Soldier: Andrew Ross Wood Date: Killed - Aug 26, 1942 Born Dec 7,? 1917 AC: Multi engine trainer Station/Squadron: Lubbock Field, Texas Location: Lubbock Field, Texas Description: Cadet Wood commanded a multi engine training plane and was flying in formation over Lubbock Field, Texas. It and the adjacent plane collided. Both planes crashed. Crew members of both planes parachuted to safty leaving Wood at the controls. Wood piloted his plane to a fatal crash on Lubbock Field. His remains were sent to his home at Indian Lane in Canton Mass. under escort. A military, gun salute funeral was performed at the cemetary in Canton, Mass. Additional: Father: Andrew Ross Wood, Mother: Jeannie Dunkin Wood, Sister: Margaret Wood, Sister: Jeannie Graham, Brothers: William, James and Douglass Wood. Submit: Send Now
SUMMARY This day began like most every other day since the Air Cadets had entered into the Army Air Force Pilot Training Program except that it marked the final stage of the cadet training. They would be flying the new complex trainer called the AT-9. It was a transitional multi engine plane designed to present all the complexities (and more) of the war planes they would soon be flying. These were the famous P38’s, B-17’s and the B24’s. Many wondered why not train on the final aircraft as they were actually easier to fly. Well they cost more, lots more and they took much longer to build. These were kids by today’s standards, just 22 and 24 year olds and they had relatively little time in this complex type of aircraft, yet here they were flying formations and executing wing tip complex maneuvers while controlling prop pitch, manifold pressure, heat, flaps landing gear, etc. As in most wars one had to grow up quickly in WWII.
After take off they climbed to altitude in groups of three, each group consisting of a lead plane with an instructor and two student planes each with two crew members flying in “V” formation. After some time each of these small groups of three merged into one large group which was strung out in single file in preparation for landing. Plane number 41-12196, was piloted in the left seat by Owen D. Wylie, who had just taken control from pilot Andrew R. Wood. This plane was number fifteen, the last plane in the landing group. The plane in front of this craft was number 41-12195, piloted in the left seat by Jack J Williamson who had just assumed control from pilot Owen D. Willard. Things began to unravel when Williamson began to over control and the craft started flying erratically. Soon it disappeared from the windscreen of Wylie’s plane and vanished below him. Wylie claimed that at that point he had left room for reentry of the stray craft.
After a short elapsed time, Wylie felt a disturbance on the left side of his plane and saw the right engine propeller of Williamson’s craft cutting away his left wing and motor. He banked away but his craft had suffered damage to the tail as well and would not respond. Wylie bailed out to safety; Andrew R. Wood went down with the plane and died in the crash. They were flying at low altitude and the mortal decent of the stricken plane was probably not more then 30 seconds. It crashed on the airfield without further injury or loss of life.
Willard reported from that neither he nor the pilot Williamson saw Wylie’s aircraft overhead as they began their rapid ascent to regain formation position. It was first noted as the propeller from Wylie’s left engine cut into their cabin, killing Williamson and cutting off the right leg of Willard. Willard bailed out before the plane hit the ground and survived. The plane crashed into a tailor’s shop killing two cadets and the tailor.
Pilot error was attributed to the accident. Williamson was sited for poor control. The resulting safety recommendation stated that, “a plane following another in formation should bank away if sight is lost of the lead plane”.
What happened to Andrew Ross Wood in the cabin of the stricken plane? There is no mention but three alternatives are possible: One, the propeller from the offending plane cut into the cabin of Andrew’s plane. If it had, it would have cut in on his left side and he undoubtedly would have been wounded and possibly unable to exit or killed instantly. Two, the plane most certainly went into a counter downward clockwise spin and centrifugal force could easily have pinned him to the center of the cabin preventing an exit. Three, he deliberately piloted his craft, hoping to save it and people on the ground as reported by the cadet accompanying his body home. Will the details ever be known? Maybe one day I will attempt to contact the two survivors if they survived the war and are still living.
