B-50 Crash Near Butte County Line
B-50 Superfortress
On January 13, 1953 a B-50 Superfortress,
based at Castle Air Force Base,
crashed near Gridley, California.
All 12 crewmen were lost and are listed below.
(Read the news article from the Oroville Mercury - Register)
Crew of the B-50
| Name | Rank | Age | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis F. Duffy | Technical Sergeant | 27 | Atwater, CA |
| Bobby G. Theuret | Technical Sergeant | 29 | Atwater, CA |
| William H. Clarke | Master Sergeant | 32 | Merced, CA |
| Wallace N. Schwart | Master Sergeant | 28 | Maywood, IL |
| Gerald W. Fallon | Lieutenant Colonel | 34 | Merced, CA |
| William P. McMillan | Major | 37 | Atwater, CA |
| William S. Raker | Captain | 27 | Atwater, CA |
| Joe L. Bradshaw | Master Sergeant | 37 | Atwater, CA |
| A. J. William B. Crutchfield | 27 | Atwater, CA | |
| Charles W. Hesse | Airman First Class | 21 | Sauk Center, MN |
| Edward Y. Williams | Captain | 33 | Spokane, WA |
| George D. Griffitts | Lieutenant | 23 | Hico, TX |