P-38 readied for flight at Chico Airdrome
December 1, 1944
(Photo provided by
Aviation Archaeology Investigation & Research)
The Chico Army Airdrome trained Army Air Corps pilots to fly the
P- 38 & P-39 during World War II.
Airport Site
The Chico Airdrome is now the Chico Municipal
Airport, located 2 1/2 miles (4km) north-east of Chico on Cohasset
Road.
Airdrome Fatalities out of Chico
| Date | Aircraft | Name | Crash Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26SEP41 | AT-6A | Driscoll, John | 10 mi NE of Chico, CA |
| 12OCT42 | BT-13 | ||
| 1JUN42 | Pristavec, Ernest J | Burns from explosion | |
| 5OCT42 | Vanskaitis, Frank E | Accute heart ailment | |
| 4DEC42 | Gold, Murry | Parachute failure | |
| 22MAR43 | BT-13A | Wool, Frederick G | Into Sacramento River, 4 Mi SE Red Bluff Arpt |
| 22MAR43 | BT-13A | Rose, Orville, Jr. | Into Sacramento River, 4 Mi SE Red Bluff Arpt |
| 7MAY43 | BT-13 | Knautz, Richard L | 6 Mi S Hamilton City, CA |
| 7MAY43 | BT-13 | Gilbert, Herman, Jr. | 6 Mi S Hamilton City, CA |
| 6JUL43 | Godbold, William B | Heat stroke | |
| 27JUL43 | BT-13A | Meeks, Kenneth W | 52 Mi E Aux Field No 2, CA |
| 5SEP43 | Owocki, Stanley | Died on furlough | |
| 16SEP43 | BT-13A | Brewer, Charlie W | 5 Mi SW Chico, CA |
| 5DEC43 | BT-13A | Nordale, Arnold M | Aux Field No 3, CAAF |
| 8DEC1943 | BT-13A | McLaughlin, Richard S. | 2 mi SW Hamilton City |
| 17DEC43 | BT-13 | Harter, Linus H Jr | Aux Field No 1, CAAF, Chico, CA |
| 7JAN44 | BT-13A | Garner, Bill G | 5 1/2 Mi NE Willows, CA |
| 25FEB44 | BT-13 | Richey, Willis J | 1/2 Mi N Chico AAF Aux 3, Vina, CA |
| 23APR44 | P-39Q | Chapman, Ernest A | 35 Mi NW Cheyenne, WY |
| 23APR44 | P-39Q | Jenkins, Richard H Jr | 35 Mi NW Cheyenne, WY |
| 15MAY44 | P-39Q | Moen, Merland E | Last seen between Farallones & Pescadero,CA |
| 22MAY44 | P-63A | Meyer, Marx E | 1 mi NW of Chico AAF, CA |
| 9JUN44 | P-63A | Laham, Edward W | 1 mi E of Nelson, CA |
| 19JUN44 | P-63A | Claflin, Ralph B, Jr | 2mi N of Chico AAF, Chico, CA |
| 8JUL44 | P-63A | Wilson, Meurnice S | 12 mi SW of Corning, CA |
| 17JUL44 | P-63A | Madison, Wallace D | 1 mi W of Chico AAF, CA |
| 7AUG44 | P-63A | Oetgen, John | 2 mi W of Sutter, CA |
| 1SEP44 | P-38L | Morel, Leo, L, Jr | 1 mi E of Orland, CA |
| 23OCT44 | P-38L | Bryan, Walter T | 1 mi W of Chico AAF, CA |
| 15NOV44 | P-38G | Towry, Charles R Jr | 10M NW Chico, CA |
| 7DEC44 | Petro, Charles | Propeller accident, Hayward AAF, CA | |
| 8DEC44 | P-38L | Baurain, Allan | 2.5M WSW Hayward, CA |
| 8DEC44 | P-38L | Duke, Btron K Jr | 2M W Princeton, CA |
| 1JAN45 | P-38L | Orzel, Stanley Jr | Fire in flight. Crashed 3 mi. west of Chico |
| 19FEB45 | P-38L | Morgan, Earl A | 22M NW Barstow, CA |
| 19FEB45 | P-38L | Mogensen, Walter E | 22M NW Barstow, CA |
| 19MAR45 | P-38L | Hines, William E Jr | 3M E Durham, CA |
| 21MAR45 | P-38L | Habig, Charles J | 5M SW Red Bluff, CA |
| 24MAR45 | P-38L | Knecht, John F | 10M ESE Marysville, CA |
| 26APR45 | PT-13B | Standridge, Howard C | 10M NE Folsom, CA |
| 26APR45 | PT-13B | Garmong, Charles M | 10M NE Folsom, CA |
| 28JUL45 | BT-13B | Stewart, John L | Crashed on take-off, Chico AAF |
| 6NOV45 | B-29 | Evans, Robert M | 12M NE Chico, CA |
| 6NOV45 | B-29 | Moffett, Charles S | 12M NE Chico, CA |
| 6NOV45 | B-29 | Powell, Wayne B | 12M NE Chico, CA |
Crash data provided by Aviation Archaeology Investigation & Research