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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1953)
6 Die in ’Copter Crash Near O’Neill (Continued from page 1.) craft is dramatic and to an ex tent a crisis, most of the per sonnel at the research site, a half-mile south, were watching the big whirlibird on its de • scent. James M. Corkle and Neil Ry an, O’Neill businessmen, were in the pasture rounding up some cattle preparatory to moving them out of the vicinity at the request of the researchers. “I'm not familiar with helicop ters and judging altitudes,” Cor kle said, “but I’d guess the plane was 75 to 100 feet in the air when it went completely out of control. Parts began falling everywhere. One blade landed about a hun dred yards from the point of im pact for the main part of the fuselage. “We hurried over there, but it -was too ’ate. I’m satisfied the personnel died instantly. The bodies were badly broken and charred.” Mrs. Boyd Boelter, farm wom an residing along the Opportuni ty highway, phoned the word to the downtown air force office. IShe had witnessed the crash from her place. O’Neill firemen, a doctor and an ambulance sped to the scene. The air force fire truck, standing by to extinguish any grass fire started by the smoke bombs, sped from one field to the other to reach the scene and air firemen put out the fuselage blaze with foam. Dr. J. E. Vincent, who re cently had been separated from the air force, having served as a flight surgeon, was one of the early arrivals on the scene and unofficially helped Major Tib bets direct disaster operations. Captain Vincent is an O'Neill native who was visiting here at the time. Bodies were covered with blan kets until Offutt air base officials, nearest air force general head quarters, authorized their remov al. A cordon of military police surrounded the area and roads approaching the scene. The Frontier was permitted to photograph the wreckage at 1:30 p.m.—after the bodies had been removed by Biglin Brothers. Later that evening they were transferred to Sioux City under escort of air base personnel from there. The Air Force-Cambridge re search center at Cambridge, Mass., and Bedford (Mass.) air base officials were notified of the tragedy and given a tentative identification of personnel who were killed. That night dental records were flown by jet plane from Bedford to Sioux City and positive identification was com pleted at 2 a.m. Thursday afternoon a board of inquiry was formed at the Sioux City base and flew to O’Neill to make a preliminary investigation of the crash. Colored flags were used to indicate where various portions of the ’copter landed. The patterns were photographed and were studied by the board. Offutt personnel also partici pated. WILEY IS 81 DORSEY—James Wiley, oldest resident in Steel Creek town ship, Saturday observed his 81st birthday anniversary. W. F. FINLEY, M.D. O’NEILL First National Bank Bldg. OFFICE PHONE: 28 [ \----: ~ Back from Front Marine Cpl. Donald Robert son arrived home Saturday to spend a 30-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lon iel Robertson of Wagner, S.D., after serving 12 months in the front lines in Korea. He was met at Grand Island by his par ents. Corporal Robertson enter ed the service on January 27, 1952, and at the end of his fur lough he will report to Idaho where he will be assigned to guard duty. Upon his arrival, they spent Saturday evening visiting his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Yusten, and his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Yusten, all of O’Neill. Ewing News Mrs. Anna Savidge, who has spent several weeks with her daughter, Mrs. James Tomjack. and family in Montana, returned home last week. Mrs. Tomjack and family accompanied her for a visit with friends and relatives in the Ewing vicinity. Mrs. Keith Biddlecpme, who had a week’s vacation from her duties at the state hospital at Norfolk, which she spent at her home near Ewing, returned to Norfolk Sunday evening. Vlanda and Milton Biddlecome are vacationing at Moline, 111., this week where they are guests of relatives and friends. Hans Peterson and daughter. Mary Etta, accompanied by Earl Billings, made a business trip tc Grand Island the first of the week. The Neiderheide family held a reunion at the Riverside park at Neligh on Sunday. Those attend ing from Ewing were Mr. and Mrs. William Wulf, Mr. and Mrs. George Jefferies and Bonnie Jo, Mrs. Wilma Daniels and family, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Wright and children and Mr. and Mrs. Mark Muff and family of O’Neill. Gerald D. Potts Back from Far East— Pfc. Gerald