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| USAF SAC 2nd AF 40th AD 508th ARS Former Assignments USAAF  USAF 1956  AlaskaExtreme4Wheelers 2005  Justin Taylan 2011  Justin Taylan 2011 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Thomas H. Patton (KIA) Corvalis, OR Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. James “Jimmy” D. Dellinger (KIA) Charlotte, NC Crew 1st Lt. Leon E. Reid (KIA) Hicksville, NY Crew 1st Lt. Luther G. Lamm (KIA) Lucama, NC Crew MSgt Otto D. McAdams, Jr. (KIA) Braddock, PA Crew TSgt Thurman C. Rainer (KIA) Raville, LA Crew SSgt John B. Pyland (KIA) Ozark, AL Crew A2C William P. Hodgson (KIA) Redwood City, CA Crashed December 26, 1956 at 8:39pm Aircraft History Built by Bell-Atlantic. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-29B-65-BA Superfortress serial number 44-84149. On September 18, 1947 assigned to the U.S. Air Force (USAF). During November 1950 converted into a KB-29P Superfortress aerial refueling tanker. Assigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC), 2nd Air Force (2nd AF), 40th Air Division (40th AD), 31st SFW, 508th Air Refueling Squadron (508th ARS) based at Turner Air Force Base (Turner AFB) in Georgia. Call Sign "Kramer 31". Mission History On December 26, 1956 at 8:20pm took off from Elmendorf AFB piloted by Lt. Thomas H. Patton on a training mission with a full load of fuel bound for Eielson AFB southeast of Fairbanks. After take off, one radio message was received. At 8:39pm crashed into Bald Mountain "Baldy" at roughly 4,200' in the Talkeetna Mountain Range roughly 50 miles northwest of Elmendorf AFB and roughly 19 minutes into the flight. On impact, the explosion and fire were visible to the south in Wasilla. Search A search plane and two helicopters searched for the crash site, despite bad weather. The next day, a search party reached the crash site and recovered the remains of the crew. Wreckage The crash site remains in situ on the mountain. Nearest to the ridge line are the burned out nose and cockpit areas. Further south are all four engines and the wing section. The most intact portion is the tail section and refueling boom, resting downward with the right stabilizer pointing upward. Scattered along the mountain side are the propeller blades, that broke off from the engines on impact. A trail of smaller wreckage continues down the slope spanning over 180m from nose to tail. Memorials Patton is buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at section B site 176-1. Dellinger is buried at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte, NC. Reid has an unknown burial presumably buried a private burial in his hometown. Lamm is buried at Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson, NC. McAdams is buried at Riverside Cemetery in the south half of lot 791A. Rainer is buried at Masonic Cemetery plot 55:3. Pyland is buried at Chalkhead Baptist Church Cemetery in Ewell, AL. Hodgson is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at pilot V site 3613. During 2004, Alaska Extreme 4Wheelers as well as other members of the off road community donated funds for the purchased of a memorial plaque placed on the wing on June 25, 2005. By middle July 2008, it was stolen from the site and was never located or returned, despite offers for a reward for information. The groups involved with the original plaque plan to replace it with a new plaque in the future. On October 1, 2011 a new memorial plaque was placed at the crash site by Mike Flowers (Fourwheeler Club 2 Broke 2 Play) plus Mike Bashford and Tyson Hills of Alaska Extreme Fourwheelers. The new memorial plaque is a steel rectangle bolted and glued into a granite base. Relatives After finding photographs of the crash site and plaque, Thomas Patton, Jr. (son of pilot Thomas Patton) contacted Alaska Extreme 4Wheelers. During 2005, thirteen family members of the crew visited Alaska during August 8-15. On August 14, 2005 at 7pm a presentation was held at the VFW hall in Eagle River for the relatives to meet members of the Alaska Extreme Fourwheelers. Thomas Patton, Jr. (son of pilot Thomas Patton) During late July 2008, Thomas Patton, Jr. hiked to the crash site to pay his respects. Robin Sword (daughter of 2nd Lt. James “Jimmy” D. Dellinger) Six months old when her father died, today works as a nurse in Monroe, NC. References USAF - Bell-Atlanta B-29B-65-BA Superfortress 44-84149 "Converted to KB-29P in Nov 1950. Crashed Dec 26, 1956 in Alaska." USAF Accident Report - KB-29 44-84149 via 11th Air Force Historical Office AP "Air Crash Kills 8 in Alaska" December 28, 1956 AP "Eight Crewmen die as plane explodes on impact" December 27, 1956 News "Benton Airman Dies in Crash At Anchorage" FindAGrave - Thomas Henry Patton (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - James D. Dellinger (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - 1LT Luther Gene Lamm (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - MSGT Otto D McAdams Jr. (photo, grave photo, burial card) FindAGrave - Thurman C. Rainer (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - SSGT John Brown Pylant (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - William Peter Hodgson (photo, grave photo) Alaska4x4Network.com - KB-29 threads via Wayback Machine June 9 2018 Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman "Memorial to Baldy crash rises again" October 7, 2011 Thanks to Scott Hala and Alaska Extreme Fourwheelers for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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