Brave men (kids), all of them! Without their sacrifice and that of thousands of others like them, there would be no freedom for you and I today and the world would be a very different place. Respectfully submitted, Douglass F. Wood
I have been pouring over the report you sent to me under invoice # 4097 and have profited so much by your service however there are still unanswered questions as the photos were very dark and there is unexplainably no reference to my brother Andrew's role inside the copit at the time of the accident. I am writing in hope of getting a little more information on this and am very willing to pay for your services. I think any or all of the below might help:
Lighter pictures
Any further information regarding my brother such as the cause of death whether it was a direct result of the mid-air accident or indirectly the result of the ensuing crash.
Pictures of crew, my brother's body or an autopsy report.
Information as to the careers following the accident for the two surviving pilots: Charles C. Wylie of Milwaukee and Owen Douglas Willard of West Allis, Wis.
I hope you will be able to assist further and I will be happy to send you the necessary funds when requested.
I've looked over the report again and can try to explain your questions. I don't believe that Andrew was injured in the collision. The damage to the airplane was enough to make it unflyable, but I see no evidence of anything penitrating the cockpit area, plus Wylie was uninjured. Wylie was the only one who could say anything about what happened to Andrew, but said nothing. He was a flying cadet and very inexperience. My best guess is that in the moments of terror after the collision, he was preoccupied with getting out and didn't bother to look back. If he had any other information, it would be in his statement and therefore, the Army had no information other than he died in the crash. I imagine he experience the same problems trying to get out, only he was unable to escape before the aircraft hit the ground.
I could find nothing more on Willard, but Wylie was involved in another accident in February 1943 and eventually flew B-24s with the 380th Bomb Group.
Most of the photos on the microfilm are very dark due to the microfilm process. When I make prints, I often adjust the contrast which removes much of the grey background caused by the yellowing of the originals before microfilming. I'd like to try to email you the digital files without the contrast adjustment and see if they offer any improvements to the images.
I would love to have anything you can send and will be happy to reimburse you for your efforts. Your insights as to the final acts of my brother Andrew are very much appreciated.
It is a miracle but I was able to contact a cadet on the field at the time. In fact he was in the tailor shop demolished by the other plane. He heard the thunder of fifteen twin engine aircraft overhead at 1,000 feet and stepped outside to observe just in time to witness the accident. He said the planes collide and then came into a final fatal contact with one another. My brother's plane crashed very close to the control tower causing great fury inside as they thought they were going to be hit and and no escape being several hundred feet above ground with only a ladder to descend upon. As for the observer, he saw the other plane coming directly at him and he set out in a mad dash away from the tailor shop. He had traveled about 25 feet when the plane struck and killed the two cadets and the tailor inside. A third cadet was blown through the back wall and was found in shock, sitting on the ground still trying to put on his pants. The observer went on to teach in B24"s and B26's. After the war he flew for the Confederate Airforce for many years in a B24. His thoughts were that from what he observed my brother would have been killed instantly in the crash but he has not yet read the reports that you sent.
Today is the birth date of my brother, Andrew Ross Wood.
Peggy would be able to tell you much more about our brother then I but I knew and loved him both as a caring older brother and as a war hero. Tme only permits a brief account of his ultimate sacrifice for others.
It was the beginning of WW II for America and Andrew was in the final weeks of flight training. He had taken off and was flying formation with his crew when the adjacent plane hit an air pocket and violently plunged down an up, striking the wings of both that plane and the one Andrew was flying. The crew of the other plane bailed out to safety leaving their plane to crash into civilians on the ground. Andrew ordered his crew to bail out and then attempted in vain to land his aircraft. It crashed on their runway killing only one person, Andrew.
I will remember and honor him all the days of my life.
