Evening star., 1942-07-01


today in the crash of an Army
bomber, the 4th Air Force an
nounced. Witnesses said there
was a terrific explosion after
the bomber struck. The plane,
the Army said, was a B-24
Consolidated type. Spokes-
men would not release the
names of those aboard until
next of kin had been notified.
BY the Associated Press.
WEIGH, w. Va, July IA
converted airliner carrying Army
personnel lost a wing over the
Southern West Virginia noun
tains today, crashed into hill
side and killed II men.
The plane caught fire Immediately
after plowing through victory"
garden plot at Premier, 3 miles from
here, and before bodies could be
removed they were burned beyond
recognition.
State troopers ordered the search
continued and started posses over
the thickly wooded hills to see II
any men had jumped before the
crackup.
Troopers Earl Yeager and Tom
Harrison, reporting on removal of
the bodies, said the ship had borne
American Airlines insignia.
Eight bodies were first removed
and then two more. The eleventh
was found in the wreckage some time
later. Troopers said the search was
continuing for others.
Wing Seen Dropping Off.
All the bodies recovered were
burned beyond recognition, the
troopers said.
The scene of the accident is in the
southern part of West Virginia a
few miles from the Virginia line.
The entire section, one of the Ma
tons leading coal producing areas,
is mountainous.
Mrs. Lawrence Runyon, wife of
the mine superintendent at Premier,
said she saw large plane in trouble
shortly after noon.
The big ships wing dropped off,
she said, and the plane dived
straight for hilltop It came to
rest in a valley on the other side of
the hill.
Other witnesses told troopers that
they heard a roaring noise as the
plane nosed near the hilltops. 1t
appeared. they said, as If the pilot
were trying to straighten out the
plane.
He apparently succeeded but at
that moment the wing fell and the
crash followed
Pilots Report Found.
Trooper Yaeger said a pilots re-
port in what remained of the fuse
lage identified the ship as belonging
to American Airlines
The cabin and fuselage were badly
smashed anad the fire which broke
out Immediately gave none of the
occupants chance to escape even
had they survived the crackup.
On a belt buckle owned by one
victim the officers deciphered the
name Erwin Stratman, a duffle bag
bore the name of Floyd Hyet and
the f1yleaf of book had the name
Of Guy S. Hill.
When word OF the crash reached
Welch all available ambulances and
doctors were ordered to the scene.
Residents of the mining COM
munity of Coalwood, about 5 miles
away, reported to troopers they be-
lleved they saw men leaving the
ship before it struck.
Too Low for 'Chutes.
The miners said the plane was too
low for parachutes to have opened
and the officers ordered a search of
all surrounding areas to see if there
were any bodies
Still burning an hour after the
disaster, the cracked hull was too
not for a thorough search to de-
termine If more men were inside,
Wreckage was streWn for 200
yards behind the ship, including
chunks OF aluminium shreds of wood
and pieces of Army paraphernalia.
One of the recovered momentos
was a half-burned postcard, which
read:
"All that birthday can hold of
y-thats what l am wishing for
my dear boy"
1t was signed Pop"
The garden in which the shin
at last came to rest is a COM
munity victory plot owned by
group of residents in the upper sec
ton of Premier About a half acre
In extent, it was strewn by the
Wreckage.
The CoalWood miners expressed
an opinion there could have been
an explosion before the crash. say