Name: Charles E. Wilson
March 3, 1922 – June 6, 1945
Class: TE-44-C
Graduation date: March 12, 1944
Rank: Flight Officer
Unit: 477th (Med) Bombardment Group
Service # T62057
Charles E. Wilson graduated from Advance Flying training at Tuskegee Army Air Field as a Flight Officer on March 12, 1944 as a twin-engine pilot. His entire twin engine class was immediately transferred to Mather Field, Calif for B-25 Transition Training. He then joined the 477th (Med) Bombardment Group on June 3, 1944 and was assigned to the 619th Bombardment Squadron (M) on June 24, 1944.
As an active participant of the Freeman Field Mutiny, he was one of the 101 officers arrested on April 13, 1945 for refusing to sign Base Regulation 85-2. The newly created Base Regulation 85-2 dated April 9. 1945 was created by Col. Selway.
85-2 barred all black officers from using any of the quarters, messing, and recreational facilities which had been designated for all Base, Supervisory, Instructor, and Command personnel.
All Officer, Flight Officer, and Warrant Officer personnel undergoing OTU Combat Crew, and Ground and Air Replacement Training were order to utilize separate quarters, messing, and recreational facilities.
Personnel undergoing OTU Combat Crew, and Ground and Air Replacement Training was defined as follows:
- Personnel assigned to the 477th Bomb Group (M), except those officially designated as assigned for Command or Supervisory or Instructor purpose.
- All personnel assigned to “E” Squadron of the 118th AAF Base Unit Bomb (M)
- All personnel assigned to “C” Squadron, except those officially designated as assigned for Command or Supervisory or Instructor purpose.
By signing Base Regulation would mean that each Officer, Flight Officer or Warrant Officer had read and understood it.
On June 5, 1944 F/O Wilson was assigned as the pilot on B-25J 44-30184 to perform a routine navigation flight from Godman Field, Ky to TAAF, Tuskegee, Ala., and return. He departed Godman Field at 1345 and arrived at Tuskegee at 1552. On arrival at TAAF it was learned that there was no 100/130 octane gasoline available, so it was decided to land at Gunter Field, Ala for service.
The aircraft departed TAAF at 2245 and arrived at Gunter Field at 2303. That aircraft was serviced with 425 gallons of 100/130 octane gasoline. At approximately 0005, 6 June 1945, the aircraft departed Gunter Field en-route to Godman Field, Ky.
Take off was made into the east on runway 10-28. At 0006 the ship crashed in a tree covered swamp approximately three and one-half miles east of Gunter Field. The wreckage caught fire and burned almost completely, except for a few scattered pieces. All personnel aboard, with the exception of one, were dead when the rescue party arrived at the scene of the accident.
Due to the aircraft being completely destroyed it was impossible to determine the cause of the accident.
The pilot violated Operations Order #121 dated 5 June 1945, 619th Bomb Sq. in taking two passengers unauthorized F/O Denny C. Jefferson and Pvt. James Ewing.
The six other airmen killed were:
Flt. Off. Edward Glover Navigator
Flt. Off. Ramon F Noches Co-Pilot
Cpl. Luther A Cox Radio Operator
Cpl. Henry H Valentine Radio Operator
Pvt. James Ewing Passenger
Flt. Off. Denny C Jefferson Flight Officer
Sources:
Craig Huntly, Subject Matter Expert
Findagrave.com