Soldier: Andrew Ross Wood
ReplyDeleteDate: Killed - Aug 26, 1942 Born Dec 7,? 1917
AC: Multi engine trainer
Station/Squadron: Lubbock Field, Texas
Location: Lubbock Field, Texas
Description: Cadet Wood commanded a multi engine training plane and was flying in formation over Lubbock Field, Texas. It and the adjacent plane collided. Both planes crashed. Crew members of both planes parachuted to safty leaving Wood at the controls. Wood piloted his plane to a fatal crash on Lubbock Field. His remains were sent to his home at Indian Lane in Canton Mass. under escort. A military, gun salute funeral was performed at the cemetary in Canton, Mass.
Additional: Father: Andrew Ross Wood, Mother: Jeannie Dunkin Wood, Sister: Margaret Wood, Sister: Jeannie Graham, Brothers: William, James and Douglass Wood.
Submit: Send Now
By Doug Wood: April 20, 2011
ReplyDeleteAccident Rept.
A. R. Wood
1942
SUMMARY
This day began like most every other day since the Air Cadets had entered into the Army Air Force Pilot Training Program except that it marked the final stage of the cadet training. They would be flying the new complex trainer called the AT-9. It was a transitional multi engine plane designed to present all the complexities (and more) of the war planes they would soon be flying. These were the famous P38’s, B-17’s and the B24’s. Many wondered why not train on the final aircraft as they were actually easier to fly. Well they cost more, lots more and they took much longer to build. These were kids by today’s standards, just 22 and 24 year olds and they had relatively little time in this complex type of aircraft, yet here they were flying formations and executing wing tip complex maneuvers while controlling prop pitch, manifold pressure, heat, flaps landing gear, etc. As in most wars one had to grow up quickly in WWII.
After take off they climbed to altitude in groups of three, each group consisting of a lead plane with an instructor and two student planes each with two crew members flying in “V” formation. After some time each of these small groups of three merged into one large group which was strung out in single file in preparation for landing. Plane number 41-12196, was piloted in the left seat by Owen D. Wylie, who had just taken control from pilot Andrew R. Wood. This plane was number fifteen, the last plane in the landing group. The plane in front of this craft was number 41-12195, piloted in the left seat by Jack J Williamson who had just assumed control from pilot Owen D. Willard. Things began to unravel when Williamson began to over control and the craft started flying erratically. Soon it disappeared from the windscreen of Wylie’s plane and vanished below him. Wylie claimed that at that point he had left room for reentry of the stray craft.
After a short elapsed time, Wylie felt a disturbance on the left side of his plane and saw the right engine propeller of Williamson’s craft cutting away his left wing and motor. He banked away but his craft had suffered damage to the tail as well and would not respond. Wylie bailed out to safety; Andrew R. Wood went down with the plane and died in the crash. They were flying at low altitude and the mortal decent of the stricken plane was probably not more then 30 seconds. It crashed on the airfield without further injury or loss of life.
Willard reported from that neither he nor the pilot Williamson saw Wylie’s aircraft overhead as they began their rapid ascent to regain formation position. It was first noted as the propeller from Wylie’s left engine cut into their cabin, killing Williamson and cutting off the right leg of Willard. Willard bailed out before the plane hit the ground and survived. The plane crashed into a tailor’s shop killing two cadets and the tailor.
Pilot error was attributed to the accident. Williamson was sited for poor control. The resulting safety recommendation stated that, “a plane following another in formation should bank away if sight is lost of the lead plane”.
continued...
continued....
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to Andrew Ross Wood in the cabin of the stricken plane? There is no mention but three alternatives are possible:
One, the propeller from the offending plane cut into the cabin of Andrew’s plane. If it had, it would have cut in on his left side and he undoubtedly would have been wounded and possibly unable to exit or killed instantly. Two, the plane most certainly went into a counter downward clockwise spin and centrifugal force could easily have pinned him to the center of the cabin preventing an exit. Three, he deliberately piloted his craft, hoping to save it and people on the ground as reported by the cadet accompanying his body home. Will the details ever be known? Maybe one day I will attempt to contact the two survivors if they survived the war and are still living.
Brave men (kids), all of them! Without their sacrifice and that of thousands of others like them, there would be no freedom for you and I today and the world would be a very different place.
