NINE DIE IN FLAMES AS BOMBER DIVES.

SURVIVOR OF PLANE CRASH HANGS ON.

Oak Harbor, Wash., May 11 (UPI) -- Nine of 10 men aboard a Navy patrol bomber were killed Monday when the plane crashed and burned shortly after takeoff from the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
The one survivor, pulled from the burning wreckage by the crewmen at the air station, was reported to be in critical condition.
AT2 GERLANDO P. ILARDI, Bath, N.Y., was pulled from the burning wreckage by crewmen at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station when the plane crashed and burned Monday.
ILARDI was transferred to the U.S. Naval Hospital at Bremerton.
A Navy spokesman said the plane's right wing caught fire as the P2V5 Neptune bomber was making its takeoff run.
"The tower saw the fire and tried to warn the pilot," the spokesman said.
"But apparently the plane left the ground at about the time of the warning, and it was too late. The pilot then lost control and the plane crashed."
The nine men killed:
Lt. Cmdr. WILLIAM F. WADE, the pilot, Arcadia, Calif.
Lt. ELDWIN J. BRUNER, co-pilot, West Helena, Ark.
Lt. HILTON L. CUTTER, JR., student officer, Deer Creek, Ill.
Ensign CARL D. JOHNSON, student officer, Slamaton, Ala.
Ensign VERNON L. GARNER, student officer, Vallejo, Calif.
Aviation Machinist Mate JOHN D. McMILLAN, Bremerton, Wash.
Aviation Ordnanceman JOSEPH E. FOLTZ, Ontario, Calif.
Aviation Machinist Mate 3C HARRY A. HARTWELL, Matoaka, W. Va.
Aviation Structural Mechanic GEORGE F. ROBERTSON, Wakita, Okla.

Daily Review Hayward California 1959-05-12
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!