TELECPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN
CAPTAIN JOHNSON, CHIEF OF POLICE, BEDFORD, VIRGINIA, AND
MAJOR H. J. REID, FEBRURY 3, 1943
REID: Captain Johnson, this is Major
Reid.
JOHONSON: All right.
REID: I have information that you
reported an aircraft accident in your vicinity. Can you
give me the dope on that?
JOHNSON: The plane has on it number
129828. That came off the rudder - to the best of my
ability. Five bodies have been found. One has a little
hair left on the head and could possibly be identified.
One cap in the bunch was found and has George R. Beninga
on it. This was on the east side of the peak - Outer
Mountain - about half a mile from top of peak. I do not
know anything about what it hit. It came over Bedford
about 10:00 and crashed into the Peak immediately. It
crashed and was on fire in less than one minute after it
passed over here. It sounded like there was some motor
trouble as it came over here. It was very low going over
here. It crashed and exploded - it was like a sharp clap
of thunder the natives said.
REID: How far is this from
Bedford?
JOHNSON: The Peak is about twelve
miles. You can go about ten, and the rest is regular
mountain scaling that takes about 2 1/4 hours.
REID: Have you examined
vicinity?
JOHNSON: No, I have not. There is a
State Trooper there. I am getting all the information I
can. We are all cooperating on it.
REID: Is the nearest airport at
Roanoke?
JOHNSON: I would assume that it
is.
REID: The nearest place we can
land?
JOHNSON: Yes. Have you been in contact
with Major Daniels, Columbia Air Base?
REID: Yes. I have him on the phone
now.
JOHNSON: I want do anything else. I'll
keep everything intact.