☆～ VETERAN, WORLD WAR II (1939-1945) ～☆
2nd Lieutenant Robert G. Robinson,Jr. was the co-pilot to1st Lieutenant Richard Pogue in Dakota C-47B,Skytrain (Dakota) No:43-16397, USAAF, assigned to the 311 Ferrying Squadron, 27th Air Transport Group on a non-operational flight carrying freight and mail from Istres in France to the US Air Force base at Grove, Berkshire, having gone into Le Bourget, Paris to refuel en route. As well as the crew of three, including Corporal Jerome T. Smith, the radio operator, there were four passengers, 2nd Lieutenant Craig Moore, Staff Sergeant Victor C. Corson, Sergeant Carl Clayton and Sergeant Robert Norris, also from Istres, who were to relieve work overload at Grove for a few weeks. The last report of the Dakota's location came from Tangmere Flying Control at 11:25am, when it was noted that the aircraft was flying overhead in deteriorating weather at around 300-400 feet ascending, heading north. Ceiling was zero, visibility 25 yards at the time. Around 1200 hours a report came in to Flying Control, Tangmere that an aircraft had crashed into a hill north of this airfield. A search party which included Mr Chapman and the valley men, was sent out and discovered the C-47 completely disintegrated between West Wood and Burton Down. There were no survivors. The aircraft crashed close to the top of the hill, indicating that it was still in ascent at the moment of impact.
Flying Control Tangmere reported that the aircraft had flown over them at around 300400 feet. There had, however, been no verbal contact between the C-47 and the control towers at either Ford or Tangmere, nor was there a pilot call for instructions. The investigating party decided that the pilot had let down to a few hundred feet over the English Channel but did not break out of cloud and so did not realise that he had crossed the southern coast of England. From the lie of the wreckage it is thought that Lieutenant Pogue saw the hill, banked sharply and the left wing hit the trees, was torn off and the resulting lift on the right wing caused the aircraft to cartwheel. Wreckage was spread over a wide area.
The four passengers were:
Sergeant Carl G. Clayton,aged 32, came from Bergen County, New Jersey, The names of his parents are not known, He was married. He had been serving with HQ Squadron, 36 Air Depot Group, based in the Mediterranean area. Buried in Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridge. Plot C Row 2 Grave 49
Staff Sergeant Victor C Corson ,aged 32, a flight engineer, stationed in Istres, France. He was the son of Ida and Ernest Corson of Summit County, Ohio. He was divorced, and without issue. Buried in Winchester National Cemetery Winchester City, Virginia, Plot: 86, 40490.
Sergeant Robert Simeon "Simmie" Norris was also a C-47 flight engineer, stationed at Istres, France. He was the son of Elizabeth Coleman "Colie" Norris [nee Flynt] and Thurman Cooper Norris of Georgia. Interred Cedar Hill Cemetery
Cochran,Bleckley County,Georgia, USA
Second Lieutenant Craig C Moore ,aged 25, born in Missouri and had been a Sergeant pilot with the RAF. He transferred to the USAC, flying C-47s. Repatriated and interred in Tahama Cemetery, California.
The white Italian stone 'Four Nations Memorial' remembers seven Americans whose Dakota aircraft crashed across the valley in February 1945.
The memorial follows five years of work by writer Dione Venables, 78, a church council member of St Mary The Virgin at Upwaltham.
2nd Lieutenant Robert G. Robinson,Jr. was the co-pilot to1st Lieutenant Richard Pogue in Dakota C-47B,Skytrain (Dakota) No:43-16397, USAAF, assigned to the 311 Ferrying Squadron, 27th Air Transport Group on a non-operational flight carrying freight and mail from Istres in France to the US Air Force base at Grove, Berkshire, having gone into Le Bourget, Paris to refuel en route. As well as the crew of three, including Corporal Jerome T. Smith, the radio operator, there were four passengers, 2nd Lieutenant Craig Moore, Staff Sergeant Victor C. Corson, Sergeant Carl Clayton and Sergeant Robert Norris, also from Istres, who were to relieve work overload at Grove for a few weeks. The last report of the Dakota's location came from Tangmere Flying Control at 11:25am, when it was noted that the aircraft was flying overhead in deteriorating weather at around 300-400 feet ascending, heading north. Ceiling was zero, visibility 25 yards at the time. Around 1200 hours a report came in to Flying Control, Tangmere that an aircraft had crashed into a hill north of this airfield. A search party which included Mr Chapman and the valley men, was sent out and discovered the C-47 completely disintegrated between West Wood and Burton Down. There were no survivors. The aircraft crashed close to the top of the hill, indicating that it was still in ascent at the moment of impact.
