Virgle Eugene was the son of Glover C. Walston and Mary Etta Featherstone of Anderson Co., TX. Gene was one of 25 soldiers that were killed in an airplane crash near Sweetwater, Tx. on April 20, 1945. They were on the way to New Jersey to be discharged or reassigned. Richard Gesin was a small boy when this occured. Years later he, along with his friends Pat Foy and Glenn Wortham, took their idea to place a monument for the 25 soldiers to the town people. The First National Bank of Sweetwater donated a 4 ft. square red granite marker. Wortham came up with the plan to enter the Sweetwater Jacees World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up. The three went to two rattlesnake holes and caught a total of 159 snakes. The Jacees paid them $1,000, which was enough to have the names engraved and the monument placed. A coiled rattler is engraved just below the names of the soldiers.
Service No. (ASN): 18115868
Narrative of Flight Safety Foundation:
After takeoff from Midland Army Air Field, the C-47 climed to an altitude of 5000 feet. The flight entered an area with an active thunderstorm. A failure of the elevator led to a break-up of the airframe in flight.
Location: 3.8 miles South of Sweetwater, TX.
Service No. (ASN): 18115868
Narrative of Flight Safety Foundation:
After takeoff from Midland Army Air Field, the C-47 climed to an altitude of 5000 feet. The flight entered an area with an active thunderstorm. A failure of the elevator led to a break-up of the airframe in flight.
Location: 3.8 miles South of Sweetwater, TX.
Virgle Eugene was the son of Glover C. Walston and Mary Etta Featherstone of Anderson Co., TX. Gene was one of 25 soldiers that were killed in an airplane crash near Sweetwater, Tx. on April 20, 1945. They were on the way to New Jersey to be discharged or reassigned. Richard Gesin was a small boy when this occured. Years later he, along with his friends Pat Foy and Glenn Wortham, took their idea to place a monument for the 25 soldiers to the town people. The First National Bank of Sweetwater donated a 4 ft. square red granite marker. Wortham came up with the plan to enter the Sweetwater Jacees World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up. The three went to two rattlesnake holes and caught a total of 159 snakes. The Jacees paid them $1,000, which was enough to have the names engraved and the monument placed. A coiled rattler is engraved just below the names of the soldiers.
Service No. (ASN): 18115868
Narrative of Flight Safety Foundation:
After takeoff from Midland Army Air Field, the C-47 climed to an altitude of 5000 feet. The flight entered an area with an active thunderstorm. A failure of the elevator led to a break-up of the airframe in flight.
Location: 3.8 miles South of Sweetwater, TX.
Service No. (ASN): 18115868
Narrative of Flight Safety Foundation:
After takeoff from Midland Army Air Field, the C-47 climed to an altitude of 5000 feet. The flight entered an area with an active thunderstorm. A failure of the elevator led to a break-up of the airframe in flight.
Location: 3.8 miles South of Sweetwater, TX.
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