On the evening of July 31, 1944, B-24J #42-100092 with the 213th CCTS made four attempts to take off from Mountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho.  On the first two tries, #4 engine failed the magneto check during engine run-up, and twice the aircraft returned to the flight line for inspection.  After no mechanical problems were found, the auxiliary power unit broke during the third takeoff attempt.  After repairs, the bomber took off.  Shortly after leaving the runway, #4 engine failed and caught fire.  The pilot attempted to feather #4 propeller, but it did not respond.  With a windmilling propeller the aircraft couldn't maintain altitude and became difficult to control.  The pilot decided to belly-land in the desert about 15 miles north west of the runway.  After touching down, the bomber slid into a shallow ravine, broke apart, and burned. While nine of the ten crewmen escaped with major injuries, the co-pilot, 2Lt. Robert A. Henry, was pinned in the wreckage and perished in the fire.  Site visited on 8/11/17.  Special thanks to Craig Fuller and Dave McCurry for help with finding this crash site.

Crew:

Pilot                      2Lt. Charles L. Spencer, Jr.
Co-pilot                 2Lt. Robert A. Henry
Navigator              F/O Robert S. Stailey
Bombardier          2Lt. Raymond Dhue
Engineer               Cpl. Donald D. Tippman
Radio Operator    Cpl. Nelson B. Wold
Gunner                 Pfc. Herbert L. Barker
Gunner                 Pfc. Herbert D. Horton
Gunner                 Pfc. Clinton R. Sidman
Gunner                 Pvt. Henry P. Plumer