Evening star., 1946-08-06
Navy 10 Probe
Death Of A in
Midaiir Crash
Two Planes Collide
Ia Miles From Naval
Base at Putuxent

Inc navy department pre-
pared today for an official inves-
tigation of the midair plane
crash which caused the death OF
two flyers and two civilian en-
ployes, former officers, late yes
terday IA miles from the Patux-
ent River Naval Base.
The four men, all assigned to the
Bureau of Aeronautics, were in a
Beechcraft two-engine transport
which collided with a Corsair
fighter test plane. The test pilot
saved his life by parachuting. He
was being treated for minor injuries
IN the Patuxent station dispensary
and will be questioned later, naval
authorities announced.
Four Killed Listed.
Those killed were:
1t. Comdr. Clifford M. Whitmore,
81, of 5029 Hanna place Sc, pilot
OF the Beechcraft. He was stationed
at Anacostia Naval Air Station.
1t. Edward Peary Stafford, rs, of
$500 Rodman street NV, a veteran
OF 40 combat missions during the
war. He was grandson of Rear
Admiral Robert E. Peary, discoverer
of the North Pole.
Joseph c. Amick, 28, Hunting Ter
race Apartments, 1900 South WASH
1ngton street, Alexandria, a former
lieutenant commander who became
a civilian naval employe July n.
Patrick T Flynn, 27, of 24o4 Alex
ander street, Alexandria, a former
ensign stationed with the Bureau
OF Aeronautics here during the war.
r. o. Rain, a test pilot for the
Douglas Aircraft Co., piloted the
smaller plane. He lives on the West
Coast and is here temporarily. A
company spokesman said he was not
working directly for the company at
the time of'the crash.
Full Report Sought.
Navy officials announced thev
would start their investigation by
obtaining a complete report from
Mr.. Rain and interviewing all wit
nesses they could find. Preliminary
reports indicated, they said, that
the collision occurred shortly after
the Beechcraft took off from the
Patuxent base for Anacostia. Both
planes fell on farm on route 235
near Oakville, Md.
1t. Comdr. Whitmore, according
to Navy Department records, served
overseas during the war and took
part in many combat missions. He
was a native of Brookings, S. Oak.
He is survived by his wife and by
his father, Eugene Whitmore OF
Brookings.
Mr.. Amick, native of Seymour,
Ind, and graduate of the University
OF Cincinnati, served in the Navy
for four years in the aviation ground
forces, with Is months in the Pacific.
When his terminal leave expired
July 27, he became a civilian en-
gineer for the Bureau of Aero
nautics.
Survived by Widow.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs,
Marllyn Amlck and two children,
Judith Ann, 6, and Robert Steven,
10 months old. His parents are Mr..
and Mrs. Ernest L. Amick of Gin
cinnati.
Mr.. Flynn, whose widow, Mrs. AL
berta Flynn, survives him, was born
in Duluth, MINI. He came to
Washington as an ensign in 1914
and served with the Bureau of
Aeronautics. He remained with the
bureau as a civilian engineer when
his terminal leave expired a few
weeks ago, members of his family
said.
1t. Stafford was native Of
Washington and graduate of West
ern High School as well as Bowdoin
College. After preliminary training
early in the war at Anacostia he
went overseas and was twice deco
rated with the Distinguished Fly.
ing Cross for heroism in the Pacific.
He is survived by his widow,
Mrs. Lois Stafford; a 17-month-old
daughter and his parents, Mr.. and
Mrs Edward Stafford