{"id":74016,"date":"2025-02-07T16:46:29","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/american-history\/the-merriam-bomber-crash-of-1944-revisited\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T16:46:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:46:29","slug":"the-merriam-bomber-crash-of-1944-revisited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016","title":{"rendered":"The Merriam Bomber Crash of 1944 \u2013 Revisited"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Eighty years ago this month, at the height of World War II, the unthinkable happened in Merriam, Kansas. An American B-24J Liberator heavy bomber crashed into a neighborhood of suburban homes. Three airmen aboard the bomber were killed in the crash, and another three, plus three more on the ground, were injured. Four homes were heavily damaged when the fuselage hit the ground, and a fifth house was completely destroyed. What caused the plane to crash? And why was it flying over Johnson County in the first place?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5175\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2024\/07\/02\/the-merriam-bomber-crash-of-1944-revisited\/1-loc-2017696571-c-1943-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1024,829\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"1 LoC 2017696571 c.1943\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;A B-24 \u201cLiberty\u201d Bomber in flight. Courtesy Library of Congress. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A B-24 \u201cLiberty\u201d Bomber in flight. Courtesy Library of Congress. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg?w=390\" width=\"1024\" height=\"829\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of two large airplanes, both B-24 bombers, in flight over farm fields and wooded areas. Both planes feature the white star, indicating a U.S. military plane.\" class=\"wp-image-5175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg?w=119&amp;h=96 119w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg?w=390&amp;h=316 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg?w=768&amp;h=622 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A B-24 \u201cLiberty\u201d Bomber in flight. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2017696571\/\">Courtesy Library of Congress.<\/a><\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Configuring the Compass<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the morning of July 26, 1944, the bomber left Lincoln Army Air Field in Lincoln, Nebraska on a training run in advance of deploying to Europe. The bomber was under the command of and piloted by 2nd Lt. Kenneth H. Keech, a 1940 graduate of Shawnee Mission Rural High School (North today). The July 26th flight was to be the last test run for Keech and his crew of five \u2013 an opportunity to calibrate the bomber\u2019s compass. The Army Air Force had instructed the crew to fly at 7,000 feet and within 100 miles of the Air Field.<\/p>\n<p>The compass failed to properly operate during the test flight, and the crew found themselves near Kansas City, Kansas. Keech suggested they \u201cbuzz\u201d his in-laws and wife in Merriam, Kansas. Buzzing was the act of flying over one\u2019s home or other location. Buzzing was often done at high speeds, low altitudes, and with some aerobatics to impress family and friends.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buzzing Gone Wrong<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Spectators on the ground noted a plane flying no higher than 100 feet, and another said it nearly touched the treetops. There were no aerobatics or high speeds involved, however. In fact, it may have been low speed that brought the plane down. The B-24 Liberator was large with four propeller engines and was known for being a clunky flight at low altitudes and low speeds. As the airborne behemoth practically scraped the tips of the houses\u2019 roofs below, the pilot was unable to get the plane to ascend. Witnesses noted that the plane clipped a roof peak or tree. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5177\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2024\/07\/02\/the-merriam-bomber-crash-of-1944-revisited\/2-11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"831,739\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1656685080&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Mrs. James Bell of Shawnee snapped this image of the bomber piloted by Lt. Keech just before it crashed in Merriam, Kansas. Image was published in an unknown newspaper.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Mrs. James Bell of Shawnee snapped this image of the bomber piloted by Lt. Keech just before it crashed in Merriam, Kansas. Image was published in an unknown newspaper.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg?w=390\" width=\"831\" height=\"739\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg\" alt=\"Newspaper clipping with text and a photo. Photo shows a blurred airplane flying very low over trees, a house, a telephone pole, and a road. Article title is &quot;The wild B-24 nears its fata plunge in Johnson County, Kansas.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-5177\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg 831w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg?w=108&amp;h=96 108w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg?w=390&amp;h=347 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/2.jpeg?w=768&amp;h=683 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Mrs. James Bell of Shawnee snapped this image of the bomber piloted by Lt. Keech just before it crashed in Merriam, Kansas. Image was published in an unknown newspaper.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Keech himself later recalled that the plane felt like a car \u201csliding on ice.\u201d Unable to fly straight, Keech eventually saw nothing but air. Keech later recounted that he thought the plane was disintegrating in the air.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <em>Johnson County Herald<\/em>, \u201cfrantic spectators had watched the plane skimming over housetops and trees for some time before the crash. The Merriam telephone exchange was flooded with calls of complaints.