Dedicated in 2020 to honor the six Army Air Force Personnel of 100th Bomb Group, 350th Bomb Squadron lost when their B-17F Bomber crashed north of Bogue, Kansas during a ferry flight from Casper Army Air Base to Tinker Field, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 2 February 1943.
Location: 39° 27.95′ N, 99° 39.99′ W. Marker is near Bogue, Kansas, in Graham County.
Boeing B-17F Crash Memorial Marker image. Click for full size.
By Veronica M. Boss, June 20, 2020
2. Boeing B-17F Crash Memorial Marker
The marker lies in McFarland Cemetery in eastern Graham County, Kansas
Memorial is on X Road half a mile north of 360th Avenue (County Road 569), on the right when traveling east. 100 yards east of U.S. 24 and K-18 intersection. Then 6 miles north on County Road 569, then 1 miles east on X Road. South side of road, stone is the furthest north in the cemetery, next to the fence.
The crash site is on private property, so we don't want to encourage trespassing without permission.
"On 2 Feb., 1943 at 1358 Mountain War Time, a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress bomber, designated U.S. Army Air Corps 42-5105, departed Casper Army Air Field, Casper Wyoming on a ferry flight to Tinker Air Field, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, with five crew members and one passenger on board. The flight was ordered to head to Kimball Nebraska, then turn southeast and fly straight to Tinker Field, a flight time of approximately 5 hours. For an unknown reason or reasons, 42-5105 strayed far off course and became hopelessly lost. The last radioed position was 75 miles west of Grand Island Nebraska, which is approximately 94.4 miles due north of where we stand. The actual entrance point to northwest Kansas airspace should have been approximately 16 miles northwest of St. Francis; the suspected entrance point was approximately 146.55 miles northeast of their ordered flight path entry point. The aircraft encountered extremely inclement weather upon entering northwest Kansas airspace; as reported, fog, thunderstorms, sleet, snow and gusty winds were widespread over most of the area. According to eyewitness reports, the B-17F was seen flying at low altitudes, and was also experiencing engine trouble, as “sputtering” of the engines was reported by those witnesses. Why the aircraft and personnel wound up so far off course, nor why they didn't continue on to Grand Island's military base will most likely always remain a mystery. Sadly though, the following is all too well known. At 1720 Central War Time, after attempting to recover from altitude loss due to heavy storms in the area, attempts to ascertain their location, and attempts to regain lost altitude and air speed, U.S. Army Air Corps B-17F 42-5105 crashed into the side of a hill one mile north of this location, killing all on board instantly."
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