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Rank: |
Sergeant, First Aerial Engineer, B-17 |
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Service Branch: |
U.S. Army Air Corps |
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Service Number: |
14176428 |
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Group: |
452 Bomb Group |
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Squadron: |
729th Bomb Squadron |
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Plane: |
B-17G Flying Fortress #42-39921 |
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Function: |
First Aerial Engineer, B-17 |
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Status: |
Died non-battle in training mission |
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Date of death: |
December 3, 1943 |
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Place of death: |
15 mi. NE of Salt Flats, Texas |
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Age at death: |
23 |
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Awards: |
Not available |
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Burial 1: |
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Burial 2: |
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Grave number: |
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Reburial: |
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Born: |
September 14, 1920 |
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Hometown: |
Latta, South Carolina |
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Family: |
Parents: |
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Additional information: |
Attended Clemson College one year (1938-39). Enlisted October 1942. Was in training at Pyote Army Airfield, Pyote, Texas when he was killed in a mid-air collision 15 miles northeast
of Salt Flats, Texas. The practice flight was a High altitude formation gunnery mission and it is believed
that at 20,000 feet the sun temporarily blinded the pilot (whether the pilot of the ship in number three position or
the pilot of Sgt. Bass's plane is unclear). Sgt. Bass' B-17 plane, joining the formation in the
number four position, came up directly underneath the ship in the number three position as the formation
was turning slightly right. A crash resulted with the lower ship disintegrating in the air and the other ship making
an emergency landing. |
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Research by: Victoria Proctor, genealogist Sources: Dillon County War Memorial, NARA World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing (1946), The Dillon Herald December 9, 1943 and December 16, 1943 issues, Clemson University Back to WWII Veterans Index Page Copyright © 2014, 2015 Victoria Proctor. All rights reserved. |
