Clovis, NM Bomber Crash, Mar 1944

Posted November 2nd, 2009 by Stu Beitler

FLYING FORT CRASHES IN FLAMES NORTH OF CLOVIS.

Clovis, N.M. - The flaming crash of a Flying Fortress, nine miles north of Clovis and about three miles east, claimed the lives of the crew, last night around 8:30 o'clock.

It was reported, although not officially, that the plane was on routine training flight from the Clovis base. It is believed that nine boys perished in the crash, although the exact figure could not be learned here today. All on board perished.

The crash occurred about one-half mile from the A. J. Kemp ranch home. Kemp, doing his evening chores, saw a flash of flame. Returning to his house for a pair of wire-cutters, he made his way across the fields in his pick-up to the scene. Kemp said that the bodies were strewn over a wide area. The crash occurred in a plowed field and parts of the wreckage were scattered for about half a mile.

Kemp went to a neighbor's home and reported the accident. When the ambulances arrived, the wreckage still was burning.

Word of the accident was first heard in Clovis when Mrs. Sam Davis, who lives on Sheldon Street, phoned friends to ask if a plane had crashed. The News-Journal was then queried. Mrs. Davis had been standing at her kitchen window and saw what looked like a "sheet of flame" in the sky.

Wayne Burford, farmer living north of town, 2 1/2 miles from the scene of the wreck, said that the crash shook his home with such intensity that his first thought was that "someone had dropped a bomb nearby."

Word of the crash spread over town like wildfire, and several hundred cars began pouring out onto the Grady highway. As soon as the police arrived, cars were turned back about two miles from the scene, but many persons got to the spot before it was patrolled.

No official news of the number killed or the cause of the crash could be learned here this morning.

Clovis News-Journal New Mexico 1944-03-28

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CLOVIS AIR BASE OFFICER GIVES VICTIMS' NAMES.

The Commandant of the Clovis Army Air Base announced today that nine men died Monday night, March 27, around 10 p.m., when a four-engine bomber crashed while on a routine training flight nine miles north of Clovis.

Members of the crew were:

2LT Harold E Grover, Pilot

2LT Vernon H King, Jr, Co-Pilot

2LT Durward A. Babcock, Navigator

2LT William G Nicholson, Flight engineer

2LT Howard B Borgerson, Bombardier

SGT Everett H Champlin, Gunner

SGT George N Jacobsen, Gunner

CPL Charles W Byers, Jr, Radio operator/gunner

CPL Louis J. Mitterando, Gunner

Clovis News-Journal New Mexico 1944-03-29

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Service ID: 16095685.