Dale Potts arrived in the middle of July from Japan to spend a furlough with his par ents, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Potts of Chambers. On August 16 he will report to Camp Carson, Colo., to finish the remainder of his en listment. Private Potts spent 23 months in Japan and Korea with the First cavalry division, Eighth regiment. While overseas he re ceived four campaign stars, Ko rean occupation ribbon, and the combat infantry medal. He is a 1948 graduate of O’Neill high school. Visit at Polk— Mrs. Claresse Sullivan and family spent the weekend in Polk visiting Mrs. Lois Woods and family. Nancy and Rodney Sullivan remained there for a two weeks’ vacation. —1 'Loeser Wagered mi Moon Trip (Continued from page I.) cepi military to successfully probe interplanetary problems because of a lack of financing. Doctor Loeser was a bundle of energy, always on the go and al ways wrapped up in a hundred and one things to do. One eve ning George Hammond and I slowed him down long enough to talk about space flights “There is no atmosphere on the moon. Space ships will have to be pressurized. We’ll have to have elaborate and complicated equipment in those ships. “I think we already have the knowledge to build robot space ships in which we can send ani mals. All phases of the flight can be recorded and studied until we’ve got all the data we need.” One of the joys of Doctor Loe ser’s life was the fact that his oldest son, Rudolph, 14, had man ifest a keen interest in science. The boy’s reading habits and thinking for several years have been along scientific lines. He came to Nebraska with his father and was an assistant to Sergeant Ashforth on the test site. Rudolph was enroute to the test site at the time of the ’cop ter accident. Major Tibbets inter cepted the boy about half the distance between the road and the charred wreckage. Rudolph was visibly shaken. He returned to his hotel with Ashforth, and the following day —Friday—Ashforth accompanied him to Bedford on a special flight arranged by the air force. A German scientist friend of the family met the two at the Bed ford air base. On the weekend preceding the crash. Doctor Loeser bounc ed into The Frontier office to advise us that he and his son and one or two others were taking a trip to the Black Hills. They returned to O’Neill sev eral hours earlier than we ex pected them to and we “scolded” him for trying to do the Black Hills in a couple of hours. Doc tor Loeser touched on high spots in his brief report, but to him the visit to the Bad Lands was the important thing. “I think the composition of the Bad Lands something like that which will be found on the back of the moon,” he speculated. Doctor Loeser had made two trips to O’Neill in making origi nal preparations for the wind test. Back in the 1930’s he had participated in the now-famous Leipzig wind profile, which is referred to in most meteorolog ical textbooks. Every waking moment in O’ Neill the short (5 ft. 7 in.) dark haired German scientist was bent on the successful culmination of the O’Neill test. “We’re going to make your town famous in scientific circles,” he told us with his crisp German accent. (His choice of English words was excellent and strictly academic.) The doctor had been in the U.S. about 21 months. His wife end five children came over at Christmas time last year. Appli cation had been made for citizen ship and he had received his first papers. Twice during his short time in the States he had made trips back to Europe. He has done considerable sci entific writing and has collabor ated on articles. Doctor Loeser had a tendency to keep himself in the background — probably because his mind was occupied with the projects he had laid out for himself. Mrs. Loeser is a well-educated German lady, friends of the family say, and is content to stay behind and look after her chil dren. German is spoken in the household in deference to their youngest, age 4, who the father said, sometimes got confused with multiple languages, who, the father said, sometimes got confused with multiple lan guages. Doctor Loeser’s friends here watched the progressive darken ing of his skin under the Nebras ka sun. When he first arrived he was rather fair-complexioned. As weeks wore on he acquired a dark brown skin. He wore a black beret and bounced around the town and country roads in an air force blue jeep. He hoped for an opportunity for Rudolph to 'pcr.d some time on a nearby ranch when the actual tests got underway. He was a regular fellow in our book. He could move in top social circles in the U.S., or abroad, and he got along right well wiih lowliest