Oroville Mercury Register (OMR) June 1, 1955
Chico Air force Officer Killed In B47 Crackup by United
Press
Plane crashes have killed eight persons across the nation and 15
more persons escaped injury when an airliner cracked up off the
end of a runway. The crashes reported Tuesday night brought
the two-day total of air deaths to 16. A plane crash in New
Mexico on Memorial Day killed seven airmen and a stunt flier died
when his plane crashed before a holiday throng. The newest
fatal crashed killed four airmen at Shreveport, La., and took the
lives of four persons returning from the Memorial Day automobile
races at Indianapolis.
The Shreveport smashup occurred when a B47 stratojet medium bomber
climbed 500 feet after takeoff, leveled off, and suddenly crashed
in flames onto a taxi strip. The dead were Maj. William H. Perkins,
35, aircraft commander, Decatur Ill., Lt. Col
Frank J. P. Rasor,
37, pilot, San Antonio Tex., Maj.
Robert J. Waste,
38, observer Chico, Calif; and Airman Richard C. Olivo,
22, crew chief, Huntingdon, Pa.
Maj. Robert J. Waste, 38, one of the four men killed in a B17 crash
at Shreveport, La., was a native of Chico. His mother, Mrs.
Mabel Waste, of West
Third Ave., Chico, was notified yesterday of his death. Born in
Chico on Sept. 27, 1916, Maj. Waste was educated in the Chico schools
and was graduated from Chico High School and Chico State College.
He also received a master’s degree from the University of California.
During World War II, Major Waste served with the Military
Air Transport command and served at several overseas bases.
He enlisted in the Air Force in 1941 and was sent to the Ryan School
of Aeronautics. After graduation, he was transferred to Mather
Field where he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He is
survived by his wife, Sue
Dea; four children,
Rebecca Anne,
Robert Jr.,
Thomas and
Mary. His wife
and children live at Bossier City, La., a brother ,
Harry, lives at Vancouver,
B. C. Funeral services are pending at the Case Funeral Home in Chico.
OMR 1945
Chico Man Dies
O’Brien, Raymond Hanley,
machinist’s mate 2c, dead. Wife, Mrs.
Mildred B. O’Brien,
Magnolia Ave., Chico.
Chico Soldier Killed
Paul L. Entler, T5,
son of Mrs. Ellsie M. Entler,
Route 1, Chico, has been reported killed in action in the European
area, according to an official announcement of the Office of War
Information.
Stu’s Notes: Well I know most of my readers are in the
Oroville area, but the above men lived but 20 miles away and we
are Oroville Veterans Memorial Park for all of Butte County now.
They died for all of us. They died for America. Major
Robert J. Waste was one of those brave men and women that flew in
the hundreds of different planes that we had over the years in our
Army air corp. and our U. S. Air Force and Navy and National
Guard Flyers, woops don’t forget the Marines and Coast Guard .
Did I miss anyone. Some planes were good some were bad.
I recall the B47 was a good and bad plane. But it was needed
in a very critical time in the Cold War. It actually could
do a barrel roll pretty rare for a strategic bomber, but I think,
I have been told, it was a hard plane to fly. This is all
I know of M. Mate 2class Raymond Hanley O’Brien and T5 Paul L. Entler.
I found these stories a long time ago, before we were a County Wide
Memorial.