Flying Control Tangmere reported that the aircraft had flown over them at around 300400 feet. There had, however, been no verbal contact between the C-47 and the control towers at either Ford or Tangmere, nor was there a pilot call for instructions. The investigating party decided that the pilot had let down to a few hundred feet over the English Channel but did not break out of cloud and so did not realise that he had crossed the southern coast of England. From the lie of the wreckage it is thought that Lieutenant Pogue saw the hill, banked sharply and the left wing hit the trees, was torn off and the resulting lift on the right wing caused the aircraft to cartwheel. Wreckage was spread over a wide area.
The four passengers were:
Sergeant Carl G. Clayton,aged 32, came from Bergen County, New Jersey, The names of his parents are not known, He was married. He had been serving with HQ Squadron, 36 Air Depot Group, based in the Mediterranean area. Buried in Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridge. Plot C Row 2 Grave 49
Staff Sergeant Victor C Corson ,aged 32, a flight engineer, stationed in Istres, France. He was the son of Ida and Ernest Corson of Summit County, Ohio. He was divorced, and without issue. Buried in Winchester National Cemetery Winchester City, Virginia, Plot: 86, 40490.
Sergeant Robert Simeon "Simmie" Norris was also a C-47 flight engineer, stationed at Istres, France. He was the son of Elizabeth Coleman "Colie" Norris [nee Flynt] and Thurman Cooper Norris of Georgia. Interred Cedar Hill Cemetery
Cochran,Bleckley County,Georgia, USA
Second Lieutenant Craig C Moore ,aged 25, born in Missouri and had been a Sergeant pilot with the RAF. He transferred to the USAC, flying C-47s. Repatriated and interred in Tahama Cemetery, California.
The white Italian stone 'Four Nations Memorial' remembers seven Americans whose Dakota aircraft crashed across the valley in February 1945.
The memorial follows five years of work by writer Dione Venables, 78, a church council member of St Mary The Virgin at Upwaltham.
☆～ VETERAN, WORLD WAR II (1939-1945) ～☆
2nd Lieutenant Robert G. Robinson,Jr. was the co-pilot to1st Lieutenant Richard Pogue in Dakota C-47B,Skytrain (Dakota) No:43-16397, USAAF, assigned to the 311 Ferrying Squadron, 27th Air Transport Group on a non-operational flight carrying freight and mail from Istres in France to the US Air Force base at Grove, Berkshire, having gone into Le Bourget, Paris to refuel en route. As well as the crew of three, including Corporal Jerome T. Smith, the radio operator, there were four passengers, 2nd Lieutenant Craig Moore, Staff Sergeant Victor C. Corson, Sergeant Carl Clayton and Sergeant Robert Norris, also from Istres, who were to relieve work overload at Grove for a few weeks. The last report of the Dakota's location came from Tangmere Flying Control at 11:25am, when it was noted that the aircraft was flying overhead in deteriorating weather at around 300-400 feet ascending, heading north. Ceiling was zero, visibility 25 yards at the time. Around 1200 hours a report came in to Flying Control, Tangmere that an aircraft had crashed into a hill north of this airfield. A search party which included Mr Chapman and the valley men, was sent out and discovered the C-47 completely disintegrated between West Wood and Burton Down. There were no survivors. The aircraft crashed close to the top of the hill, indicating that it was still in ascent at the moment of impact.
Flying Control Tangmere reported that the aircraft had flown over them at around 300400 feet. There had, however, been no verbal contact between the C-47 and the control towers at either Ford or Tangmere, nor was there a pilot call for instructions. The investigating party decided that the pilot had let down to a few hundred feet over the English Channel but did not break out of cloud and so did not realise that he had crossed the southern coast of England. From the lie of the wreckage it is thought that Lieutenant Pogue saw the hill, banked sharply and the left wing hit the trees, was torn off and the resulting lift on the right wing caused the aircraft to cartwheel. Wreckage was spread over a wide area.
