Evening star., 1951-12-04
Charred Big Wreck
In Denver Checked 70
Find Cause Of Crash
BY me Assoeiatsd Press

DENVER, Dec. 4.-Authorities
today sifted through the charred
remains Of B-29 bomber, seek
ing to determine what caused the
giant plane to smash into an ex-
elusive residential area, killing
eight crewmen and injuring six.
One civilian was injured.
Lowry Air Force Base personnel
worked throughout the night
cleaning up debris left when the
four-engined craft. limping in for
a landing yesterday, smashed
through five homes like a giant
plow and exploded with a big
whoosh."
1T was hell around here for a
while" said Sol L. Gertz, whose
home was completely demolished.
Thank God my wife is safe
that's all I'm interested in"
Smashes Into Third Home.
Miraculously. no civilians were
killed. A maid in one of the dam
aged homes, Mrs. Murphy Tins
ley, So, was hoSpitalized with face
burns, a hip injury and a possible
fractured arm.
The big plane. returning to
Lowry from a gunnery training
mission after the failure of one
of its engines, skipped across the
top OF one home, tearing a gaping
hole in the roof, bounced into a
second and then smashed full
force into a third.
Flaming gas and wreckage was
thrown hundreds of feet. 1t fired
two other homes.
II thought we were going to
make it," Flight Engineer Sergt.
William A. zippel, 20. of Baudette,
Mimi, said from a hospital bed.
His condition was described as
good.
Il thought We were coming in
in good shape. didn't realize
We were in any danger. The next
thing I knew the crash came"
Pulls Man Out Window.
Residents of the damaged homes
which included nearly a dozen
children-were either away from
home or escaped from their houses
as the debris burst into flames.
Several flremen and volunteer
rescue workers were burned or
overcome by smoke as they disre-
garded the soaring flames in
search for possible missing or
injured.
One of the many heroes of the |
tragedy was Dominic Lapore, a
Denver bondsman.
A half-block away when the
plane crashed. Mr.. Lapore jumped
out of his car and ran to the
scene. II saw a crewman beating
on a window from inside the plane
he was screaming for help"
Mr. Lapore said.
Mr.. Lapore smashed the win
dow Of the plane with his bare
hands and dragged the airman
to safety. He didn't learn the
name of the rescued man.
Names of Victims Released.
Col. John T Sprague, command
ing officer of the air base, said
one propeller of the plane was
"feathered." indicating the en-
CINE was not working. but that
wouldn't have caused this crash, ~
he said. adding something else
must have happened"
The colonel said an accident
investigating force has been ap-
pointed to investigate the crash.
The base public information
office released the names of the
dead last night. They are: +
TSergt. Robert F. Jarvis, 2sl
Plattsburg. N. Y: T1Sergt. Her
bert Oeser. rs. Springdale, Conn i
Corpl. Richard P. Yukob. 19. Lynn
Mass: Pfc. James E. Snyder 10
Huntsville. Ala; Pfc. Ronald wi
Wlersma, 20. Grand Rapids. Mich i
Pic. William ]. Ablondi, 20, Fran
lngham. Mass; Pfc. Baxter Sur
Der. 20. Gold Bond. Va, and Pfc
John r. Servic, 20, Flint. Mich.
The injured were all renortedi
IN good condition with the ex-I
cepuon OF 1st. 1t. Robert H
Snure, ~. OF Spokane, Wash who
was listed as critical.
The others included Cant
James w. Shanks, SO, pilot Den
yer; Corpl. Ray E. Widner 10
Westoy. Wis; Pfc. Teddy D. Allen
IL, South Gate. Calf; Pfc. Joe D
Virgins. 20, WILLIAMSBURG Va
and Sergt. zippel. !,
Three Other Crashes. Il
Three other crashes yesterday !
cost 10 additional lives. Two of !
tne planes were military and the
thlrd was twin-engine private
plane which crashed into a street
IN Reno, New. K
In Reno, the crippled private (
plane bounced off the roof of one |
mouse, narrowly missed another
and careened into a vacant lot |
The pilot died, while four pas 4
sengers suffered only minor in
juries. ~
Six servicemen died at Pensa-
LOST.
hb1iLLEoLD. ~ red initials M. A. E." also ,
sbont 'eIyeL n,,dnih ihahndoag lost in talk Dec /.