The New York herald., 1921-06-01
AIR BOMB EXPLOSION
KILLS 5, INJURIES 10
!. AT PROVING GROUND
INT Canister Slips From
Airplane During Army
Test at Aberdeen, Md.
TWO OTHERS MAY DIE
Investigating Board Named
to Fix Responsibility for
Fatal Accident.
SAFETY PIN LOOSENED
Fatality Occurred as De Havi-
land Machine Was Leaving
Ground for Flight.
SAFETY PIN LoosENED

Special Despatch to THE NEW YonK HEaiip
ABERDEEN, Md, May 31.-A fifty
pound bomb filed with INT fell from
big De Haviland airplane this
morning at the Government proving
grounds as it was taking off for a
test bombing flight in rehearsal for
the great army and navy maneuvres
in Chesapeake Bay next week. The
bomb exploded with terrific force, kill
ing five men and injuring ten more
OF the wounded men two will die. while
the recovery of four others is doubtful
The list OF victims follows:
The Dead.
Private ALLEN w. SHERMAN. 18th
Aero Squadron.
Private Z. H. GRIMMEL. 14th Arec
Squadron.
Private RAYMOND F. BOHLE, a4th
Ordnance Company.
Private LEE s. HITE, 14th Aero
Civilian ROBERT NJ. HERR, proof al.
rector.
Injured Fatally.
Capt. Joseph L. Hall, Air Service, head
badly cut.
Private Sam Weinstock, 34th Ordnance
Company, lung punctured.
Injured, Recovery Doubtful.
Private p. w. Hall, I4th Aero Squadron.
Private Charles J. ONeill. Saith Ord
nance Company.
Private Nj. D. Blezins, 14th Aero Squad
ron.
Private Edward Jarry. S4th Ordnance
Company.
Injured slightly.
First Lieut. Carl G.. Eliason, Air Service.
Private S. p. Maace, 47th Ordnance Com
pany.
First Lieut.. Louis f. Reese. AIR Service.
Private Il. J. Titlow. saith Ordnance
Company.
Capt. Joseph L. fall OF the army air
service, one of the fatally injured. was
seated in the plane at the time of the
explosion, while just in front OF him
was First Lieut.. Carl q. Eliason, also
Of the air service. Capt. Hall was the
bombing officer of the plane and Lieut..
Eliason was the pilot
The explosion occurred about 1890
o'clock, while the plane ~as starting
in the first of series of test bombing
flights. Under the fuselage of the air.
craft was a huge rack for carrying the
explosives. This rack was fitted with
mechanism for freeing tho oomos for
their flight TO earth. -Four 500 pound
INT bombs and one Of fifty pounds
were In this rack when the explosion
took place. In some manner. it Is be-
lieyed. the mechanism became defective
and let the smaller bomb out. AT the
same time the safety pin Of the bomb
must have come out. which Is necessary,
bombing experts state. for the bomb to
explode.
Officers at Aberdeen were reluctant
to discuss the probable cause of the
explosion, as they state It is highly tech
nical and hard to explain to the lay
man. Some of the officers advance the
theory that the tail skids OF the arr
plano must have struck the bomb which
brought about the intchanical actions
necessary to fire II.
board OF investigation has oeen
ordered to Investigate the occurrence. 1t
"a composed of Major James Kirk or the
Ordnance Corps as president capt.
Norbeit Caroiin, commanding officer Oh
the air service at the Aberdeen grounds.
and Capt. Ridley Stribbling of the ord
nance Corps
Officials here understood that the bomb
which exploded was of the thin wall
variety; that is, It differed from the GUS
tomary armor piercing bomb, so devised
TO carry a greater charge of explosive.
Aberdeen Proving Grounds Is where
all heavy army guns and certain per-
centage of all army ammunition ls
tested. 1t is on the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. on the New York to Washington
division, but set back distance OF
about seven miles from the Aberdeen
station. a branch line runs to the prov
ing grounds