B-24J June 7, 1944



Posted by Christopher Baird on April 25, 2003 at 12:27:28:

In Reply to: B-24 crash in Nebraska posted by Gary Hilton on March 30, 2003 at 20:11:05:

Gary,

I found the following information on some websites:

B-24J BOMBER CRASH SITE HISTORICAL MARKER
On June 7, 1944, a B-24J bomber--part of a flight of 15 bombers from the 866 Bombardment Squadron (H), 7th Airforce--caught fire as it flew over the open western Nebraska prairie. The crew frantically descended to 500 feet, but the aircraft exploded just south of Chappell. This marker was erected to honor the many bomber crews who sacrificed their lives during WW2.
How to Find It: Just north of the I-80 interchange at Chappell.

The park is called the Pony Express Park. On another Nebraska state website they give the actual coordinates of the historical marker ("and crash site") as:

41 04 52N
102 28 28W

Almost sounds as if they put the historical marker (and park?) right on the crash site???

Hope that helps.

--> Christopher B.



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