Respectfully submitted,
Douglass F. Wood
Dear Mike (reference military accident reports)
ReplyDeleteI have been pouring over the report you sent to me under invoice # 4097 and have profited so much by your service however there are still unanswered questions as the photos were very dark and there is unexplainably no reference to my brother Andrew's role inside the copit at the time of the accident. I am writing in hope of getting a little more information on this and am very willing to pay for your services. I think any or all of the below might help:
Lighter pictures
Any further information regarding my brother such as the cause of death whether it was a direct result of the mid-air accident or indirectly the result of the ensuing crash.
Pictures of crew, my brother's body or an autopsy report.
Information as to the careers following the accident for the two surviving pilots: Charles C. Wylie of Milwaukee and Owen Douglas Willard of West Allis, Wis.
I hope you will be able to assist further and I will be happy to send you the necessary funds when requested.
Best regards,
Douglass Wood
Reply from Mike on May 1, 2011
ReplyDeleteDouglass,
I've looked over the report again and can try to explain your questions. I don't believe that Andrew was injured in the collision. The damage to the airplane was enough to make it unflyable, but I see no evidence of anything penitrating the cockpit area, plus Wylie was uninjured. Wylie was the only one who could say anything about what happened to Andrew, but said nothing. He was a flying cadet and very inexperience. My best guess is that in the moments of terror after the collision, he was preoccupied with getting out and didn't bother to look back. If he had any other information, it would be in his statement and therefore, the Army had no information other than he died in the crash. I imagine he experience the same problems trying to get out, only he was unable to escape before the aircraft hit the ground.
I could find nothing more on Willard, but Wylie was involved in another accident in February 1943 and eventually flew B-24s with the 380th Bomb Group.
Most of the photos on the microfilm are very dark due to the microfilm process. When I make prints, I often adjust the contrast which removes much of the grey background caused by the yellowing of the originals before microfilming. I'd like to try to email you the digital files without the contrast adjustment and see if they offer any improvements to the images.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Mike
May 2 2011, from Doug Wood
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reply Mike,
I would love to have anything you can send and will be happy to reimburse you for your efforts. Your insights as to the final acts of my brother Andrew are very much appreciated.
It is a miracle but I was able to contact a cadet on the field at the time. In fact he was in the tailor shop demolished by the other plane. He heard the thunder of fifteen twin engine aircraft overhead at 1,000 feet and stepped outside to observe just in time to witness the accident. He said the planes collide and then came into a final fatal contact with one another. My brother's plane crashed very close to the control tower causing great fury inside as they thought they were going to be hit and and no escape being several hundred feet above ground with only a ladder to descend upon. As for the observer, he saw the other plane coming directly at him and he set out in a mad dash away from the tailor shop. He had traveled about 25 feet when the plane struck and killed the two cadets and the tailor inside. A third cadet was blown through the back wall and was found in shock, sitting on the ground still trying to put on his pants. The observer went on to teach in B24"s and B26's. After the war he flew for the Confederate Airforce for many years in a B24. His thoughts were that from what he observed my brother would have been killed instantly in the crash but he has not yet read the reports that you sent.
Look forward to hearing from you Mike.
Best regards,
Doug
Posted by Doug Wood - November 7, 2010
ReplyDeleteToday is the birth date of my brother, Andrew Ross Wood.
Peggy would be able to tell you much more about our brother then I but I
knew and loved him both as a caring older brother and as a war hero. Tme
only permits a brief account of his ultimate sacrifice for others.
It was the beginning of WW II for America and Andrew was in the final weeks
of flight training. He had taken off and was flying formation with his crew
when the adjacent plane hit an air pocket and violently plunged down an up,
striking the wings of both that plane and the one Andrew was flying. The
crew of the other plane bailed out to safety leaving their plane to crash
into civilians on the ground. Andrew ordered his crew to bail out and then
attempted in vain to land his aircraft. It crashed on their runway killing
only one person, Andrew.
I will remember and honor him all the days of my life.