“South Dakota’s Most Disastrous Crash”
(Note: any text in italics has been taken from the official SDSHS records.)
Marker Text
The most disastrous crash to occur in South Dakota was on the hillside one-quarter mile southeast of this marker on December 11, 1943 at about 5 o’clock P.M.
A B-17F airplane on a routine training flight out of Ellsworth Air Base, near Rapid City came down and was destroyed at that place then.
Three officers, five sergeants and two privates, whose names are listed below were killed: 2nd Lt. Walter J. Wascher, Freeport, N.Y.;
2nd Lt. Terrelk C.L. Brady, Jr., Huntsville, Ala.; 2nd Lt. Harold Cablentz, Detroit, Mich.;
Staff Sgt. Frank J. Savasti, Ft. Edward, N.Y.; Sgts.: Lloyd H. Beaty, Monroe, Tenn.;
Paul J. Wilkins, Vernal, Utah; James T. Consideine, Chicago, Ill.; Alvin L. Kepley, Chapel Hill, N.C.;
Pfc. Amerigo L. Augustini, Clairtown, Pa.; Pvt. James E. Simms, Urich, Missouri
The names, the addresses show this crew to have been a cross section of America and they as truly gave their lives to their country, as did men shot down in the theatre of operations.”
Location
Todd County, US 18 13 miles west of Mission and west of Little White River (1988)