Aboard U.S. Army Air Forces B-25C Mitchell #41-13262.
Pilot, Lieutenant Floyd Bair, had written his parents telling them that, if given the chance, he would fly over his family home near Thornburg, Iowa.
A week later, that opportunity presented itself when his crew was cleared to fly a training mission from Indiana to Vichy, Missouri.
Lt. Bair diverted a bit to fly over his hometown and put on a show for his parents. He made two low passes over the town and his parents home, drawing their attention and that of the community of about 100 persons. On a third approach from the south, flying very low to the ground, he failed to pull up in time and the tail section of the aircraft struck a 70-foot-high tree in the home's front yard, tearing off the starboard elevator. The plane flew for another one and a half miles, then plunged into a field and exploded, instantly killing Private Craig and the other five fliers aboard.
The others were:
2nd Lt. Floyd V Bair
2nd Lt. Robert J Love
2nd Lt. Robert L Miller
2nd Lt. Roy G Schott, Jr.
Pvt. Robert L. Craig
Pilot, Lieutenant Floyd Bair, had written his parents telling them that, if given the chance, he would fly over his family home near Thornburg, Iowa.
A week later, that opportunity presented itself when his crew was cleared to fly a training mission from Indiana to Vichy, Missouri.
Lt. Bair diverted a bit to fly over his hometown and put on a show for his parents. He made two low passes over the town and his parents home, drawing their attention and that of the community of about 100 persons. On a third approach from the south, flying very low to the ground, he failed to pull up in time and the tail section of the aircraft struck a 70-foot-high tree in the home's front yard, tearing off the starboard elevator. The plane flew for another one and a half miles, then plunged into a field and exploded, instantly killing Private Craig and the other five fliers aboard.
The others were:
2nd Lt. Floyd V Bair
2nd Lt. Robert J Love
2nd Lt. Robert L Miller
2nd Lt. Roy G Schott, Jr.
Pvt. Robert L. Craig
Aboard U.S. Army Air Forces B-25C Mitchell #41-13262.
Pilot, Lieutenant Floyd Bair, had written his parents telling them that, if given the chance, he would fly over his family home near Thornburg, Iowa.
A week later, that opportunity presented itself when his crew was cleared to fly a training mission from Indiana to Vichy, Missouri.
Lt. Bair diverted a bit to fly over his hometown and put on a show for his parents. He made two low passes over the town and his parents home, drawing their attention and that of the community of about 100 persons. On a third approach from the south, flying very low to the ground, he failed to pull up in time and the tail section of the aircraft struck a 70-foot-high tree in the home's front yard, tearing off the starboard elevator. The plane flew for another one and a half miles, then plunged into a field and exploded, instantly killing Private Craig and the other five fliers aboard.
The others were:
2nd Lt. Floyd V Bair
2nd Lt. Robert J Love
2nd Lt. Robert L Miller
2nd Lt. Roy G Schott, Jr.
Pvt. Robert L. Craig
Pilot, Lieutenant Floyd Bair, had written his parents telling them that, if given the chance, he would fly over his family home near Thornburg, Iowa.
A week later, that opportunity presented itself when his crew was cleared to fly a training mission from Indiana to Vichy, Missouri.
Lt. Bair diverted a bit to fly over his hometown and put on a show for his parents. He made two low passes over the town and his parents home, drawing their attention and that of the community of about 100 persons. On a third approach from the south, flying very low to the ground, he failed to pull up in time and the tail section of the aircraft struck a 70-foot-high tree in the home's front yard, tearing off the starboard elevator. The plane flew for another one and a half miles, then plunged into a field and exploded, instantly killing Private Craig and the other five fliers aboard.
The others were:
2nd Lt. Floyd V Bair
2nd Lt. Robert J Love
2nd Lt. Robert L Miller
2nd Lt. Roy G Schott, Jr.
Pvt. Robert L. Craig
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NORTH CAROLINA
STAFF SGT 472 BOMB SQ AC
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