Granby, MA Bomber Crash, Sep 1944

WESTOVER FIELD BOMBER CRASH KILLS SEVEN.

PLANE DEMOLISHED, WRECKAGE STREWN OVER GRANBY AREA.

Granby -- Seven Westover Field heavy bomber crewmen were killed early yesterday morning here when their plane, in which they were training for night combat flight, crashed and burned in a swampy wooded area two miles north of the field.
Wreckage from the ship was spread over a wide area and second growth trees were sheared clean to the ground at the point where the bomber crashed. Parts of the motor were found up to several hundred feet away from the point of impact.
The motors themselves, charred and damaged beyond repair were hurled about 75 feet. The fuselage was completely disintegrated and after the bodies had been removed, Westover salvage crews were assigned to the scene.
Those killed in the crash were:
2d Lt. GENE R. ASAY, 28, of Lodi, Cal., pilot.
2d Lt. JOHN W. WOODROW, 22, of Huntington, Ind., co-pilot.
Sgt. NEAL W. JOHNSON, 22, of Ashland, Kan., engineer.
Pfc. JACK W. HARISTON, 18, of Atlanta, Ga., assistant engineer.
Cpl. JOHN A. PERRY, 24, of West Warwick, R.I., radio operator.
Pfc. CLIFFORD K. NORDBY, 18, of Walhalla, N.D.,
assistant radio operator.
Sgt. WILLIAM D. HAYNES, 26, of Parsons, Kan., aerial gunner.

Berkshire Evening Eagle Pittsfield Massachusetts
1944-09-18
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!