Technical Sergeant James Lincoln Hutchinson of the 76th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 435th Troop Carrier Group of the Second Air Force was killed in the head-on collision of two aircraft over the airstrip, A-93D in Liége, Belgium. He was 21 years, 4 months and 11 days old.
He was flight engineer in a crew engaged in flying supplies to the Continent. The C-47 was fondly nick-named "Sky Train"
His funeral services were held by a Protestant Chaplain, November 27, 1944, and he was interred in the military cemetery, Fosses, in Liége, Belgium. He was later exhumed and shipped home on the United States Army Transport "Haiti Victory". January 28, 1945, he was reinterred at Memorial Cemetery, becoming the first grave in his family's row.
Jimmie's best friend, Howard Holub, (deceased in 2008 and shown in the photo under the car photo)) was already on the ground waiting for him to land at the congested airstrip. They were both in the 435th Troop Carrier Group and enlisted together October 20, 1942, but Howard was in the 78th Squadron and Jim in the 76th. He would never speak of the day, not even to Jimmie's mother or his brother, Robert.
Now, nearly 73 years later, we have the exact reason for the mid-air crash:
*Description of Accident
This accident is the direct result of an over (sic) congested traffic pattern, which, is indirectly the result of dispatching over one hundred (100) aircraft to arrive at a field within a very short period of time.
Bogged aircraft on the strip prevented the normal landing of aircraft at the time first aircraft arrived at A-93. Poor radio facilities prevented proper tower control and lowered ceiling and visibility made the pattern lethal.
Lack of proper liasion (sic) and communications between the strip and the United Kingdom are impossible as well as control and diversion of aircraft by strips receiving freight.
Recommend more planning and liaison by A-3 and G-3 sections.
This document was received and signed by 4 Lt. Colonels, Air Corps., Captain Robert Creamer, and finally Colonel Frank J. MacNeers on 5 December 1944.
*A copy of this document was supplied by Max, my dear friend in Belgium. It is from the War Department USAAF Report Of Aircraft Accident.
Jimmie was educated in the public schools in Fremont, graduating in 1941. The family struggled to make ends meet, and while still in high school, he worked for the CCC. Jimmie enlisted October 20, 1942 in the United States Army Air Corps. At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a driver for the Gamble-Skogmo Company in Fremont.
He was a loving son and cared deeply for his family, as is evidenced by hundreds of letters to them while he was in the service. He was always "Jimmie" to them, but once he advanced in rank, his brother called him "Sarge".
Apparently he was a bit of a ladies man, judging from his address books, pictures, letters, etc. from many young ladies.
He received basic training at Sheppard Field, Texas, where he was awarded a diploma in Airplane Mechanics March 15, 1943. He was promoted to corporal and given a diploma in the Factory Training course of the Douglas Aircraft Col., Long Beach, California, April 27,1943. After supplementary training at Sedalia Air Base and several other airfields in the South, he passed his final tests at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and went overseas in September 1943. Shortly before his death he was promoted to the rank of technical sergeant.
Before D-day he saw service in England, Africa, and Italy. The 435th Troop Carrier Group, of which he was a member, was awarded the Presidential Citation for "immeasurable contribution" on D-day in Normandy. The 435th also took part with continued great distinction in the airborne assaults in Southern France and Holland.
At his reinterment in Fremont, the Advancement of Colors was by Henry Teigler Jr. Post No. 20, The American Legion. Rev. Paul M. Hillman, D.D. gave the service. Kenneth B. Hoffman sang "The Lord's Prayer and "Battle Hymn of the Republic". A tribute was given by John G. Hansen, Superintendent of Schools, also a tribute by Rev. A. O. Frank, D. D. Chaplain of the Henry Teigeler Jr. Post No. 20. Jack Pickard, Commander of the Post presented the Memorial Flag and Citation to Jim's mother.
"Taps"
Retirement of Colors
Note: Many, many thanks to Max Noel for the correct information on my uncle's country of demise, and so much more. Sadly my Dad and family did not live to know the particulars of Jimmie's demise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In Memoriam" by Laurel O. Poole (Lincoln, NE)
How can you say that he is dead?
But yesterday he was so young, so gay,
So full of life and hopes and plans
Can all this end in a fading day?
Can war's wild hell end all of life for him?
Yes, I must own he will return no more.
But is there then no promised heavenly land,
Shall he pass on and reach no shining shore?
My eyes have never seen that golden strand,
But living, I must feel that he lives, too.
Else what is life, if in a moment's span
Death makes our hopes forevermore untrue?
No, no, forever young he pushes on.
The earth scars healed, his body free from pain
To find his place upon that distant shore.
