COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
2nd Lt Myron D. Richmond P KIC 21-Apr-44
2nd Lt John T. Kenney CP KIC 21 Apr-44
2nd Lt August H.J.Horstmann Jr. NAV KIC 21-Apr-44 Buried at Cambridge
2nd Lt Robert L. Keagy BOM KIC 21-Apr-44 Buried at Cambridge
S/Sgt Lester N. Cutler TTE KIC 21-Apr-44 Buried at Cambridge
S/Sgt Walter H. George ROG KIC 21-Apr-44
S/Sgt Cornelius W. Robinson WG KIC 21-Apr-44
S/Sgt John F. Johnson WG KIC 21-Apr-44 Buried at Cambridge
S/Sgt Charles C. Lewis BTG KIC 21-Apr-44 Buried at Cambridge
S/Sgt Raymond H. Lilly TG KIC 21-Apr-44
349th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 12/4/44
On a practice mission 42-30091 B-17F A/C crashed on air base at Eye.
US Army Air Forces Report of Aircraft Accident
Aircraft crashed while attempting to join the formation for a Practice mission. Aircraft banked up behind other aircraft at Low Altitude, turning the ship over in a steep bank and causing it too crash. Visibility three miles, 6/10 to 8/10 at 20,000 feet.
Description of Accident:
1. Aircraft # 42-30091 took off from Station #139 at 1010 hrs on a practice mission. Lt Myron D. Richmond, pilot of the ship, was attempting to join his formation in the first turn after take-off. He apparently was closing on the formation at a rather sharp angle and consequently overshot, and crossed through the slipstream of the formation. He apparently banked the plane up at a sharp angle at the same time that he crossed the slip-stream, causing the plane to stall. Since he had attained only about seven-hundred feet altitude, he did not have time to recover from the stall. The plane crashed and burned on the perimeter track at the Air Force Station # 134 (EYE)
2. All of the ten crew members on board were killed. The plane was completely destroyed. There was no injury sustained by anyone on the ground and no damage to private property.
John B. Kidd
Lt Col Air Corps
President
Aircraft Accident Committee
Sumner H. Reeder
Capt. Air Corps
Member
Aircraft Accident Committee
Maurice F. Youngs
Capt. Air Corps
Member
Aircraft Accident Committee
April 26, 1944
Pilots Statement of Accident of 21 April 1944
To: Aircraft Accident Board, Lt Col John B. Kidd, President
1. The accident happened while getting into formation after takeoff at between 400-500 feet indicated altitude. The plane was cutting off the element leader, over-shot, skidded under him and over into the right wing position. He was to fly the left wing. As he skidded under the element leader, I saw smoke coming out of #3 engine exhaust. Immediately after this, he went into a sharp bank of about 70 degrees or 80 degrees and went into the ground-almost nose first.
2. My opinion of what happened is that the pilot accidently turned on the A.F.C.E. entirely instead of just the master bar switch-not having it set up, or in some way his controls were fouled. He didn't or would not have hit any prop wash at the position he was in.
William A. Ryan Jr.
2nd Lt. Air Corps
Subj: John F. Johnson 100 BG/RCAF?
Date: 5/30/2003 6:52:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: wpf13@hotmail.com
To: MPFaley@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)
Hi Mike,
I may have located another ex RCAF/100 BG member.www.abmc.gov has a John F. Johnson NY state + 21 April 44 100 BG
I have a J.F. Johnson Kotanah, NY graduating from No. 8 SFTS Moncton, New Brunswick. 8 SFTS was a service flying training school - equivalent to US advanced training. Upon completion of SFTS, the pilot trainee would receive his "wings."
Wally
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This is the scanned copy of the graduation program. I have 2 original programs and would be happy to donate 1 of them to the organization. If you would provide a mailing address I would be happy to mail it to either you or the museum.
John Schnittgrund
----- Original Message -----
From: MPFaley@aol.com
To: John32032@msn.com
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 2:38 PM
Subject: Re: Lt August Horstmann
In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:02:50 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, John32032@msn.com writes:
There was also a couple of graduation announcement and a roster of the graduates. If you are interested in the graduation announcement I would be happy to make it available to you or the museum.
I am attaching a scanned copy of the photo. If it doesn't come out ot it needs to be better let me know.
Thank you again
Jophn Schnittgrund
MEMO 2:
Crashed near Airfield at Eye. Crew had joined 100th BG only 10 days before.
