Aircraft: P38 Lightening 42-282274
Squadron: 402d Fighter Squadron
Date of crash: 15/05/1944
Related Airmen:
William E Evers USAF
P38, 402nd Squadron: 15 May 1944
P38, from the 402nd squadron of the 370th Fighter Group, crashed through clouds into another plane and plunged straight down into a bluebell wood.
15-05-44 42-67890 P-38J. 402FS/370FG.Accident(KMAC) at Crux Easton (Killed, Mid Air Collision)
The 370th Fighter Group in World War II, In Action over Europe with the P-38 and P-51, By Jay Jones, Page 39
Two pilots in the 402nd were killed on May 15. Lt. William E. Evers was giving a new pilot, Second Lt. Thomas D. Stewart, an orientation flight. They were probably playing around in a mock dogfight and had a mid-air collision. Evers bailed out of his P-38 but struck the plane’s horizontal stabilizer and was killed. Stewart was pinned in his P-38 and rode it into the ground. Lt. Evers was one of the original members of the group and was a “West Pointer.” He was married and left his new bride back in Massachusetts. Lt. Stewart, a Las Vegas native, had been with the squadron for only six days.
Lt. Evers and Stewart took off from the runway at R.A.F. Andover. Their aircrafts travelled ~ 11.9 miles north west and crashed ~ 1.4 Miles apart from each other.
Thomas Dee Stewart’s Crash Site was located at:
Latitude: 51°18’42.11″N. Longitude: 1°22’19.03″W
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/320
The wreck of a P-38 Lightning of the 370th Fighter Group at Andover. Handwritten caption on reverse: ‘Looking East, Anover Field, England.’
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=108318
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504420kevon
Stewart was a young American pilot from Nevada. He served with the US Ninth Air Force out of Andover. Stewart was charged with escorting bombers who took part in raids over France.
His body was retrieved at the time and flown back to be buried in Alamo, Lincoln County, Nevada, USA. He was just 25
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/view/Military.aspx?tid=38745635&pid=19277790875&vid=03ef7a6f-606b-4bc3-b03e-9c32173e9feb
This photograph is assumed to have been taken at the graduation of Thomas Dee STEWART’s Flying Cadet Class 43-H in 1943.
Serial No 756124.
2nd Lt 402 AFF Ftr Sq WWII NV
Lt Thomas D Stewart 402FS 370FG
US Army Air Force
Flying Cadet Class 43-H (Luke Field,Phoenix,AZ,Advanced Pilot-Single Engine -Unconfirmed)
This a photograph of Thomas Dee Stewart’s girlfriend, Carmen NIELSON. It was found in his wallet when the crash site was excavated. (her high school senior photo)
Instagram
Carmen Nielson in the photo is my aunt, my fathers only sister. She was to be married to Dee Stewart upon his return. After the war, Dee’s brother Willard (Tex) Stewart courted and married Carmen. I was very close to Carmen and Tex Stewart all their lives and they raised a large wonderful family before passing away a few years ago. My wife and I will be visiting Highclere Castle for Mothers Day with a ticket for a tour and afternoon tea March 22, 2020. I would love to visit the site of Dee’s crash.
Thank you!
I look forward to seeing you and showing you
I have been researching this crash and would like to send you a copy but can’t seem to attach it here. Is there an email I can use? I do have a photo of both pilots as well.
I am secretary of the East Woodhay Local History Society.
please do email [email protected]
We do have some photos and quite a lot of detail now which is very moving