Date:	Tuesday 29 July 1947
Time:	08:13 LT
Type:	Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Owner/operator:	1st EGMGp USAAF
Registration:	44-86307
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 11
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	300 yards North of Eglin Field AAF, Valpariso, Florida -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Eglin AAF, Valpariso, Florida (VPS/KVPS)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Martin-Omaha B-29-45-MO Superfortress 44-86307. Built under licence by Glenn L. Martin Company, Omaha, Nebraska. Delivered to the USAAF 8 June 1945. Accident 31 August 1945 on the ground at Tinker AAF, Oklahoma. Assigned to 4105th Army Air Force Base Unit, Davis-Monthan AAF, Tuscon, Arizona. Re-Assigned to 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Group, Eglin AFB, Valpariso, Florida

On July 29, 1947, nine crew were killed and two injured in a failed take-off attempt from Eglin Field, Florida at 08:13 hours, the bomber coming down approximately 300 yards North of the main base near Valparaiso, Florida and burning. Killed were:

Instructor pilot Capt. Gordon W. Barrett, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a West Point graduate who was awarded the DFC while flying B-29s in World War II
Trainee pilot 1st Lt. Huddie C. Bagley of Braufield, Texas
Co-pilot Capt. Robert M. Seldomridge of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Navigator 1st Lt. Joseph A. Anderson, Shalimar, Florida
Navigator 1st Lt. Milton Rose, Fort Walton, Florida
Engineer Master Sgt. Michele Aulicino, Mary Esther, Florida
Scanner Staff Sgt. Hugh T. Mulholland of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Scanner Cpl. Ashley W. Odom, McBee, South Carolina
Scanner Pfc. Donald D. Crawford from Fort Worth, Texas.

Injured were:
Scanner S/Sgt. Jeremiah W. Conlon of Worthington, Kentucky, admitted to the Eglin hospital with abrasions of the face and head, and ankle injuries
Radio operator S/Sgt. Lloyd D. Farris of Pensacola, Florida, with minor injuries but admitted for observation.

The Superfortress apparently failed to gain much altitude before coming down, said Capt. Robert Gaughan, base public relations officer.

1. El Informador 30 July 1947, page 15
2. Fort Walton, Florida, "9 Eglin Men Killed In Take-Off of B-29", Playground News, Thursday July 31, 1947, Volume II, Number 26, page 1.
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_6.htm]l
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_accidents_at_Eglin_Air_Force_Base#1940s
5. http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/US/FL6.html
6. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/1940sLate/1947Jul.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
23-Sep-2016 09:45	TB	Updated [Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Narrative]
18-Jul-2017 18:48	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Jul-2017 18:49	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
17-Sep-2019 20:28	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
03-Mar-2021 21:09	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator]