autopsied? To facilitate this examination, researchers reviewed official
accident reports, organizational and base histories, individual personnel
records of victims, and contemporary newspaper accounts of the accidents.
Interviews of persons who participated in the aftermath of these accidents
were also conducted. As a result, only one accident met the three criteria, the
June 1956 KC-97 accident.
Table 2.3
Analysis of Air Force Aircraft Accidents
by Year in the Vicinity of Walker AFB
1947-1960
Date of Aircraft Fatalities
Accident Type
Burned? Taken to WAFS Autopsied?
Hospital?
8112/48 B-29 Yes96 No97 No9s
5116/49 C-47 Yes 99 Noioo NoiDI
12/15/49 B-29 No1o2 Yesio3 Yesio4
6/1/50 KB-29 Noios Now6 Now7
6/16/55 T-33 Yes 108 No1o9 Yesiio
10/3/55 B-47 Yes III Noii2 Noii3
6/'1,6/56•.•· KC:~97 .Yes115 Y:esit6··
2/3/60 KC-135 Yesii7 No us Noii9
Upon detailed review of records of the 1956 accident and interviews
with persons who participated in the recovery and identification of the victims,
extensive similarities to the description the witness provided were apparent.
Fatal KC-97 Aircraft Mishap
In 1956, Walker AFB, N.M. was the home of Strategic Air
Command's 6th and 509th Bombardment Wings. 120 Additionally,
Walker was home of the 509th Aerial Refueling Squadron (509th
ARS) equipped with the KC-970 aircraft.
94
Fig. 7. A KC-97 similar this
of the 509th Aerial Refueling
Squadron crashed 8.8 miles
south of Walker AFB on June
26, 1956 with the loss of 11
lives. Descriptions of the
aftermath of this tragedy are
believed to be the basis for
some of the reports of "bodies"
at the Walker AFB hospital.
(U.S. Air Force photo)