The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-15
Lieut.. H. H. Wheeler and
Lieut.. Richard Miller
Are Victims.

The bodies of two Indianapolis
National Guard f1iers, who fell to
their deaths when two biplanes
tipped wings near Murfreesboro,
Tenn, last night, were homeward
bound by train this afternoon as
state and national inquiries into the
accident began.
Lieut.. Henderson H. Wheeler, pilot,
5377 Cornelius av, who was 81, and
Lieut.. Richard A. Miller, observer,
600S Haverford-st, who was 81, are
dead. They we're returning with
the 18th Observation Squadron
from the seventh annual all-Ameri-
can air maneuvers at Miami, Fla.
In the same plane, they were I'M
der command of Lieut.. Wilbur B.
Morgan, 4440 Forest Manor, who
was leading them toward Sky Har-
Dor Airport, near Murfreesboro, a
city of slightly more than 5000 pop
ulation, and whose plane crashed
with theirs,
The planes were off their course,
according to Lieut.. Morgan.
Lieut.. Wheeler, he said, pulled
his plane along side about 1900
feet in the air, apparently intend
ing to show Lieut.. Morgan the true
course.
Fights Desperately to Land
Then the wings tipped. Lieut..
Morgan said he pulled his ship away
and fought desperately to land his
crippled biplane. He accomplished
this with no further damage to it
or him.
Meanwhile, according to Clark
Couch, a farmer, who witnessed the
accident, Lieut.. Wheeler and Lieut..
Miller managed to climb out on top
Of their plane which was falling
rapidly, and pulled their rip cords
when the plane was approximately
300 feet from the earth. Their
parachutes streamed out back of
them. But the distance of fall was
too short and the chutes did not
open. The plane and the two bodies
landed within a 50-foot radius.
When ne landed his plane mi
raculouSly, according to airmen,
Lieut.. Morgan went to a nearby
farm house to phone, but he COL
lapsed on the floor. When he re-
gained CONSCIOUSNESS, his arms were
so numb he could not use them.
Lieut.. Matt G.. Carpenter arrived
this morning at the scene of the
accident. Under orders of Adjt.
Gen. Elmer F. Straub, he will take
dispositions and be one member Of
state board of inquiry to be COM
pleted later. Lieut.. Morgan still
was sleeping at noon today.
Survived by Wife, Son
Maj. Gen. Robert H. Tyndall,
commander of the 18th division, flew
with Lieut.. Morgan to Miami, but
remained in Florida. Lieut.. Morgan
was alone in his plane.
Lieut.. Wheeler is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Frances Wheeler, mem
Der of the Junior League, and
daughter of Dr. and Mrs Frank A
Hamilton; their 10-months- old son:
his mother. Mrs. Attic C. Wheeler,
president of the Artificial Ice Co.;
his father, DR.. H. H Wheeler, Co.
lumbia Club; brother, Gaber
Wheeler, Indianapolis. He would
have been % years old tomorrow.
He was vice president in charge of
sales of the Artificial Ice and Cold
Storage Co. and a member of the
Indianapolis Athletic Club.
Lieut.. Miller leaves his wife, Mrs.
Helene E. Miller, who today was suf-
fering from severe shock over the
news, and under care of a physician.
He also leaves two children, Dickie,
7. and Joan, 5, and his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. George Miller, 1850 Gull
ford-av, and a sister, Miss June
Miller.