Blythe, CA Bomber Crashes, Dec 1942

EIGHT ARMY MEN KILLED IN CRASH.

BOMBER, TOWING GLIDER HITS, BURNS.

Blythe, Cal., Dec. 17 (AP) -- Eight men were killed Wednesday night when an Army bomber, taking off towing a glider, crashed and exploded 500 yards beyond the limits of the air base here.
Names of the victims, were given by LT. EDWIN M. NORTON, public relations officer at the Victorville Army Flying School, as:
Second Lt. J. H. ALABASTER, stationed at Ft. Knox, Ky.
Staff Sgt. LEROY J. HOPKINS, JR., 20, Hollis, Long Island, N. Y.
Staff Sgt. NATHAN J. TORATSKY, 22, Long Island City, Queens, N. Y.
Staff Sgt. EDWIN N. NANCE, JR., 21, Pear Valley, Tex.
Staff Sgt. GORDON J. JARDINA, 24, Dayton, O.
Sgt. DONALD R. HINSHAW, 20, Beloit, Wis.
Pvt. J. I. SMITH, 19, San Saba, Tex.
W. C. HART (rank undetermined), from the Army Flying School, Lubbock, Tex.
The victims all were occupants of the bomber.
The Army's announcement said the two occupants of the glider escaped unhurt. Their names will not be released.
The crash occurred at 7:45 p.m. the resulting fire destroyed the ship. The victims, the Army said, were attached to the air base at Victorville, 150 miles northwest of here.

Albuquerque Jorunal New Mexico 1942-12-18
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!