GI's on one of tne research details. On his third—and last—trip to O’Neill he flew into Omaha with about 10 - thousand - pounds of equipment. He told us he was a bit disappointed because arrange ments had fallen through to have laborers load and unload the stuff. DoetQr Loeser moved a big chunk of it himself — to speed along the job. Viewing the charred ’copter wreckage one of his newly found O’Neill friends, who shared his friendship like I have, came over to me and said: “Doc has had it . . . his trip to the moon.” -- Lynch News Mrs. Ray Alford was hostess to the Catholic Altar society on Thursday afternoon, July 30. Mesdames Lorie Micanek and Leroy Purviance were co-hostess es. Games were played during the social hour. A lunch was served in late afternoon. Sunday visitors to see Mrs. Mary Langan of Spencer, who is a patient at Sacred Heart hospi tal, were Agnes Dennis of Oma ha, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Peters of Colome, S.D., Mrs. Loretta Sten gel of Rock Rapids, la., and Mrs. Nora Peters of Colome, S.D. {Open-House at Test Site Planned An “open - house” has been scheduled for Sunday, August 23, between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m., at the Air Force-Cam bridge research test site locat ed two miles north of O’Neill (on the Opportunity highway) and four miles east. This was announced Monday by Ben Davidson, project co ordinator, and Maj. Oscar Tib betts, air force unit command er. In the event actual testing operations are in progress these hours, the officials ask the pub lic to understand that all per sonnel on the site will have been in action about 30 hours without sleep, but there will be no alteration in the invitation. If the public desires a subse quent guest day set aside, a second date will be set, Mr. Davidson said. Crash Sidelights (Continued from page I.) of the work at O'NeilL No ac knowledgement has been receiv ed as yet. Mayor Tibbets, who holds a bachelor of science de gree from West Texas Teachers' college and a master's degree in electronics from New York uni versity, will '“try to replace Doc tor Loeser.” He will retain com mand of air force personnel, but will detail most adnvoistrative chores to Lt. Bryan Postman and Lieutenant Tate. “It is possible the new helicop ter will arrive today (Thursday! * he said. ♦ » * Dr. Lettau, Davidson Speak— Dr. Heinz Lettau, another fa mous German scientist helping direct the turbulence field pro ject here, and Ben Davidson, project coordinator, spoke to 60 persons Saturday afternoon at the annual summer meeting cf the North - Central Nebraska Press association, which was in session here. Doctor Lettau, a longtime personal friend of Doctor Loeser's and one who was partially re sponsible for Loeser’s coming to the U.S., told the press about Loeser’s background and accom plishments. He was visibly mov ed in relating personal exper iences with the fellow-German scientist. In a 30-minute question-and answer session, the press fired the quizzes and two project di rectors shared the answers. They told in terms laymen could un derstand, their scientific interests in solar heat, radiation and wir.d turbulence on the plains. They explained how O’Neill was se lected for the site of the tests and what interests the various uni versities and colleges had here. It was explained the loss of Doctor Loeser and the five othci s was a serious setback, but that the project would go ahead. Doctor Lettau, his wife ahd three boys are residing in the Mrs. Guy Young residence. * * * 'Voice' Flashes Bulletin— A three-minute bulletin was flashed on the air at 12:01 p.m., last Thursday by the “Voice of The Frontier” (WJAG, 780 k.c.) The station interrupted its busy noonday schedule to carry the tragic news, which originated in the O’Neill studios. Listeners were told to stand by for further details. The “Voice” went on the air again at 5:35 p.m., that day, with a 10-minute special broadcast, but identification of the personnel was .withheld. Wreckage pictures and a pho tograph of Doctor Loeser (taken from The Frontier files) were flown to Omaha and transmitted by the Associated Press around the world. The Frontier’s pictures also were televised by WOW-TV (Omaha) at 10:15 Thursday night. * * * Letter Received— Besides his wife and five chil dren, Doctor Loeser also leaves a sister, Miss Ilse A. Loeser, of Brighton, Mass. In a letter to O’Neill she wrote: “You will realize what this news meant for his wife and chil dren and me. He who was so full of activity in each minute of his life, who saw so great plans ly ing ahead of him! “He always told us how friend ly and cooperative