World War II Honoree

Howard C. Austin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lincoln, Nebraska

Honored By

Jerry Penry

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. SERVED AS A BOMBARDIER OF A B-24 ‘LIBERATOR’ BOMBER, WHO WAS KILLED OCTOBER 4, 1942 WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT SUFFERED ENGINE FAILURE AND CRASHED DURING AN INSTRUMENT SPEED CALIBRATION TEST MISSION. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED AT THE SIOUX CITY ARMY AIRFIELD, IOWA AND DURING THE MISSION, ADVERSE WEATHER AND ICING CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERE ENGINE CARBURETOR ICING AND SUBSEQUENTLY LEADED TO THE FAILURE OF ALL FOUR ENGINES. AFTER LOSING CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT GAVE THE COMMAND FOR THE CREW TO BAIL OUT AND THEN CRASHED LANDED THE BOMBER WITH A GEAR-UP ATTITUDE IN A FIELD NEAR WAYNE, NEBRASKA. FIVE CREWMEN PARACHUTED TO SAFETY EXCEPT THE BOMBARDIER AND NAVIGATOR WHO DIED DURING THE CRASH LANDING. THE PILOT AND COPILOT SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT.