(Submitted by Bill Sartain, brother of John Sartain)
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(Submitted by Bill Sartain, brother of John Sartain) |
| #137 was parked at Hardstand #14 (red mark at right). LT Herrmann taxied his ship counter clockwise around the perimeter track in his required sequence for take off on runway 25. #137 failed to gain altitude and slipped to the right, crashing into the Woodhall farm killing Herrmann's crew and Raymond M. Smith, who lived in the house. LT Herrmann and Mr. Smith's family survived. A propeller to #137 remained hidden in the moat surrounding the farm until recovered in '76. The propeller became the center piece of a memorial dedicated to the 486th at Barksdale, LA. |
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