Rescuers of victim of '44 Army plane crash honored


3 photos
Save Story

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The two remaining rescuers of a man stranded by the 1944 crash of an Army bomber on one of Vermont's most famous mountains are being recognized by the Vermont State Police for their actions when they were high school students.

Eighty-six-year-old Peter Mason and 85-year-old Rolland Lafayette were honored Friday at the Statehouse with a search and rescue award.

The two were among a group of Civil Air Patrol cadets pulled out of classes at the Waterbury High School in mid-October 1944 after the B-24 bomber crashed on the eastern side of Camels Hump.

The rescuers found James Wilson, then a 19-year-old crew member in the wreckage near death.

Despite losing his feet and his hands, Wilson went on to become a lawyer in Colorado. He died in 2000.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Photos

Most recent U.S. stories

Related topics

WILSON RING
    KSL.com Beyond Business
    KSL.com Beyond Series

    KSL Weather Forecast

    KSL Weather Forecast
    Play button