Publish Date 
Written by 2 ARMY OFFICERS KILLED IN CRASH OF BLAZING PLANEROCKVILLE, Indiana – September 7, 1941 – A two-place Army plane plunged into a woods early today near Vialia, southeast of here, and killed Lieutenant Colonel Rufus B. Davidson, 48, and Major Fred Murcheson, 43, both of Scott Field, Illinois.
The crash occurred at the height of a violet thunderstorm, just at daybreak. A farmer named Ragsdale, living near the woods, said there was “a red glow” in the plane before it smashed through the trees. The farmer said the plane circled his house twice before the plunge.
Part of the widely scattered wreckage caught fire. Lieutenant Colonel Davidson's body was burned.
The victins, both experienced flyers, left Scott Field at 6:45 P.M. yesterday on a routine flight toPatterson Field, Ohio.
Investigators from Schoen Field, Indianapolis, today opened an inquiry.
DAVIDSON, RUFUS B
LT COL AIR CORPS SCOTT FLD III US ARMY
DATE OF DEATH: 09/07/1941
BURIED AT: SECTION 8 SITE 5072ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard