16 April 1944
Collision and Death of Two Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
The 38
Jayne Elizabeth Erickson 44-6
(14 Apr 1921)
&
Mary Holmes Howson 44-4
(Feb 16, 1919)
 |
| Women Airforce Service Pilots Jayne Erickson & Mary Howson |
Excerpt from To Live and Die a WASP:
At Avenger Field on
April 16, 1944, Elizabeth Erickson (44-W-6), with 111 days still left before
graduation, was almost half way through her training.
Twenty-five-year-old Mary
Howson (44-W-4) was in the homestretch, with just 38 days to go. It was a warm Sunday
afternoon with a light, southeasterly breeze—a good day for flying.
Mary,
flying solo, was the last of her classmates to approach for a landing.They
were completing a 530-mile roundtrip training flight around San Antonio.
Elizabeth was practicing touch and go landings. Previously, she had made three
of these practice landings with her instructor, but now, she was alone in the
cockpit and lining up for another landing.
Both women were flying AT-6 Texan
trainers. For some reason, the ground controller didn’t notice that the women
were both at 800 feet and descending from opposite directions. Both were on
their next to the last turn, in preparation for their final approach to the
runway. Elizabeth and Mary were on a collision course. …
 |
| Women Airforce Service Pilots Jayne Erickson & Mary Howson |
Just after 1:20 p.m., Mary Howson and
Elizabeth Erickson’s AT-6s slammed into each other. As the planes began
tumbling, Mary managed to unfasten her harness, climb out of the cockpit, and
jump, but she was too low and her parachute never completely opened. Elizabeth
had no chance at all. She was trapped in her cockpit and unable to jump. Both
women died instantly just a few yards apart.
The following evening, all of the trainees and training
staff attended a memorial service for both women in the Avenger Field
gymnasium. Classmates took up a collection to send both friends home.
Mickie Carmichael (44-W-4) accompanied Mary home for her
funeral and burial in the Washington Memorial Chapel Churchyard, Valley Forge,
Pennsylvania.
Elinor Fairchild (44-W-6), Elizabeth’s friend, accompanied
Elizabeth to her burial in Seattle’s Lake View Cemetery.
RIP
