First Lieutenant, 573rd Bomb Squadron, 391st Bomb Group, U.S. Army Air Forces, World War II.
Co-pilot of B-26C Marauder #41-35067. Lt. Abernathy was killed in an aerial accident on 10-8-1943 after takeoff from Godman Army Airfield, Hardin County, Kentucky (Fort Knox). His bomber was on a simulated bombing mission when the accident occurred. The aircraft had been flying at 12,000 feet when they were authorized to reduce altitude to fly below cloud cover. Witnesses observed the B-26 with a nose up attitude at around 3,000 feet above ground, as if intending to climb, when it suddenly spiraled out of control and dove into the ground. Two control surfaces were found a quarter mile apart from the crash scene, but investigators could not determine if they detached first, causing the spiral, or if they detached because of the heavy G-forces caused by the spiraling. It was undetermined if the airmen were attempting to return to the airfield when they crashed on the north side of the Ohio River, at Evans Landing, Indiana, nearly opposite Fort Knox. "Dummy" bombs were found in the wreckage, indicating they had not completed the practice mission.
All five airmen were killed:
● 2LT Norment G Boyette, O-795349, NC, Pilot
● 1LT William E Abernathy, O-731778, WA, Co- Pilot
● 2LT John O Davis, 16060851, IL, Bombardier
● 2LT Charles H Kreiling, O-672951, TX, Navigator
● TSGT Morris S Parnell, 18010718, TX, Flight Engineer
~
Enlisted at Geiger Field, Spokane, Washington, February 26, 1942.
Co-pilot of B-26C Marauder #41-35067. Lt. Abernathy was killed in an aerial accident on 10-8-1943 after takeoff from Godman Army Airfield, Hardin County, Kentucky (Fort Knox). His bomber was on a simulated bombing mission when the accident occurred. The aircraft had been flying at 12,000 feet when they were authorized to reduce altitude to fly below cloud cover. Witnesses observed the B-26 with a nose up attitude at around 3,000 feet above ground, as if intending to climb, when it suddenly spiraled out of control and dove into the ground. Two control surfaces were found a quarter mile apart from the crash scene, but investigators could not determine if they detached first, causing the spiral, or if they detached because of the heavy G-forces caused by the spiraling. It was undetermined if the airmen were attempting to return to the airfield when they crashed on the north side of the Ohio River, at Evans Landing, Indiana, nearly opposite Fort Knox. "Dummy" bombs were found in the wreckage, indicating they had not completed the practice mission.
All five airmen were killed:
● 2LT Norment G Boyette, O-795349, NC, Pilot
● 1LT William E Abernathy, O-731778, WA, Co- Pilot
● 2LT John O Davis, 16060851, IL, Bombardier
● 2LT Charles H Kreiling, O-672951, TX, Navigator
● TSGT Morris S Parnell, 18010718, TX, Flight Engineer
~
Enlisted at Geiger Field, Spokane, Washington, February 26, 1942.
First Lieutenant, 573rd Bomb Squadron, 391st Bomb Group, U.S. Army Air Forces, World War II.
Co-pilot of B-26C Marauder #41-35067. Lt. Abernathy was killed in an aerial accident on 10-8-1943 after takeoff from Godman Army Airfield, Hardin County, Kentucky (Fort Knox). His bomber was on a simulated bombing mission when the accident occurred. The aircraft had been flying at 12,000 feet when they were authorized to reduce altitude to fly below cloud cover. Witnesses observed the B-26 with a nose up attitude at around 3,000 feet above ground, as if intending to climb, when it suddenly spiraled out of control and dove into the ground. Two control surfaces were found a quarter mile apart from the crash scene, but investigators could not determine if they detached first, causing the spiral, or if they detached because of the heavy G-forces caused by the spiraling. It was undetermined if the airmen were attempting to return to the airfield when they crashed on the north side of the Ohio River, at Evans Landing, Indiana, nearly opposite Fort Knox. "Dummy" bombs were found in the wreckage, indicating they had not completed the practice mission.
All five airmen were killed:
● 2LT Norment G Boyette, O-795349, NC, Pilot
● 1LT William E Abernathy, O-731778, WA, Co- Pilot
● 2LT John O Davis, 16060851, IL, Bombardier
● 2LT Charles H Kreiling, O-672951, TX, Navigator
● TSGT Morris S Parnell, 18010718, TX, Flight Engineer
~
Enlisted at Geiger Field, Spokane, Washington, February 26, 1942.
Co-pilot of B-26C Marauder #41-35067. Lt. Abernathy was killed in an aerial accident on 10-8-1943 after takeoff from Godman Army Airfield, Hardin County, Kentucky (Fort Knox). His bomber was on a simulated bombing mission when the accident occurred. The aircraft had been flying at 12,000 feet when they were authorized to reduce altitude to fly below cloud cover. Witnesses observed the B-26 with a nose up attitude at around 3,000 feet above ground, as if intending to climb, when it suddenly spiraled out of control and dove into the ground. Two control surfaces were found a quarter mile apart from the crash scene, but investigators could not determine if they detached first, causing the spiral, or if they detached because of the heavy G-forces caused by the spiraling. It was undetermined if the airmen were attempting to return to the airfield when they crashed on the north side of the Ohio River, at Evans Landing, Indiana, nearly opposite Fort Knox. "Dummy" bombs were found in the wreckage, indicating they had not completed the practice mission.
All five airmen were killed:
● 2LT Norment G Boyette, O-795349, NC, Pilot
● 1LT William E Abernathy, O-731778, WA, Co- Pilot
● 2LT John O Davis, 16060851, IL, Bombardier
● 2LT Charles H Kreiling, O-672951, TX, Navigator
● TSGT Morris S Parnell, 18010718, TX, Flight Engineer
~
Enlisted at Geiger Field, Spokane, Washington, February 26, 1942.
Gravesite Details
Date of Internment: 10/16/1943
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