Show i I I I 8 DIE IN CRASH S S. L. L Pilot Perishes In Montana 7 Airmen Escape GREAT FALLS Mont Feb 15 Eight P-Eight P Eight men including a Salt Laker who was commander of the craft were killed and seven escaped from flames when an air force B 29 bomber crashed near the air force base here about 6 30 am a.m. MST Wednesday The Salt Lake man listed a at Spokane Wash Vash air force base as offic officially missing was Maj Majl Clyde Irving Butts 30 son of Mrs Elva W. W Taft E E. E South Temple I The other seven also listed as I officially missing were Capt Lester V V. V Johnson Jr copilot I ILester Cove Ore Capt Jonathan M Mr I Herbold copilot Anoka noka Minn 1 1st Lt Herbert S Sr S. Findley Findler navigator Mossy Rock Wash 1st Lt John JohnI JohnI I I S. S Bomberg bombardier Aurora I II I 4 Colo S Robert E. E Fisher flight engineer Roseville Rose Ohio I Corp James V. V Fulton radio operator oper oper- ator El Dorado Ark Aik S James di Pierro radio operator Spokane The big four-engine four plane had just left the runway and was only about feet in the air when it dropped to the prairie about three miles southwest of the base The bomber plowed along the ground for about yards and careened over U. U S S. S highway 87 About the time it came to rest the gasoline tanks exploded Crewmen in the front of the plane perished but those in the rear escaped while ammunition and flares exploded lighting up the Montana sky The B 29 had been searching for fora a missing B 36 in Queen Charlotte sound Was Va to Resume Hunt These men survived LL Frederick Frederick Frederick Fred Fred- erick N. N Willaid Willard S Victor J. J Jacquot Clarence R R. R Abernathy Abernathy Abernathy Aber- Aber nathy M Earl E E. Everet S Troy E E. Evans S Charles J J. J Wilson Vilson and Raymond Raymond Raymond Ray Ray- mond D D. Brandel The B 29 from Spokane an air base landed here herc Tuesday night after searching the Pac Pacific c ocean northwest north north- northwest west wet of Seattle for the B 36 which is missing with 17 men aboard The B 29 was to resume the hunt Wednesday day morning Cause of the crash was not known The air force foice information information information tion officer said two officers from Spokane were en route loute here heie to in investigate in- in An investigating board probably will be set up as soon as they arrive They were identified only as Capt Darrell Mayfield and Maj Wallace Vallace A A. Weaver Sli Slightly Injured I The Great Falls base information information tion officer said the seven survivors survivors sur sur- v ors were taken to the base hospital hospital hospital hos hos- pital for foi observation Their injuries injuries in injuries in- in juries were believed slight blight All seven walked away from the crashA crash A cordon of military policemen I I surrounded the flaming wreckage for a time while ammunition and flares Jares exploded in the plane The crash was the second in the Great Falls area aiea recently A Great Falls-based Falls C 51 hit a mountain Set See ra Page e 6 G Column 3 I I i i I I L' L I L j i iI I 7 e I 0 r I a 3 r f sr v h c y Maj laj l' l Y Bu Butts Bitts Salt Lake Lali pilot ng in B JD air crash FLIER DIES Continued from Pa Page Pago One Ono southeast of here Thursday killing kill ing its three occupants Maj Clyde Irving Butts Bulls aircraft aircraft aircraft air air- craft commander of oC a B 29 bomber which crashed Wednesday at Great Falls font was a lifelong lifelong life liCe long resident of oC Salt Lake LaJe City until he joined the Rim army air force in July HH 1941 1991 1 He was Vas born March 10 1919 in Salt Lake City a son of Irving Oliver Oli and Elva V. W. Butts He was educated in Salt Lake L City schools and was a graduate of oC West Vest high school He Hc attended the University of Utah in 1937 1938 1939 and part of 19 10 majorIng majorIng majorIng major- major Ing in electrical engineering Maj Butts received his commission commission com com- mission in the army air force in March 1911 19 it Zt Santa Ana Cal air base He was stationed at Roswell Roswell Ros- Ros well N N. M. M and Stockton Cal as asa asa asa a flight instructor during World War Val II He married Barbara Ellen Jackson Jackson Jackson Jack Jack- son Dec 21 24 1941 1991 at Stockton Survivors ors Include his wife wiCe and three children Pamela Charles and Cylde Irving Irving- Butts Jr all of Spokane his mother and two sisters sisters sisters sis sis- sis sis- Mrs Irs Dorothy and Mrs Shirley Garbart both of Salt Lake I Cit City I |