Life in Rhode Island is peaceful and quiet overall, which is just the way we like it. And while we aren’t immune to tragedy in the Ocean State, it’s rare that you hear about something as awful as a deadly plane crash. But during World War II, news broke of a young pilot who had met his fate after an Army P-47B fighter aircraft caught fire. A second pilot barely escaped death in the tragedy. And even though the better part of a century has passed since, the crash will never be forgotten.
Rhode Island didn’t play a huge role in World War II history, but of course, every state was impacted.
CorpsNewEngland / Flickr During the war, the Air Force took over the Hillsgrove State Airport in Warwick for training purposes. At the end of the war, the airfield was returned to service as a state airport.
The Air Force’s time in Rhode Island was mostly without incident.
CorpsNewEngland / Flickr But unfortunately, there was one deadly plane crash — and we still aren’t entirely sure how it happened.
On March 24, 1943, two Army P-47B fighter aircraft (41-6002) and (41-6040) were forced to make emergency landings.
Wikipedia They had been training in Southern Rhode Island, and the reasons for the training — as well as the emergency landing — remain unknown.
One of the planes was piloted by light Officer Oscar C. Kline from Barrington, New Jersey.
Wikipedia Officer Kline, who was just 22, came down on Nooseneck Hill Road in West Greenwich, barely missing a car before crashing in the woods near the highway. The plane caught fire, but the driver of the vehicle that was almost hit was able to extinguish the flames quickly with the help of some other passersby.
Unfortunately, Officer Kline died as he was being removed from the plane. The second P-47B landed farther down Nooseneck Hill Road in the town of Richmond, and that pilot survived.
CorpsNewEngland / Flickr Witnesses told investigators that the two P-47s had circled the area several times with their wheels down before attempting to land. And while we will never know exactly what happened, the tragedy of a life lost so young (which happened entirely too often in World War II) will never be forgotten.
Had you heard of this tragic plane crash before today? Here’s another glimpse of life in Rhode Island during World War II.
CorpsNewEngland / Flickr
During the war, the Air Force took over the Hillsgrove State Airport in Warwick for training purposes. At the end of the war, the airfield was returned to service as a state airport.
But unfortunately, there was one deadly plane crash — and we still aren’t entirely sure how it happened.
Wikipedia
They had been training in Southern Rhode Island, and the reasons for the training — as well as the emergency landing — remain unknown.
Officer Kline, who was just 22, came down on Nooseneck Hill Road in West Greenwich, barely missing a car before crashing in the woods near the highway. The plane caught fire, but the driver of the vehicle that was almost hit was able to extinguish the flames quickly with the help of some other passersby.
CorpsNewEngland / Flickr
Witnesses told investigators that the two P-47s had circled the area several times with their wheels down before attempting to land. And while we will never know exactly what happened, the tragedy of a life lost so young (which happened entirely too often in World War II) will never be forgotten.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
