Technical Sergeant Nelson was the Flight Engineer aboard U.S. Air Force B-29-50-MO
Superfortress #44-86364. While on a "round robin" training flight from Spokane
Air Force Base, with a mock bombing target to Stockton, California, then onward
to Ogden, Utah, then a return home, tragedy struck at 23:45 hours on the night of
November 16th, 1949. Two in the group of thirteen Superfortresses collided at
26,000 feet above Stockton and plunged to earth in flaming wreckage. Only one
airman, PFC Keith Burns, age 19, aboard ship #364 survived by bailing out in
time and parachuted safely to ground. T/Sgt. Nelson and eight other fliers
perished when the aircraft impacted McDonald Island in the San Joaquin Delta, 9
miles to the northwest. Two crewmembers parachuted to safety from the other B-29
(#44-69939) but nine were killed when it impacted in 6-10 feet of mud on Rindge
Tract, about 2 miles further north of this crashsite.
Superfortress #44-86364. While on a "round robin" training flight from Spokane
Air Force Base, with a mock bombing target to Stockton, California, then onward
to Ogden, Utah, then a return home, tragedy struck at 23:45 hours on the night of
November 16th, 1949. Two in the group of thirteen Superfortresses collided at
26,000 feet above Stockton and plunged to earth in flaming wreckage. Only one
airman, PFC Keith Burns, age 19, aboard ship #364 survived by bailing out in
time and parachuted safely to ground. T/Sgt. Nelson and eight other fliers
perished when the aircraft impacted McDonald Island in the San Joaquin Delta, 9
miles to the northwest. Two crewmembers parachuted to safety from the other B-29
(#44-69939) but nine were killed when it impacted in 6-10 feet of mud on Rindge
Tract, about 2 miles further north of this crashsite.
Technical Sergeant Nelson was the Flight Engineer aboard U.S. Air Force B-29-50-MO
Superfortress #44-86364. While on a "round robin" training flight from Spokane
Air Force Base, with a mock bombing target to Stockton, California, then onward
to Ogden, Utah, then a return home, tragedy struck at 23:45 hours on the night of
November 16th, 1949. Two in the group of thirteen Superfortresses collided at
26,000 feet above Stockton and plunged to earth in flaming wreckage. Only one
airman, PFC Keith Burns, age 19, aboard ship #364 survived by bailing out in
time and parachuted safely to ground. T/Sgt. Nelson and eight other fliers
perished when the aircraft impacted McDonald Island in the San Joaquin Delta, 9
miles to the northwest. Two crewmembers parachuted to safety from the other B-29
(#44-69939) but nine were killed when it impacted in 6-10 feet of mud on Rindge
Tract, about 2 miles further north of this crashsite.
Superfortress #44-86364. While on a "round robin" training flight from Spokane
Air Force Base, with a mock bombing target to Stockton, California, then onward
to Ogden, Utah, then a return home, tragedy struck at 23:45 hours on the night of
November 16th, 1949. Two in the group of thirteen Superfortresses collided at
26,000 feet above Stockton and plunged to earth in flaming wreckage. Only one
airman, PFC Keith Burns, age 19, aboard ship #364 survived by bailing out in
time and parachuted safely to ground. T/Sgt. Nelson and eight other fliers
perished when the aircraft impacted McDonald Island in the San Joaquin Delta, 9
miles to the northwest. Two crewmembers parachuted to safety from the other B-29
(#44-69939) but nine were killed when it impacted in 6-10 feet of mud on Rindge
Tract, about 2 miles further north of this crashsite.
Inscription
T/SGT B-29 Flight Engineer 326 B. SQ. 92 B. GP. US Army Air Corp. Gave his life for his country while on a practice bombing mission over McDonald Is. near Stockton Calif.
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