Christmas Day was on a Tuesday in 1945.  Early that morning – at about 9:00 A.M. – Jack Stearns Barrows and Gilbert Marvin Crolius left the Crolius residence telling Mrs. Crolius they were going to the airfield at Ontario, California to look at a plane which was for sale.  Gilbert Crolius worked for the American Airplane Company, while Jack worked for a lumber company.  Both boys, 17 years in age, had about 10 flight hours each as student pilots. Sometime after 1:00, the two boys took off from Ontario Field in a stolen C-47 “Skytrain.”  Eyewitnesses stated, “…after taking off, the plane gained altitude rapidly and suddenly went into a spin, diving almost straight down” crashing into a vineyard about 01:55. [1]

I would have overlooked this decades old plane crash, had it not been for a small burnt brass identification plate in Corporal Larry Spencer’s diary.  The plate is still legible, from the “Signal Corps” and “U.S. Army” markings to the “Radio Transmitter BC-457-A” label, the serial number and the “Made By Western Electric, New York, NY” markings.  Corporal Spencer wrote in his diary:

>> This Identification Plate Was Taken From A Trasmitter On A Douglas C-47 or DC3 Which Crashed And Burned Christmas Day, 1945, Near Ontario Calif.  The Ship Was Based At Ontario, And At The Time Was Used In “Jet-Aid-In-Take Off” Experiments.  Stolen By Two 17 Year Olds, Who Took Off Successfully, Flew Several Miles And Had Started Back To The Field When The Motors Konked Out.  The Plane Dived Almost Vertically Into The Ground And Exploded.  Both Boys Were Killed Intantly And Burned Beyond Recognition.  The Plane Was A Total Loss.

>> Parke had a chance to fly to Texas to his Home.  So I took His M.P. Duty For Him, And I Guarded The Ship Until Crash Crews Arrived.  I Took The Plate, And A Small Drop Of The Melted Aluminum Skin, At This Time As A Souvenir—–

Newspapers confirm the carnage the crash wracked on the bodies of the young men.  Upon arriving at the crash site, the first responders (which Corporal Spencer likely was among) found the bodies in the burning wreckage decapitated and “burned beyond recognition.”  Initially, the bodies were thought to have belonged to test pilots since the jet was on loan to the Aero-Jet Engineering Corporation and was parked at Ontario Field since the prior Thursday. [2]

Once it was determined the bodies did not belong to test pilots, police officers began the investigation to identify the crash victims.  Officers tracked two sets of footprints from the flight line to a car parked outside the fence surrounding Ontario Field.  A bill of sale in the car was written to Jack Barrow caused the police to contact his parents.  [3]

The bodies had been taken to Draper’s Mortuary, where Coroner R. E. Williams had the parents of the two youth had to identify the bodies through remains of clothing and “personal articles” found in their possession. [4]

While a historical oddity, this event highlights the nature of service; whether it is as a member of the military or police, fire and emergency medical services.  At any time, including on Christmas Day when others are celebrating with their families, you may be called to respond to horror and tragedy.  While not deployed overseas, Corporal Spencer was called on to serve and put his training to the test.  I am honored to be the caretaker of this record of his service.

SOURCES:

1.)  “Cargo Ship From Ontario Field:  Military Authorities Say Crash Result of Unauthorized Flight.”  San Bernardino County Sun.  San Bernardino, CA.  December 27, 1945.  Pg. 3

2.)  Ibid.

3.)  Ibid.

4.)  “Two Youths Crash in Army Transport.”  The Press Democrat.  Santa Rosa, CA.  December 28, 1945.  Pg. 7