The Prairie Home News

“Captain Oswald L. Bernich, 28, Biloxi, Mississippi, bombardier instructor at Ardmore Army Air Field, was flying with 11 others on a high altitude formation training mission, Feb. 12, 1944. Their B-17 (42-30481) was struck at 5:30PM by another B-17 at 14,500 feet as they were turning and descending to land. Separated into two pieces just behind the radio room, it fell to earth at Mill Creek, Oklahoma killing all except the uninjured tail gunner, Cpl. Jack McClanahan, who parachuted from the severed tail section. The other aircraft landed safely at Ardmore; none aboard received injuries. Captain Bernich flew as a bombardier instructor with a different crew each day.”

Pfc. Donald G. Petersen, 18, aerial gunner, Lancing, Illinois, was one of 11 who died in the, April 24, 1944, 3:40PM crash of B-17G (42-102786). The aircraft, on a local transition training flight with an instructor pilot at the controls, was circling the Dornick Hills Golf Course, north of Ardmore, at an altitude of 800 to 1,000 feet. Apparently sightseeing, the heavy aircraft exceeded 90-degrees of bank, spun into the ground and burst into flames, killing all aboard. This flight was probably the first flight of the aircraft with a training crew from Ardmore. It was delivered new to Ardmore and only had 85 hours on aircraft and engines. The crash was used by the base commander as an example to other pilots as “what not to do” in a heavy aircraft close to the ground.

Sgt. James R. Wilson, 25, waist-gunner, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, died December 15, 1943, in the 6:00AM crash of B-17F (42-5136) a quarter-mile south of Ardmore Army Air Field. The aircraft had taken off on the N/S runway, had apparent engine problems, made a 180-degree turn to the south at low altitude and was attempting to land from the south. It failed to clear tall trees and plunged nose down into a creek and burned. The crew of 12 died instantly. Two of those killed were listed as passengers, classified as a pilot and a bombardier, flying with the crew as instructors. Sgt. Wilson was married and had a 15-month-old son. He served as a waist-gunner on the crew.