KIOWA MEMORIAL

The property owner, Bob Newhouse has been kind enough to donate a small portion of his private land near the crash site for the granite monument. Please respect his privacy and his property by not crossing any fence lines and by not leaving any refuse behind. The area is mostly private ranch land so the ceremony will take place on the public right of way near the crash site. All private land will be fenced and marked. Chemical toilets will be available. Please bring some drinking water.

Mr. Chuck Marvel in memory of crewman Harold E. Humphrey

Diane (Affeldt), George, Holly and Danielle Knott, Daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters of crewman Martin F. Affeldt

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Gazda and family in memory of crewman Martin F. Affeldt

Mr. Bela I. Marton in memory of crewman Edward S. Meszaros

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ritzel in memory of crewman George A. Ritzel

Mr. and Mrs. Marv Maul

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Marvel

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Carpenter

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Maul

Mr. Joe Jordan

Mr. Glenn Rydman

Mr. and Mrs. Brooks Imperial

Bob Newhouse

Glenn Hart

Henry Imperial

Kristin Crofford

Elbert County Commissioners, Sheriff's Department and Road & Bridge Department

Elbert Fire Department

Kiowa Lions Club

Elizabeth Boy Scout Troop 636

2 Triple Cities men Killed in Same Accident

- - - - - - - - -

Lieut. M. F. Affeldt and Tech Sgt. H. E. Humphrey Are Victims

- - - - - - - -

When a crippled bomber plummeted to earth Aug. 9 near Denver, Co. It carried two Triple Cities men to their death, it was learned today.

An army captain brought this story East with him from Pueblo Colo., where an Army Air Forces base is located, when he accompanied the bodies of 2nd Lt. Martin F. Affeldt, 23, son of Herman and the late Mrs. Margaret Affeldt of 9 Bevier Street, and Tech. Sgt. Harold E. Humphrey, 24, son of Mr. And Mrs. Merle Humphrey, 257 Main St, Johnson City

The deaths of the two men were reported separately late last week but it wasn’t until the officer from the Pueblo air base arrived in Binghamton that it was learned the two men died in the same crash.

The accident occurred when a flight of bombers left its base to go on a practice mission. Sergeant Humphrey was an instructor on one of the bombers while Lieutenant Affeldt was a bombardier taking one if his last practice runs before assignment overseas.

The formation was proceeding along its course near Denver, the captain explained, when a part from one of the plane’s engines flew off and did considerable damage to a wing of the plane. Crippled, the bomber went into a screaming dive from 16,000 feet above the earth, carrying its crew to death.

“They never had a chance to use their parachutes,” he explained.

Sergeant Humphrey, a veteran of 50 missions as a bomber radio operator overseas, would not have been aboard the plane if the regular instructor for that flight had not been ill. He volunteered to take the post and met his death.

[Retyped from the original article held by Tom and Carol Gazda, source at this time unknown but presumed to be the local news paper in Binghamton NY at the time. – July 08, 2008]