This page is dedicated to the heroes who died while defending this great country
This photo, taken by Tom Hildreth, shows B-52C #54-2666 on the ramp at Westover, circa middle-1960s.
This aircraft later crashed into Lake Michigan Jan. 7, 1971, while on a training mission, with nine
members of the 346th Bombardment Squadron aboard.
This aircraft later crashed into Lake Michigan Jan. 7, 1971, while on a training mission, with nine
members of the 346th Bombardment Squadron aboard.
B-52C crashes into Lake Michigan, Jan. 7, 1971
Nine 346th Bombardment Squadron airmen died when their B-52C Stratofortress
plunged into Lake Michigan on Jan. 7, 1971. This accident took place near Charlevoix,
Mich. The crew was flying a routine training mission. The B-52 was unarmed.
The crew was:
- Lt. Col. William Lemmon, navigator
- Maj. Gerald Black, pilot
- Maj, Donald Rousseau, electronic warfare officer
- Maj. John Simonly, navigator instructor
- Capt. Joel Hirsch, navigator
- Capt John Weaver, navigator,
- Lt. Douglas Bachman, electronic warfare officer
- Lt. Dennis Ferguson, co-pilot
- Tech. Sgt. Gerry Achey, gunner
Source: Military Aircraft Accidents Around Western Massachusetts 1941-, by Thomas E. Martin
plunged into Lake Michigan on Jan. 7, 1971. This accident took place near Charlevoix,
Mich. The crew was flying a routine training mission. The B-52 was unarmed.
The crew was:
- Lt. Col. William Lemmon, navigator
- Maj. Gerald Black, pilot
- Maj, Donald Rousseau, electronic warfare officer
- Maj. John Simonly, navigator instructor
- Capt. Joel Hirsch, navigator
- Capt John Weaver, navigator,
- Lt. Douglas Bachman, electronic warfare officer
- Lt. Dennis Ferguson, co-pilot
- Tech. Sgt. Gerry Achey, gunner
Source: Military Aircraft Accidents Around Western Massachusetts 1941-, by Thomas E. Martin
This photo, taken by Al Aldrich from Westover, shows the memorial for the airmen killed in May 1944. The B-24
Liberator crashed into nearby Mt. Holyoke.
Liberator crashed into nearby Mt. Holyoke.
My father .... was the only member of the aircrew that did not survive the crash. While I was
fairly young at the time, I do recall that the plane came down during a rain storm approximately
1 mile short of the runway in Belchertown, near Routes 202 & 10.
My Dad was a proud Airman, a boom operator, who made no bones about the fact that it was
USAF first and family second. My Mom supported him in that position and after the crash she
raised myself and my 2 sisters by herself for many years. The one bright spot was the constant
visits from my Dad's squadron. They came down to Connecticut to visit us and bring Christmas
presents and such for several years after the accident.
Since there was/is so little information available on the crash I'd found myself wondering if the
flight was on some kind of classified mission and that whatever the actual purpose was,
needed to remain in military hands. Perhaps a bit of left over Cold War mentality on my part!!
His crew was "Crew of the Month" in May 1963.
Thank you for setting up and maintaining the website. I find it very nostalgic....it brings back
lots of memories.
Best Regards,
Dana Donahue
fairly young at the time, I do recall that the plane came down during a rain storm approximately
1 mile short of the runway in Belchertown, near Routes 202 & 10.
My Dad was a proud Airman, a boom operator, who made no bones about the fact that it was
USAF first and family second. My Mom supported him in that position and after the crash she
raised myself and my 2 sisters by herself for many years. The one bright spot was the constant
visits from my Dad's squadron. They came down to Connecticut to visit us and bring Christmas
presents and such for several years after the accident.
Since there was/is so little information available on the crash I'd found myself wondering if the
flight was on some kind of classified mission and that whatever the actual purpose was,
needed to remain in military hands. Perhaps a bit of left over Cold War mentality on my part!!
His crew was "Crew of the Month" in May 1963.
Thank you for setting up and maintaining the website. I find it very nostalgic....it brings back
lots of memories.
Best Regards,
Dana Donahue
Webmaster's note: I recently received an e-mal from Dana Donahue, whose father, MSgt
Daniel F. Donahue, was a boom operator with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron. Sergeant
Donahue was killed in a KC-135 crash while bravely serving his country on June 21, 1963.
Below are excerpts from the e-mail.
Daniel F. Donahue, was a boom operator with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron. Sergeant
Donahue was killed in a KC-135 crash while bravely serving his country on June 21, 1963.
Below are excerpts from the e-mail.
B-52C crash, Elephant Mountain, Maine -- photos contributed by Derek Ouimette
Derek Ouimette, a senior master sergeant
in the Air Force Reserve at Westover, sent
me these photos he took up on Elephant
Mountain. A Westover B-52C Stratofortress
crashed into the mountain on Jan. 24,
1963. All but two of the aircrew were killed
in the accident. The two survivors, Lt. Col.
Dante Bulli and Capt. Gerald Adler,
managed to survive through the night using
their parachutes to shield them from the
sub-freezing Maine winter. A rescue crew
from Dow Air Force Base near Bangor,
found the aircrew the day after the crash.
Click on the thumbnails to see what a few
dedicated people have done since that time
to memorialize these brave men.
in the Air Force Reserve at Westover, sent
me these photos he took up on Elephant
Mountain. A Westover B-52C Stratofortress
crashed into the mountain on Jan. 24,
1963. All but two of the aircrew were killed
in the accident. The two survivors, Lt. Col.
Dante Bulli and Capt. Gerald Adler,
managed to survive through the night using
their parachutes to shield them from the
sub-freezing Maine winter. A rescue crew
from Dow Air Force Base near Bangor,
found the aircrew the day after the crash.
Click on the thumbnails to see what a few
dedicated people have done since that time
to memorialize these brave men.
Larry Wallman sent me this photo of the memorial which honors the crew killed in the 1971 B-52
crash in Lake Michigan.
crash in Lake Michigan.