His silver wings, though crushed, to fly again.
✪♲✪♲✪♲
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
He was flight engineer in a crew engaged in flying supplies to the Continent. The C-47 was fondly nick-named "Sky Train"
His funeral services were held by a Protestant Chaplain, November 27, 1944, and he was interred in the military cemetery, Fosses, in Liége, Belgium. He was later exhumed and shipped home on the United States Army Transport "Haiti Victory". January 28, 1945, he was reinterred at Memorial Cemetery, becoming the first grave in his family's row.
Jimmie's best friend, Howard Holub, (deceased in 2008 and shown in the photo under the car photo)) was already on the ground waiting for him to land at the congested airstrip. They were both in the 435th Troop Carrier Group and enlisted together October 20, 1942, but Howard was in the 78th Squadron and Jim in the 76th. He would never speak of the day, not even to Jimmie's mother or his brother, Robert.
Now, nearly 73 years later, we have the exact reason for the mid-air crash:
*Description of Accident
This accident is the direct result of an over (sic) congested traffic pattern, which, is indirectly the result of dispatching over one hundred (100) aircraft to arrive at a field within a very short period of time.
Bogged aircraft on the strip prevented the normal landing of aircraft at the time first aircraft arrived at A-93. Poor radio facilities prevented proper tower control and lowered ceiling and visibility made the pattern lethal.
Lack of proper liasion (sic) and communications between the strip and the United Kingdom are impossible as well as control and diversion of aircraft by strips receiving freight.
Recommend more planning and liaison by A-3 and G-3 sections.
This document was received and signed by 4 Lt. Colonels, Air Corps., Captain Robert Creamer, and finally Colonel Frank J. MacNeers on 5 December 1944.
*A copy of this document was supplied by Max, my dear friend in Belgium. It is from the War Department USAAF Report Of Aircraft Accident.
Jimmie was educated in the public schools in Fremont, graduating in 1941. The family struggled to make ends meet, and while still in high school, he worked for the CCC. Jimmie enlisted October 20, 1942 in the United States Army Air Corps. At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a driver for the Gamble-Skogmo Company in Fremont.
He was a loving son and cared deeply for his family, as is evidenced by hundreds of letters to them while he was in the service. He was always "Jimmie" to them, but once he advanced in rank, his brother called him "Sarge".
Apparently he was a bit of a ladies man, judging from his address books, pictures, letters, etc. from many young ladies.
He received basic training at Sheppard Field, Texas, where he was awarded a diploma in Airplane Mechanics March 15, 1943. He was promoted to corporal and given a diploma in the Factory Training course of the Douglas Aircraft Col., Long Beach, California, April 27,1943. After supplementary training at Sedalia Air Base and several other airfields in the South, he passed his final tests at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and went overseas in September 1943. Shortly before his death he was promoted to the rank of technical sergeant.
Before D-day he saw service in England, Africa, and Italy. The 435th Troop Carrier Group, of which he was a member, was awarded the Presidential Citation for "immeasurable contribution" on D-day in Normandy. The 435th also took part with continued great distinction in the airborne assaults in Southern France and Holland.
At his reinterment in Fremont, the Advancement of Colors was by Henry Teigler Jr. Post No. 20, The American Legion. Rev. Paul M. Hillman, D.D. gave the service. Kenneth B. Hoffman sang "The Lord's Prayer and "Battle Hymn of the Republic". A tribute was given by John G. Hansen, Superintendent of Schools, also a tribute by Rev. A. O. Frank, D. D. Chaplain of the Henry Teigeler Jr. Post No. 20. Jack Pickard, Commander of the Post presented the Memorial Flag and Citation to Jim's mother.
"Taps"
Retirement of Colors
Note: Many, many thanks to Max Noel for the correct information on my uncle's country of demise, and so much more. Sadly my Dad and family did not live to know the particulars of Jimmie's demise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In Memoriam" by Laurel O. Poole (Lincoln, NE)
How can you say that he is dead?
But yesterday he was so young, so gay,
So full of life and hopes and plans
Can all this end in a fading day?
Can war's wild hell end all of life for him?
Yes, I must own he will return no more.
But is there then no promised heavenly land,
Shall he pass on and reach no shining shore?
My eyes have never seen that golden strand,
But living, I must feel that he lives, too.
Else what is life, if in a moment's span
Death makes our hopes forevermore untrue?
No, no, forever young he pushes on.
The earth scars healed, his body free from pain
To find his place upon that distant shore.
His silver wings, though crushed, to fly again.