\u201d One spectator remembered seeing the plane disappear behind trees, then a giant ball of black smoke rising into the air. Robert Gorham, a local teen, climbed a tree to see the plane better. When it crashed, the plane destroyed his bicycle, which he had parked under the tree.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Scene of the Crash<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When the smoke cleared, a path of wreckage was evident. Homes were in various levels of demolition, and several on fire. The plane had broken up, with the fuselage coming to stop between two houses. The propellers had flown off and fallen into homes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5179\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2024\/07\/02\/the-merriam-bomber-crash-of-1944-revisited\/3-8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"852,663\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1656685080&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"3\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;One of the homes damaged in Merriam. The house is missing its peak. This photo was taken by a military reconnaissance team sent to clean up the crash site.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;One of the homes damaged in Merriam. The house is missing its peak. This photo was taken by a military reconnaissance team sent to clean up the crash site.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg?w=390\" width=\"852\" height=\"663\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg\" alt=\"Black and white photo of a Cape Cod style house with the tip and corner of its roof shorn off. The attic is exposed but not visible, and roof shingles, siding, and fascia boards dangle from the home.\" class=\"wp-image-5179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg 852w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg?w=123&amp;h=96 123w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg?w=390&amp;h=303 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/3.jpeg?w=768&amp;h=598 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 852px) 100vw, 852px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>One of the homes damaged in Merriam. The house is missing its peak. This photo was taken by a military reconnaissance team sent to clean up the crash site.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The first house struck was the Bernadel home at 5511 Loomis (Antioch today), which had the peak of its roof shorn off. No one was harmed there because the Bernadels had gone to town. Across the street lived the pilot\u2019s in-laws, the Skeens, and his wife, Wilma Keech. Like the Bernadels, none of the residents were home when the plane came buzzing. A handful of other homes were damaged, including the Cates home where much of the wreckage could be found. The Gray home at 5418 Slater was entirely engulfed in flames. Trees, telephone poles, and electrical lines in the vicinity were knocked over.<\/p>\n<p>Some residents on the ground were injured in the crash. A.I. Lang of 5421 Slater was hit by debris and went into a state of shock. Another resident, Mary Rice of 6522 Woodlea, was thrown from a chair in her home and lacerated her hip. Mrs. Gray was severely burned when the plane came to a rest against her home at 5418 Slater. The mother of three escaped her home through a broken window before it was completely engulfed in flames. Luckily her young children were playing in a neighbor\u2019s yard and were uninjured in the accident.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5182\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2024\/07\/02\/the-merriam-bomber-crash-of-1944-revisited\/4-10\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"819,706\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1656685080&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"4\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Illustration of the path the crashing bomber took in Merriam. This was originally published in the Kansas City Times newspaper.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Illustration of the path the crashing bomber took in Merriam. This was originally published in the Kansas City Times newspaper.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg?w=390\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"819\" height=\"706\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg\" alt=\"Black and white, likely hand-drawn, illustration of the neighborhood in which the plane crashed. It shows the plane on the homes the plane destroyed, and is titled &quot;The path cut by an army bomber in Northeast Johnson County.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-5182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg?w=111&amp;h=96 111w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg?w=390&amp;h=336 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4.jpeg?w=768&amp;h=662 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Illustration of the path the crashing bomber took in Merriam. This was originally published in the Kansas City Times newspaper.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>A \u201cResult of Recklessness\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Following the crash, residents of the neighborhood helped pull the living clear of the plane\u2019s wreckage, while volunteer firefighters responded to the fires and an ambulance attended to three crew members injured on the ground. The military dispatched a crew from the Olathe Naval Air Station to secure the perimeter and retrieve what was left of the fuselage and all of the plane components scattered among yards, gardens, homes, and driveways. Ultimately, three of the six crew members died in the accident. Keech was thrown from the cockpit through a hole that was torn in the bomber\u2019s side. Incredibly, the pilot survived to tell his tale.<\/p>\n<p>In his reports, Keech blamed the accident on medical treatments he received for severe tonsilitis during the week prior the flight. Keech claimed sulfadiazine \u2013 the drug he was treated with daily \u2013 could have disoriented him. While it is true that the Army Air Forces prohibited pilots from flying for five days after their last dose of sulfa drugs and that side effects included disorientation and depth perception issues, medical officials and military experts instead cited pilot error, negligence, and flying at dangerously low altitudes as the major causes of the crash. The <em>Johnson County Herald<\/em> opined the crash was the \u201cresult of recklessness and damn foolishness in the piloting of a plane.