The four passengers were:
Sergeant Carl G. Clayton,aged 32, came from Bergen County, New Jersey, The names of his parents are not known, He was married. He had been serving with HQ Squadron, 36 Air Depot Group, based in the Mediterranean area. Buried in Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridge. Plot C Row 2 Grave 49
Staff Sergeant Victor C Corson ,aged 32, a flight engineer, stationed in Istres, France. He was the son of Ida and Ernest Corson of Summit County, Ohio. He was divorced, and without issue. Buried in Winchester National Cemetery Winchester City, Virginia, Plot: 86, 40490.
Sergeant Robert Simeon "Simmie" Norris was also a C-47 flight engineer, stationed at Istres, France. He was the son of Elizabeth Coleman "Colie" Norris [nee Flynt] and Thurman Cooper Norris of Georgia. Interred Cedar Hill Cemetery
Cochran,Bleckley County,Georgia, USA
Second Lieutenant Craig C Moore ,aged 25, born in Missouri and had been a Sergeant pilot with the RAF. He transferred to the USAC, flying C-47s. Repatriated and interred in Tahama Cemetery, California.
The white Italian stone 'Four Nations Memorial' remembers seven Americans whose Dakota aircraft crashed across the valley in February 1945.
The memorial follows five years of work by writer Dione Venables, 78, a church council member of St Mary The Virgin at Upwaltham.
2nd Lieutenant Robert G. Robinson,Jr. was the co-pilot to1st Lieutenant Richard Pogue in Dakota C-47B,Skytrain (Dakota) No:43-16397, USAAF, assigned to the 311 Ferrying Squadron, 27th Air Transport Group on a non-operational flight carrying freight and mail from Istres in France to the US Air Force base at Grove, Berkshire, having gone into Le Bourget, Paris to refuel en route. As well as the crew of three, including Corporal Jerome T. Smith, the radio operator, there were four passengers, 2nd Lieutenant Craig Moore, Staff Sergeant Victor C. Corson, Sergeant Carl Clayton and Sergeant Robert Norris, also from Istres, who were to relieve work overload at Grove for a few weeks. The last report of the Dakota's location came from Tangmere Flying Control at 11:25am, when it was noted that the aircraft was flying overhead in deteriorating weather at around 300-400 feet ascending, heading north. Ceiling was zero, visibility 25 yards at the time. Around 1200 hours a report came in to Flying Control, Tangmere that an aircraft had crashed into a hill north of this airfield. A search party which included Mr Chapman and the valley men, was sent out and discovered the C-47 completely disintegrated between West Wood and Burton Down. There were no survivors. The aircraft crashed close to the top of the hill, indicating that it was still in ascent at the moment of impact.
Flying Control Tangmere reported that the aircraft had flown over them at around 300400 feet. There had, however, been no verbal contact between the C-47 and the control towers at either Ford or Tangmere, nor was there a pilot call for instructions. The investigating party decided that the pilot had let down to a few hundred feet over the English Channel but did not break out of cloud and so did not realise that he had crossed the southern coast of England. From the lie of the wreckage it is thought that Lieutenant Pogue saw the hill, banked sharply and the left wing hit the trees, was torn off and the resulting lift on the right wing caused the aircraft to cartwheel. Wreckage was spread over a wide area.
The four passengers were:
Sergeant Carl G. Clayton,aged 32, came from Bergen County, New Jersey, The names of his parents are not known, He was married. He had been serving with HQ Squadron, 36 Air Depot Group, based in the Mediterranean area. Buried in Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridge. Plot C Row 2 Grave 49
Staff Sergeant Victor C Corson ,aged 32, a flight engineer, stationed in Istres, France. He was the son of Ida and Ernest Corson of Summit County, Ohio. He was divorced, and without issue. Buried in Winchester National Cemetery Winchester City, Virginia, Plot: 86, 40490.
Sergeant Robert Simeon "Simmie" Norris was also a C-47 flight engineer, stationed at Istres, France. He was the son of Elizabeth Coleman "Colie" Norris [nee Flynt] and Thurman Cooper Norris of Georgia. Interred Cedar Hill Cemetery
Cochran,Bleckley County,Georgia, USA
Second Lieutenant Craig C Moore ,aged 25, born in Missouri and had been a Sergeant pilot with the RAF. He transferred to the USAC, flying C-47s. Repatriated and interred in Tahama Cemetery, California.
The white Italian stone 'Four Nations Memorial' remembers seven Americans whose Dakota aircraft crashed across the valley in February 1945.
The memorial follows five years of work by writer Dione Venables, 78, a church council member of St Mary The Virgin at Upwaltham.
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