Looking Back: 1957

1957 Bomber explodes in midair

Chuck JohnsChuck Johns was 11 years old at the time of the crash, attending the Wednesday night church service in the 1905 sanctuary of First Baptist Church in Pittsburg.“E.S. Shirley, our preacher, and the congregation heard a loud boom. Everyone thought a storm was brewing. As we exited the church, there were no signs of bad weather and sirens were sounding. We found out there had been an Air Force bomber crash about five miles from town on FM 2254 or Arch Davis Road at the Peterson Road intersection.Being just 11 at the time, perhaps some of my recollection is a bit skewed. However, I do remember visiting the crash site on the east side of Arch Davis Road and seeing several large craters with parts and papers strewn all over the area. Papers even landed in our yard in Pecan Grove some few miles from the site.According to official Air Force investigation records, the plane, a B-47 out of Little Rock AFB in Arkansas, developed an inflight fire during a midair refueling operation at an altitude of 7,000 feet.

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