\u201d [image 5]<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5183\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2024\/07\/02\/the-merriam-bomber-crash-of-1944-revisited\/5-2017020001-1-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"882,586\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"5 2017020001-1\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo of the historic plaque in Merriam marking the location of the crash. Johnson County Museum.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo of the historic plaque in Merriam marking the location of the crash. Johnson County Museum.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg?w=390\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"882\" height=\"586\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg\" alt=\"Color image of a metal historical marker with trees and grass in the background. The marker has an illustration of the B24 bomber and reads: &quot;WWII Plane Crashes into Homes. The crash site of the B24J Liberator Bomber on July 26, 1944, damaging four homes and destroying a fifth; topping several trees, downing electric and telephone lines and scattering plane parts over several blocks. This resulted in injuries to three civilians, major injuries to three crewman, and the death of the other three crewmen. In memory of the crewmen killed: Lt. James B. Davis - Oklahoma City, OK; Cpl. Calvin H. Somers - Brownsville, PA; Cpl. E.G. Vellone - Syracuse, NY. Historic Merriam 2014.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-5183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg 882w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg?w=128&amp;h=85 128w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg?w=390&amp;h=259 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/5-2017020001-1.jpg?w=768&amp;h=510 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Photo of the historic plaque in Merriam marking the location of the crash. <a href=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.org\/digital\/collection\/jcm\/id\/17036\/rec\/16\">Johnson County Museum.<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Living with the History<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the 50th anniversary of the accident, on July 26, 1994, the <em>Journal Herald<\/em> newspaper interviewed Keech. He told how he thought about the accident often \u2013 it haunted him \u2013 and how he had struggled to come to terms with what we would call \u201csurvivor\u2019s guilt\u201d today. For years, Keech had experienced \u201cpainful flashbacks.\u201d In the crash, his left arm had been so severely burned that it was later amputated. He had received no training or therapy for surviving with just one arm and had struggled mentally and physically. But Keech counted himself lucky \u2013 he survived the crash, as did two of the other crew members, 2nd Lt. Guy L. McMackin and Sgt. Charles E. Edwards, who had been critically burned.<\/p>\n<p>Afterall, not everyone was so lucky. In the crash had perished 2nd Lt. James B. Davis of Oklahoma City, OK; Capt. Calvin H. Somers of Brownsville, PA; and Capt. E.G. Vellone of Syracuse, NY. Kenneth Keech died in 2004. The accident has been commemorated in Merriam with a historic plaque and bench, placed in 2014. It is located along Antioch, south of the intersection with 55th Terrace, on the west side of the street. Although the neighborhood surrounding the site looks very different today, the plaque serves as a reminder of a tragic moment in Johnson County\u2019s World War II history.<\/p>\n<p><em>You can always learn more about Johnson County\u2019s history by visiting JoCoHistory.org and visiting the Johnson County Museum! The Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm. Go to jcprd.com\/museum to plan your visit, learn about our special exhibitions, and upcoming programming and our quarterly Free Days!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eighty years ago this month, at the height of World War II, the unthinkable happened in Merriam, Kansas. An American B-24J Liberator heavy bomber crashed into a neighborhood of suburban homes. Three airmen aboard the bomber were killed in the crash, and another three, plus three more on the ground, were injured. Four homes were [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":74017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12032],"tags":[485,3034,28379,28033],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-74016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-history","tag-bomber","tag-crash","tag-merriam","tag-revisited"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Merriam Bomber Crash of 1944 \u2013 Revisited - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Merriam Bomber Crash of 1944 \u2013 Revisited - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Eighty years ago this month, at the height of World War II, the unthinkable happened in Merriam, Kansas. An American B-24J Liberator heavy bomber crashed into a neighborhood of suburban homes. Three airmen aboard the bomber were killed in the crash, and another three, plus three more on the ground, were injured. Four homes were [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-07T16:46:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"829\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371\"},\"headline\":\"The Merriam Bomber Crash of 1944 \u2013 Revisited\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-07T16:46:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016\"},\"wordCount\":1329,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-loc-2017696571-c.1943.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Bomber\",\"Crash\",\"Merriam\",\"revisited\"],\"articleSection\":[\"American History\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=74016\",\"name\":\"The Merriam Bomber Crash of 1944 \u2013 Revisited - 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