Plane Crash In Franklin Mountains - 1944

Plane Crash In Franklin Mountains - 1944

BOEING B-24 HEAVY BOMBER CRASHES INTO MOUNT FRANKLIN IN JULY 1944. JACKSON POLK REMINISCES: "This is the plane, plus the flight crew and the ground crew of the B-24 that crashed into Mount Franklin in July, 1944. My aunt, Mary Jackson, later Mary Hellums, was dating the pilot of this plane when it hit the mountain. He had given her the pic, and she put it into a file for 5 decades+ when he died. Aunt Mary brought it out and gave it to me in 2000 when she heard I was producing a film about Mount Franklin called "Legends of El Paso's Mountains." It kinda spooked me out one day when I was hiking up near that crash when I found an intact button from the coat of a US Army uniform in the wash down mountain from that crash."

Area: Northeast / Ft. Bliss

Source: El Paso History Alliance

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

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My Dad Hermenejildo Medina also helped to erect that Memorial. It was located in the hills behind my Aunts house and we as kids would play in those hills when we were kids. Glad to see that those responsible for that Memorial got some recognition. May those that lost their lives RIP.

My Dad, S/Sgt. John H. Cyrus was on a bomber awaiting take off a witnessed the crash. I understand that it was a night training mission and that the crash was around dusk. Dad was in crew traing at Biggs Field went on to fly 42 missions with the 449th BG(H) out of Italy.

A memorial marker White Cross erected by the people who lived in the area headed by Mr. Marcos Uribe with his Boy Scout troop and men from Our Lady of Guadalupe church maintained the memorial for many years unil Mr. Uribe passed away. the White Cross could be seen as far as Cielo Vista as you are driving west on I10. Now the memorial Cross is gone. Do you have any idea what might have happened to it. It was a land mark for many El Pasoans and a sacred spot for for men who died that day.

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