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World War II Honoree

Killed in World War II

Ben E. Wall

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Madison, North Carolina

Honored By

Jerry Penry

Branch Seal
Activity During WWII

RANK: CORPORAL. SERVED AS A B-17G ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ BOMBER FLIGHT ENGINEER, WHO WAS KILLED AUGUST 5, 1944 WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A MID-AIR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER ‘FLYING FORTRESS’. A GROUP OF EIGHTEEN B-17’S OUT OF THE SIOUX CITY, IOWA ARMY AIR FIELD WERE ON A FORMATION FLIGHT-TRAINING MISSION WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. WHILE CONDUCTING A NORMAL TURN THAT INVOLVED THE ENTIRE 18-SHIP FORMATION, TWO OF THE BOMBERS COLLIDED. BOTH PLANES OUT OF CONTROL CRASHED IN THE VICINITY OF LAUREL, NEBRASKA FATALLY INJURING SEVENTEEN CREWMEMBERS, WITH ONE PILOT PARACHUTING TO SAFETY.