George Withee, 331st Bomb Gp, 356th Bomb Sq, on board the B-17 at the time of the crash furnished the following information.
The following individuals were killed in the crash of a B-17 on a training flight, April 10, 1945
Crashed at McCook, NE
Capt Charles L. Hynds         Lt. Charles T. Armstrong
Lt. Virgil A. Jordan     TSgt Bernard P. Greeley
1st Lt. Earle R. Smith    

Names of those on board B17 #42-6071 at the time of the crash:
(* denotes passenger killed in the crash)

    LtCol Hadley V. Saehlenou     Pilot
    Major Gerald J. Crossen     Copilot
*   Capt Charles L. Hynds     Passenger
    1stLt Allan J. Nuszloch     Passenger
*   1stLt Earle R. G. Smith     Passenger
*   1stLt Charles T. Armstrong     Passenger
*   1stLt Virgil H. Jordan     Passenger
    2ndLt George M. Withee     Passenger
*   T/Sgt Bernard P. Greely     Passenger
    T/Sgt F. K. Horan     Engineer
    Cpl William H. Davies     Passenger
    Cpl Richard A. Miesch     Passenger
    Cpl Leon S. Mieczkowski     Passenger
    Cpl Irvin Mertz     Passenger

George writes:

Since seven of the passengers were from crew 6C4 (two were killed and one spent a year in the hospital) the crew was no longer functional, and was disbanded. I do not know the reassignment of all the members of 6C4, but some were transferred to 6B3, 6C3 and 7A4. I was reassigned to 6B5 as the pilot.

This crash occurred the same day that our Commander-in-Chief (FDR) died. It was a night and a day that I shall never forget!


Webpage by Larry Miller
September 2, 2011