Flight Officer Tilson was a Bombadier
aboard U.S. Army Air Corps TB-24J Liberator
#42-78522, serving with the 421st Base Unit
from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air
Force Base) California.
During a gunnery and formation training
flight over Death Valley, his bomber was
collided with at 20,000 feet by B-24D
#42-72862, which was co-piloted by
Rex R Phillips .
Both aircraft fell to earth, Tilson's craft
disintegrated in flight and only one crew
member escaped, when the top turret canopy
came apart, and he was able to parachute and
landed safely with only minor injuries.
The sixteen remaining airmen aboard both
planes perished when they crashed on the
salt flats, west of Furnace Creek.
The airmen killed aboard Chapman's aircraft:
2nd Lt. Ernest J Chapman , pilot
2nd Lt. William F Johansen , co-pilot
Flt. Off. Eugene E Hechtman , Navigator
Cpl. Louis Bartlett , gunner
Cpl. Arlington S Leininger , engineer
Cpl. Richard A Lira , radio operator
PFC Donald C Becker , gunner
PFC Ted W Srygley , gunner
*****
aboard U.S. Army Air Corps TB-24J Liberator
#42-78522, serving with the 421st Base Unit
from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air
Force Base) California.
During a gunnery and formation training
flight over Death Valley, his bomber was
collided with at 20,000 feet by B-24D
#42-72862, which was co-piloted by
Rex R Phillips .
Both aircraft fell to earth, Tilson's craft
disintegrated in flight and only one crew
member escaped, when the top turret canopy
came apart, and he was able to parachute and
landed safely with only minor injuries.
The sixteen remaining airmen aboard both
planes perished when they crashed on the
salt flats, west of Furnace Creek.
The airmen killed aboard Chapman's aircraft:
2nd Lt. Ernest J Chapman , pilot
2nd Lt. William F Johansen , co-pilot
Flt. Off. Eugene E Hechtman , Navigator
Cpl. Louis Bartlett , gunner
Cpl. Arlington S Leininger , engineer
Cpl. Richard A Lira , radio operator
PFC Donald C Becker , gunner
PFC Ted W Srygley , gunner
*****
Flight Officer Tilson was a Bombadier
aboard U.S. Army Air Corps TB-24J Liberator
#42-78522, serving with the 421st Base Unit
from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air
Force Base) California.
During a gunnery and formation training
flight over Death Valley, his bomber was
collided with at 20,000 feet by B-24D
#42-72862, which was co-piloted by
Rex R Phillips .
Both aircraft fell to earth, Tilson's craft
disintegrated in flight and only one crew
member escaped, when the top turret canopy
came apart, and he was able to parachute and
landed safely with only minor injuries.
The sixteen remaining airmen aboard both
planes perished when they crashed on the
salt flats, west of Furnace Creek.
The airmen killed aboard Chapman's aircraft:
2nd Lt. Ernest J Chapman , pilot
2nd Lt. William F Johansen , co-pilot
Flt. Off. Eugene E Hechtman , Navigator
Cpl. Louis Bartlett , gunner
Cpl. Arlington S Leininger , engineer
Cpl. Richard A Lira , radio operator
PFC Donald C Becker , gunner
PFC Ted W Srygley , gunner
*****
aboard U.S. Army Air Corps TB-24J Liberator
#42-78522, serving with the 421st Base Unit
from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air
Force Base) California.
During a gunnery and formation training
flight over Death Valley, his bomber was
collided with at 20,000 feet by B-24D
#42-72862, which was co-piloted by
Rex R Phillips .
Both aircraft fell to earth, Tilson's craft
disintegrated in flight and only one crew
member escaped, when the top turret canopy
came apart, and he was able to parachute and
landed safely with only minor injuries.
The sixteen remaining airmen aboard both
planes perished when they crashed on the
salt flats, west of Furnace Creek.
The airmen killed aboard Chapman's aircraft:
2nd Lt. Ernest J Chapman , pilot
2nd Lt. William F Johansen , co-pilot
Flt. Off. Eugene E Hechtman , Navigator
Cpl. Louis Bartlett , gunner
Cpl. Arlington S Leininger , engineer
Cpl. Richard A Lira , radio operator
PFC Donald C Becker , gunner
PFC Ted W Srygley , gunner
*****
Inscription
Connecticut
Flight Officer
Air Corps
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Connecticut; ASN T-004597
Other Records
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