Evening star., 1921-06-01
BLAME BOMB RACK
| 0RDEATHOF FIVE.
Explosion at Aberdeen Laid
to Defective Equipment.
Injured Coming Here.

: 10 UeIeCtIve Equipment.
Injured Coming Here.
Blame for the air bomb explosion at
the Army proving ground at Aberdeen.
Nd. yesterday tentatively was placed
today by officers of the War Depart
ment on a detective bomb rack which
failed to hold the fifty-pound bomb.
This cause was decided upon from the
preliminary reports received from the
proving ground by telephone from Capt.
c. II. d. Roberts. one Of the designers
of the bomb, who few to Aberdeen from
here yesterday Immediately following
the accident.
The accident today left a total of five
dead and eleven injured. three serious.
ly. but Col. c. L. H. Ruggles. chief Of
the technical stan Of the ordnance de-
partment Of the Army here, said that
to the effect that all of the remaining
injured would probably recover. Ex-
animation by surgeons following the
accident. he said, indicated that they
were not as seriously injured as at first
believed.
Will he Brsught Here. ..
The more seriously injured will be
brought to the Walter Reed Hospi-
tai here this afternoon. They will
be accompanied here by surgeons and
nurses who were dispatched from
Walter Reed Hospital yesterday.
shortly after notice of the accident
was received. A baggage car was be-
ing fitted out this morning as a hos
pital car. and when il is QUILTED the
injured will be loaded aboard and 1t
will be attached to Pennsylvania
train. 1t is expected to arrive here
late this afternoon.
List Of Killed.
The casualty list stood today as fol-
lows.
Pvt. Allen W. Sherman, 14th Air
Squadron. nineteen years old of
Hazelton. Pa. hit In head by frag-
ments of the bomb and died immedi-
ately. He had been in service only
five months.
Pvt. Elmer H. Grimmel. 18th Air
Squadron, eighteen years old. OF Bel
he could be taken to the hospital.
Robert NJ. Herr. civilian employe.
2127 Maryland avenue. Baltimore, died
at $50 pm. in Aberdeen Proving
Ground Hospital He was about TO
receive commission in air service;
had served during war in the field ar
tillery.
Corp. Raymond S. F. Bohle. s4th
Ordnance Company. twenty-three
years old, 733 Port street. Baltimore
died in Aberdeen Hospital.
Pvt. Lee S. Hite. 14th Air Squad.
ron. eighteen years old. Of Martins
burg. W. Va, died at 11:30 o'clock
from shock.
Those Seriously InjuPed.
Capt. Joseph e. Hall. Providence
R. l.. stationed with the air service
at Aberdeen: eyes and face struck by
fragments Of bomb; will lose sight il
he RECEIVERS.
Private Samuel weinstock. 34tt
Ordnance Company. nineteen year.
old of 6131 Pine street. Philadelphia
will probably die from puncture OF
lung.
Private Thomas W. Hall. 18th All,
Squadron. twenty years old, of Balti-
more. Nd, leg fractured and shoulder
badly cut; probably internal injuries
condition serious.
Others injured, in the Aberdeen
Proving Ground Hospital. are:
First Lieut.. Carl g. Eliason OF
Hagerstown, Md: side and back
badly cut:
First Lieut.. Louis r. P. Reese OF
New York city. thumb and NTH fin.
ger Of right hand shot off.
Private Lester J. Bigelow, 34tt
Ordnance Company. twenty years old
Of Hampden, Mass. second and third
fingers shot of left hand.
Private Stanley Ma be, 47th Ord
nance Company. twe.- .y-two yeari
old, Of Philadelphia. arm fractured.
Private Charles ]. O'Neill. seth Ord
nance Company. of Coatesville. Pa.
cut and bruised.
private Marion B. Blevins, 18th All
Squadron. of Bslair, Nd. cut ant
bruised on shoulder.
Priyate Edward Jarry, 34th Ord
nance Company. twenty-one years old
of Willmansett, Mass, fragment o.
bomb in foot.
Mai. J. H Hunter Of the Picatinnl
arsenal. who made the detonators fol
the bombs which were being tested
was injured by a fragment which
hospital.
Army Board Appointed
Lieut.. Col. Herman w. Schulz. com
mandant Of the proving grounds. inn
(mediately after the accident followed
the usual Army procedure Of appoint
ing a board to Investigate the acci
dent. This board was composed Of Maj
James Kirk. Capt Ridley Striblinl
and Capt. Norbert Carolin. officers il
ton, Maj. w. A. BORDEN. also one o
the designers of the bomb. and VIII,
hew from Washington yesterday. an,
Capt. Roberts were actually but no
formally members of the board.
Both Maj. Borden and Capt. Robert
are expected to return to Washington
this afternoon and make an offlcial ne
Williams. chief OF the ordnance de
partment.
From the preliminary informatio,
already received in Washington b,
Col. Ruggles by telephone, he said
was apparent that the bomb rack wa
ports Indicated that the bomb ha,
slipped out once before preparation
were made for the actual flight.
Pin Had Been Pulled Out.
Col. Ruggles explained that on tn
end Of the bomb is = small propeller
like screw protecting the firing pin o
| the bomb. AS long as this remains il
place everything 10 all right, but a
soon as this screw Is removed tn
bomb is armed" and ready for ex
ed to the release wire from tn
bomber's seat. which is pulled ou
when discharging the bomb from tn
plane. This release wire pulls out tn
pin which keeps the little propelle
on the. bomb from being forced t
! turn around by the rush Of the plan
J through the air.
| 1t is apparent. Col. Ruggles sail
judging from the preliminary state
ments he had. that this pin had bee
pulled out. AS the propeller was re
volving, the rush of air unscrewe
the protecting cap and thus armed
| the bomb, and when struck by tn
plane it went of, with the resultan
loss of life and injuries.
Safety Device to he Developed.
As soon ae the two officers VIII
1900 SAINT frou, Wa shi n otnn pnfvrv