Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Memorial plans for Westfield, Massachusetts, jet crash. Two Air Force pilots were killed in 1952 crash. (With Video)


WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Closure is coming for a Cape Cod man whose dad died in a military jet crash in Westfield 59 years ago.

Two F-86 Air Force jets crashed during an Air Show at what was then Barnes Air Force Base in October of 1952. Much of the debris and crash artifacts ended up on the property of the East Mountain Country Club, which borders Barnes.

East Mountain Owner Mark Perez found much of the debris, did some research, and contacted Cape Cod resident Mark Danell, the son of one of the pilots.

Danell told 22News he never knew the details of how his dad died, "I was 5 years old at the time and of course don't remember very much, and grew up all my life not really understanding the details. In fact, I didn't even know the accident occurred at Barnes Airport. I thought it happened over at Westover where my dad was stationed in the Air Force."

East Mountain Country Club Owner Mark Perez wants to establish a memorial to the two pilots who were killed in that crash 59 years ago. Many of the recovered artifacts were on display for Monday night's presentation.

Perez is planning a fund raising golf tournament for the memorial next month. He hopes to have a dedication on the 60th anniversary of the crash in October of 2012.

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