✪♲✪♲✪♲
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Technical Sergeant James Lincoln Hutchinson of the 76th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 435th Troop Carrier Group of the Second Air Force was killed in the head-on collision of two aircraft over the airstrip, A-93D in Liége, Belgium. He was 21 years, 4 months and 11 days old.
He was flight engineer in a crew engaged in flying supplies to the Continent. The C-47 was fondly nick-named "Sky Train"
His funeral services were held by a Protestant Chaplain, November 27, 1944, and he was interred in the military cemetery, Fosses, in Liége, Belgium. He was later exhumed and shipped home on the United States Army Transport "Haiti Victory". January 28, 1945, he was reinterred at Memorial Cemetery, becoming the first grave in his family's row.
Jimmie's best friend, Howard Holub, (deceased in 2008 and shown in the photo under the car photo)) was already on the ground waiting for him to land at the congested airstrip. They were both in the 435th Troop Carrier Group and enlisted together October 20, 1942, but Howard was in the 78th Squadron and Jim in the 76th. He would never speak of the day, not even to Jimmie's mother or his brother, Robert.
Now, nearly 73 years later, we have the exact reason for the mid-air crash:
*Description of Accident
This accident is the direct result of an over (sic) congested traffic pattern, which, is indirectly the result of dispatching over one hundred (100) aircraft to arrive at a field within a very short period of time.
Bogged aircraft on the strip prevented the normal landing of aircraft at the time first aircraft arrived at A-93. Poor radio facilities prevented proper tower control and lowered ceiling and visibility made the pattern lethal.
Lack of proper liasion (sic) and communications between the strip and the United Kingdom are impossible as well as control and diversion of aircraft by strips receiving freight.
Recommend more planning and liaison by A-3 and G-3 sections.
This document was received and signed by 4 Lt. Colonels, Air Corps., Captain Robert Creamer, and finally Colonel Frank J. MacNeers on 5 December 1944.
*A copy of this document was supplied by Max, my dear friend in Belgium. It is from the War Department USAAF Report Of Aircraft Accident.
Jimmie was educated in the public schools in Fremont, graduating in 1941. The family struggled to make ends meet, and while still in high school, he worked for the CCC. Jimmie enlisted October 20, 1942 in the United States Army Air Corps. At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a driver for the Gamble-Skogmo Company in Fremont.
He was a loving son and cared deeply for his family, as is evidenced by hundreds of letters to them while he was in the service. He was always "Jimmie" to them, but once he advanced in rank, his brother called him "Sarge".
Apparently he was a bit of a ladies man, judging from his address books, pictures, letters, etc. from many young ladies.
He received basic training at Sheppard Field, Texas, where he was awarded a diploma in Airplane Mechanics March 15, 1943. He was promoted to corporal and given a diploma in the Factory Training course of the Douglas Aircraft Col., Long Beach, California, April 27,1943. After supplementary training at Sedalia Air Base and several other airfields in the South, he passed his final tests at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and went overseas in September 1943. Shortly before his death he was promoted to the rank of technical sergeant.
Before D-day he saw service in England, Africa, and Italy. The 435th Troop Carrier Group, of which he was a member, was awarded the Presidential Citation for "immeasurable contribution" on D-day in Normandy. The 435th also took part with continued great distinction in the airborne assaults in Southern France and Holland.
At his reinterment in Fremont, the Advancement of Colors was by Henry Teigler Jr. Post No. 20, The American Legion. Rev. Paul M. Hillman, D.D. gave the service. Kenneth B. Hoffman sang "The Lord's Prayer and "Battle Hymn of the Republic". A tribute was given by John G. Hansen, Superintendent of Schools, also a tribute by Rev. A. O. Frank, D. D. Chaplain of the Henry Teigeler Jr. Post No. 20. Jack Pickard, Commander of the Post presented the Memorial Flag and Citation to Jim's mother.
"Taps"
Retirement of Colors
Note: Many, many thanks to Max Noel for the correct information on my uncle's country of demise, and so much more. Sadly my Dad and family did not live to know the particulars of Jimmie's demise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In Memoriam" by Laurel O. Poole (Lincoln, NE)
How can you say that he is dead?
But yesterday he was so young, so gay,
So full of life and hopes and plans
Can all this end in a fading day?
Can war's wild hell end all of life for him?
Yes, I must own he will return no more.
But is there then no promised heavenly land,
Shall he pass on and reach no shining shore?
My eyes have never seen that golden strand,
But living, I must feel that he lives, too.
Else what is life, if in a moment's span
Death makes our hopes forevermore untrue?
No, no, forever young he pushes on.
The earth scars healed, his body free from pain
To find his place upon that distant shore.
His silver wings, though crushed, to fly again.