everybody had been in O’Neill and he found each kind of help he needed for his preparations for the test. “We read some of the details in the Boston papers.” * * * Says 'Thanks'— Major Tibbets, commanding of ficer for the temporary air in stallation here, asked The Fron tier to convey the air force’s ap preciation for kindnesses shown by civilians in connection with (he tragedy. He said people here were “very kind and considerate in many ways.” He made a special trip to thank Mrs. Boyd Boelter, farm woman, who first telephoned word of the accident to the head quarters at Fourth and Douglas streets. * * * Eddy an Athlete— Airman Donald Eddy, one of the crash victims, was being de pended upon to pitch for the air force basball team. He was an outstanding high school basket ball player and cut a figure in basketball and baseball circles at Hansen field, Bedford, Mass. * * * Work on Line— Airmen Populo and Wimmer who first reached the scene, are from Pittsburgh, Pa., and Zion, 111., respectively. They are oper ators of the big, mobile diesel generator which supplies electri city to the test site. * * * Wreckage Cleared— A lone sentry stood guard around the charred wreckage un til Saturday when Sioux City air base salvage personnel visited the scene cf the crash. Later, re maining bits of salvage were taken to an O’Neill garage. , Phone us your news — 51. Dobsons Enter Low Paving Bid (Continued from page 1.) These were the bids with tne name of the firm, bid on district 7, bid on district 8 and total list ed in that order: Dobson Bros. Construction Co„ Lincoln—$29,737.20 and $33,171.70 —total $62,908.90. Diamond Engineering Co.,. Grand Island — $2L202.1O and $34,743.96—total $65,'948.06. Salyers Construction Co., Ne ligh—$31,486.00 and $34,594 10 total $66,080.10. Dugdale Construction Co., Om aha—$31,812.30 and $34,902.67 — total $66,714.97. Missouri Valley Construction Co., Omaha—$33,050.00 and $£6 283.18—total $69,333.18. A spokesman, for the Dobson firm told the council he would expect to have equipment mov ed onto location "within three weeks." Work will be done si multaneously on the pool and paving. Meanwhile, the council is mak ing arrangements to have the pool excavated. The Dobson basic pool contract was $27,380- The Atkinson Sand & Gravel com pany had low bid on the bath house and sidewalks. The council has adopted a new ! minimum rate for water users. The new rate is 15 cents per thousand gallons instead of 10 ; cents. The rate applies to water users east of Fourth street for the period including July, Aug ust, September and October, 1953, and to water users west cf Fourth during June, July, Aug ust and September, 1953. Pushball Drivers Strapped in, Wear Crash Helmets CHAMBERS— Lots of folks | are asking: “What is pushball?” [ Well, it’s a two-team game— each team using three special ly-built cars which are* made with rollover bars to prevent injury to the driver when roll overs occur. Drivers are strapped in and wear heavy crash helmets as they struggle to push a 6-ft ball over a goal line. The drivers are remarkable specimens of courage and skill and there’s plenty of action. Pushball is on the agenda at the 1953 Holt county fair at Chambers, which opens Tues day, September 1, and closes Friday, September 4. The novel crash helmet guys will perform on the final two days with a two-hour show. Grandstand acts will include V-Roy and Co., with magic acts; Lew Fine and Jeanie, comedy emcee, music and im personations; Mary Jane Tru ax, acrobatics; The Cut-Ups band. RETURNS FROM KOREA Word has been received that Pfc. Harlan Kloepper, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Kloepper of O’ Neill is returning from duties in served on the front lines and Korea. Private Kloepper has also at Seoul, Korea. Mrs Clyde McKenzie, sr., and Mrs. Jack Bowlby of Lynch were Friday callers in the Clyde Mc Kenzie, jr., home. Connie Bowlby returned to Lynch with her mot her after spending a week visiting in the Clyde (McKenzie, jr., home. Earl Bauld arrived Sunday morning from Vancouver, Wash., for an extended visit with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Earl Bauld, sr. Butterfields to Meet at Columbus, in '54— Seventy - five descendants, of the late Fred Butterfield gather ed at the second annual family reunion at the Tahazuka park ’n Norfolk on Sunday, August 2. A basket dinner was enjoyed at noon. The afternoon was spent visiting and eating ice cream. There were some that were un able to attend. It was agreed by all to have the third annual reunion at a. park at Columbus on the first Sunday of Auugst, 1954. The officers — Mrs. Francis Boelter, president; Kenneth Ev er, secretary; Elvon Rice, trea surer—were reelected for anoth i er year. The oldest member present 1 was Mrs. Carl Boelter of Venus and the youngest was Susan Boelter of Craig. Those present were. