World War 2 Plane Crash Near San Jacinto High School

[57Tbird]

I lived on Elgin, a few blocks NW of San Jacinto High School, when I was a kid during WWII.  i was playing outside one afternoon and heard a plane coming over very low.  I looked up and a single engine plane that looked like a military trainer was coming down with smoke pouring from its engine.  I remember hearing a boom and then smoke coming up from a short distance away.  I ran into the house and told my mother what I had seen, and that I was going to see what happened.  She told me to stay put.  We heard a lot of sirens soon after.  I think it must have been 1943-44 time-frame

 

We later heard heard that the plane had come down on the San Jacinto High School campus.  I do not remember if the pilot died.  I don't think there were any injuries at the school.  It was late afternoon or on a weekend.

 

I cannot find anything about this incident.  Can one of you research experts help on this.  Surely there is an access to a Houston Chronicle archive.  I tried the Houston Public Library, but I don't have a card.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

 

[Michelle C]

I too would be interested in finding the answer to that question. I'm a San Jacinto alumni. I did a little research and found one military aircraft from Ellington that crashed July 30, 1942 in Houston. It does not say where in Houston but if it was on the base it would say Ellington. Some times they will give a better location like 5 miles northwest of the field or something of that nature. I have only got through the month of Jan. for 1942.
Do you remember what time of the year the crash occurred? Summer? Close to Christmas? San Jacinto High is about 16 miles northwest of Ellington as the crow flies.
 
here's a link for the 1943 Crashes. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Oct1943S.htm

Edited May 19, 2014 by Michelle C

[JLWM8609]

Someone posted a few years back that a plane crashed somewhere near OST around that timeframe.

[57Tbird]

I too would be interested in finding the answer to that question. I'm a San Jacinto alumni. I did a little research and found one military aircraft from Ellington that crashed July 30, 1942 in Houston. It does not say where in Houston but if it was on the base it would say Ellington. Some times they will give a better location like 5 miles northwest of the field or something of that nature. I have only got through the month of Jan. for 1942.

Do you remember what time of the year the crash occurred? Summer? Close to Christmas? San Jacinto High is about 16 miles northwest of Ellington as the crow flies.

 

here's a link for the 1943 Crashes. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Oct1943S.htm

 

I'm not sure, but it was probably Summer, and could have been 1942.  Since it was a military plane, it was probably based at Ellington.  Looking at a map, I was more due north and less than 1/2 mile from SJ.  I vaguely remember another crash that was in the Lovett/Montrose area back then.  It was not far from where a relative lived.

[NenaE]

The 1947 topography maps show 4 airports South of the crash area. I read somewhere that Ellington used these smaller fields for WWII pilot training, practice (take offs, landings, soft field, touch and go's). I imagine that is why the crash happened so close to residential areas. 

 

--- Skyport (S. of Holmes Rd and Griggs Rd, East of Mykawa)

--- Cunningham Airport (OST at Almeda Rd)

--- S. Main St. Airport (Brays Bayou directly N of)

--- Sam Houston Airport (Largest) near Lotus (town?) N. of Blue Ridge Prison Farm

 

This info. is on the Park Place and Bellaire maps.