field, MA
401117 P-40 39-192 36PS Mitchel Field, NY FLEFNO 4
Readey, John V. USA VA 5 mi NE of Parksley, VA
401219 P-40 39-198 33PS 8PG Mitchel Field, NY LACNO 4
Waugh, Robert J. USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
401219 P-40 39-178 33PS 8PG Mitchel Field, NY LACNU 3
Benney, Sherman USA NY Mitchel Field, NY
SEE Sep 5, 1941: Wrecked near Westbury, NY and damaged beyond repair.
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