✪♲✪♲✪♲
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
He was flight engineer in a crew engaged in flying supplies to the Continent. The C-47 was fondly nick-named "Sky Train"
His funeral services were held by a Protestant Chaplain, November 27, 1944, and he was interred in the military cemetery, Fosses, in Liége, Belgium. He was later exhumed and shipped home on the United States Army Transport "Haiti Victory". January 28, 1945, he was reinterred at Memorial Cemetery, becoming the first grave in his family's row.
Jimmie's best friend, Howard Holub, (deceased in 2008 and shown in the photo under the car photo)) was already on the ground waiting for him to land at the congested airstrip. They were both in the 435th Troop Carrier Group and enlisted together October 20, 1942, but Howard was in the 78th Squadron and Jim in the 76th. He would never speak of the day, not even to Jimmie's mother or his brother, Robert.
Now, nearly 73 years later, we have the exact reason for the mid-air crash:
*Description of Accident
This accident is the direct result of an over (sic) congested traffic pattern, which, is indirectly the result of dispatching over one hundred (100) aircraft to arrive at a field within a very short period of time.
Bogged aircraft on the strip prevented the normal landing of aircraft at the time first aircraft arrived at A-93. Poor radio facilities prevented proper tower control and lowered ceiling and visibility made the pattern lethal.
Lack of proper liasion (sic) and communications between the strip and the United Kingdom are impossible as well as control and diversion of aircraft by strips receiving freight.
Recommend more planning and liaison by A-3 and G-3 sections.
This document was received and signed by 4 Lt. Colonels, Air Corps., Captain Robert Creamer, and finally Colonel Frank J. MacNeers on 5 December 1944.
*A copy of this document was supplied by Max, my dear friend in Belgium. It is from the War Department USAAF Report Of Aircraft Accident.
Jimmie was educated in the public schools in Fremont, graduating in 1941. The family struggled to make ends meet, and while still in high school, he worked for the CCC. Jimmie enlisted October 20, 1942 in the United States Army Air Corps. At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a driver for the Gamble-Skogmo Company in Fremont.
He was a loving son and cared deeply for his family, as is evidenced by hundreds of letters to them while he was in the service. He was always "Jimmie" to them, but once he advanced in rank, his brother called him "Sarge".
Apparently he was a bit of a ladies man, judging from his address books, pictures, letters, etc. from many young ladies.
He received basic training at Sheppard Field, Texas, where he was awarded a diploma in Airplane Mechanics March 15, 1943. He was promoted to corporal and given a diploma in the Factory Training course of the Douglas Aircraft Col., Long Beach, California, April 27,1943. After supplementary training at Sedalia Air Base and several other airfields in the South, he passed his final tests at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and went overseas in September 1943. Shortly before his death he was promoted to the rank of technical sergeant.
Before D-day he saw service in England, Africa, and Italy. The 435th Troop Carrier Group, of which he was a member, was awarded the Presidential Citation for "immeasurable contribution" on D-day in Normandy. The 435th also took part with continued great distinction in the airborne assaults in Southern France and Holland.
At his reinterment in Fremont, the Advancement of Colors was by Henry Teigler Jr. Post No. 20, The American Legion. Rev. Paul M. Hillman, D.D. gave the service. Kenneth B. Hoffman sang "The Lord's Prayer and "Battle Hymn of the Republic". A tribute was given by John G. Hansen, Superintendent of Schools, also a tribute by Rev. A. O. Frank, D. D. Chaplain of the Henry Teigeler Jr. Post No. 20. Jack Pickard, Commander of the Post presented the Memorial Flag and Citation to Jim's mother.
"Taps"
Retirement of Colors
Note: Many, many thanks to Max Noel for the correct information on my uncle's country of demise, and so much more. Sadly my Dad and family did not live to know the particulars of Jimmie's demise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In Memoriam" by Laurel O. Poole (Lincoln, NE)
How can you say that he is dead?
But yesterday he was so young, so gay,
So full of life and hopes and plans
Can all this end in a fading day?
Can war's wild hell end all of life for him?
Yes, I must own he will return no more.
But is there then no promised heavenly land,
Shall he pass on and reach no shining shore?
My eyes have never seen that golden strand,
But living, I must feel that he lives, too.
Else what is life, if in a moment's span
Death makes our hopes forevermore untrue?
No, no, forever young he pushes on.
The earth scars healed, his body free from pain
To find his place upon that distant shore.
His silver wings, though crushed, to fly again.
✪♲✪♲✪♲
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Inscription
NEBRASKA
TECH SGT 76 AAF TRP CARRIER SQ
WORLD WAR II
