U.S. Army Air Forces B-17B Flying Fortress #39-008 crashed into the Harold Parker State Forest near North Reading, Massachusetts during a mission flight.
Investigators believed that while flying in instrument conditions, the pilot descended too rapidly, causing a flutter and vibration that led to the port wing separating, and the bomber plunged into a hillside at a speed of up to 350 miles per hour, killing all ten airmen aboard instantly.
Staff Sergeant Perkins was one of the victims. He served with the 429th Bomb Squadron at Gander Field, Newfoundland.
The airmen were:
1st Lt. Marion R Klyce, Pilot
1st Lt. Don H Johnson Jr, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Orville D Andrews, Navigator
1st Lt. James Phillips Jr, Bombardier
S/Sgt. Robert J Aulsbury, Passenger
T/Sgt. Archie R Jester Jr, Passenger
S/Sgt. William E Perkins, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Stephen Bilocur, Radio Operator
Cpl. Charles H Torrence, Asst. Radio Operator
PFC Sidney S Koltun, Asst. Engineer
~
Entered the service from Kentucky; Bourbon County; ASN 6288717
Investigators believed that while flying in instrument conditions, the pilot descended too rapidly, causing a flutter and vibration that led to the port wing separating, and the bomber plunged into a hillside at a speed of up to 350 miles per hour, killing all ten airmen aboard instantly.
Staff Sergeant Perkins was one of the victims. He served with the 429th Bomb Squadron at Gander Field, Newfoundland.
The airmen were:
1st Lt. Marion R Klyce, Pilot
1st Lt. Don H Johnson Jr, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Orville D Andrews, Navigator
1st Lt. James Phillips Jr, Bombardier
S/Sgt. Robert J Aulsbury, Passenger
T/Sgt. Archie R Jester Jr, Passenger
S/Sgt. William E Perkins, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Stephen Bilocur, Radio Operator
Cpl. Charles H Torrence, Asst. Radio Operator
PFC Sidney S Koltun, Asst. Engineer
~
Entered the service from Kentucky; Bourbon County; ASN 6288717
U.S. Army Air Forces B-17B Flying Fortress #39-008 crashed into the Harold Parker State Forest near North Reading, Massachusetts during a mission flight.
Investigators believed that while flying in instrument conditions, the pilot descended too rapidly, causing a flutter and vibration that led to the port wing separating, and the bomber plunged into a hillside at a speed of up to 350 miles per hour, killing all ten airmen aboard instantly.
Staff Sergeant Perkins was one of the victims. He served with the 429th Bomb Squadron at Gander Field, Newfoundland.
The airmen were:
1st Lt. Marion R Klyce, Pilot
1st Lt. Don H Johnson Jr, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Orville D Andrews, Navigator
1st Lt. James Phillips Jr, Bombardier
S/Sgt. Robert J Aulsbury, Passenger
T/Sgt. Archie R Jester Jr, Passenger
S/Sgt. William E Perkins, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Stephen Bilocur, Radio Operator
Cpl. Charles H Torrence, Asst. Radio Operator
PFC Sidney S Koltun, Asst. Engineer
~
Entered the service from Kentucky; Bourbon County; ASN 6288717
Investigators believed that while flying in instrument conditions, the pilot descended too rapidly, causing a flutter and vibration that led to the port wing separating, and the bomber plunged into a hillside at a speed of up to 350 miles per hour, killing all ten airmen aboard instantly.
Staff Sergeant Perkins was one of the victims. He served with the 429th Bomb Squadron at Gander Field, Newfoundland.
The airmen were:
1st Lt. Marion R Klyce, Pilot
1st Lt. Don H Johnson Jr, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Orville D Andrews, Navigator
1st Lt. James Phillips Jr, Bombardier
S/Sgt. Robert J Aulsbury, Passenger
T/Sgt. Archie R Jester Jr, Passenger
S/Sgt. William E Perkins, Flight Engineer
Cpl. Stephen Bilocur, Radio Operator
Cpl. Charles H Torrence, Asst. Radio Operator
PFC Sidney S Koltun, Asst. Engineer
~
Entered the service from Kentucky; Bourbon County; ASN 6288717
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