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Eyer and family of Brunswick; Mr. and Mrs. Del bert Boelter of Creighton; Mr and Mrs. Kem Boelter and daughter of Craig; Mr. and Mis. Boyd Boelter and family of O' Neill; Mr. and Mrs. John Leiding end family, Mr. and Mrs. Arlie Ickler and family, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Sivesend, Mr. and Mrs. Ed die Williamson and daughter, all r.f Orchard; Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Rice, Mr. and Mrs. Elvon Rice and family, Mr. and Mrs. Fred rick. Rice and family, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Napier and family, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Wilson and family, all of Fairbury; Mr.' and Mrs. Francis Boelter and family of Page; Mr. and Mrs, Carl Boel ter, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Mont gomery and family, Mr. and Mrs. Max Le Master and daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Norman Rokahr, all of Venus; Mrs^ Elmer Alder and family of Verdigre. Mrs. Mitchell, 70, Funeral Today CLEARWATER—Word was re ceived here Monday morning of the death of Mrs. Anna McKim Mitchell, 70, on Sunday at Los Angeles, Calif. Mrs. Mitchell was born and raised in the Clearwater com munity, but for the past few years she had been in Los Angeles liv ing with her daughter, Mrs. Clar ence (Alma) Ingram. The body was brought to Clear water for burial. Funeral ser vices wil be held today (Thurs day) at 2 o’clock in the Methodist church. Mrs. Mitchell is survived by her daughter, Mrs. Clarence In gram of Los Angeles, Calif., and a son, Paul Pattee of Marion, S.D. She is an aunt of Lyle McKim of O’Neill. O'NEILL LOCALS Mr. and Mrs. Fred Heerman went to Sioux Falls, S. D., on Monday, July 27, where they attended the funeral of Mr. Heerman’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Henry Heerman, 52. Mrs. Henry Heerman is survived by her hus band and two sons, Harley and Bernard, all of Sioux Falls. Mr. and Mrs. John Wildes en tertained Mr. and Mrs. Max Lar sen and family of Lead, S. D., in their home from Saturday to Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. John Wildes and family and Mrs. Claude Hamilton left on Monday. July 27, for Monmouth. 111., for a vacation, and also to visit Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hamilton and family. En route home they spend a day in Chicago, HI. They returned Sat urday evening. Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Switzer went to Meadow Grove on Satur day to attend a homecoming gathering of old friends. They were overnight guests of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Horrocks south of Tilden and returned home Sunday evening. Ressel Again PMA Chairman— Returns on the Hoit county PMA committee election held ill O’Neill Friday, July 31, show that Harry E. Ressel of O’Neill was elected chairman, Fred R. Mack of Atkinson was elected vice-chairman, and Al J. Sauser of O’Neill was elected as third member. The first alternate is Homer Ernst of O’Neill, and the second alternate is Edward Hanley, al so of O’Neill. All of the commit - teemen are farmers. Committee men Ressel, Mack and Sauser were reelected. Second Meeting Calied— The Holt County Young Re publicans club will hold, a meet ing in the assembly room of the Holt county courthouse in O’Neill on Friday, August 7. at 8.15 p.m. This will be the seeorrd meeting of the organization, which was formed last month. Members of the internation ally famous Zippe troupe of bareback riders will be featur ed in the Gil Gray three-ring Slmne circus which plays Mon day, Tuesday and Wednesday, August 10, 11 and 12, in Nor folk. T" v 0 4-H Club Leader Is Surprised_ RBDBIRD — Mrs. Lila Hull was honored on her birthday anneversary, Sunday when the Red bird 4-H club, of which she is leader, met at the Hull home and presented hex with many gifts. Recreation was enjoyed in the basement, Dennis Darnell of Omaha and Johnny Hills of Rushvilie were guests. Mrs. Hull served pop* sickles and peaches. FIXING COUNTY LEVY Holt county officials this week are wrestling with the new tax levy. The problem has been eamplicated by the state board of equalization’s order last week to increase Holt city arid tov. i real estate values 438 percent; farm real estate, 207 percent’ household goods. 100 pec rent and business schedules, 25 per cent. 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