Crites Harry R., Jr.

Monuments

Berlin Airlift Monument

Berlin Airlift Memorial (Luftbrückendenkmal)

Name:

Harry R., Jr. Crites

Rank:

Petty Officer

Serial Number:

Unit:

513th Troop Carrier Group

Date of Death:

1948-12-11

State:

Indiana

Cemetery:

Spring Vale Cemetery, Lafayette, Indiana

Plot:

sec 12 lot n1/2-103 page 675

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Harry R. Crites, Jr. was born in Lafayette, Indiana on October 13, 1928. He enlisted in the US Navy in November 1945. He served aboard an R5D3 (#56502) aircraft from VR-6. He had been stationed in the Western Pacific at Agana, Guam when his unit had received orders to assist in the Berlin Airlift. In West Germany, VR-6 was attached to the USAF 513th Troop Carrier Group in Wiesbaden. He served as an Aviation Machinist Mate 3rd Class and crew chief of the aircraft.

On December 11, 1948, his aircraft struck the ground in the Taunus Mountains about 16 kilometers north east of Rhein Main (near Koningstein Im Taunus), West Germany, a short distance from touch down. Conditions were foggy at the time. The Crew:AD/3 Harry R. Crites, Jr. (flight engineer) (KIA); 1st Lt. Joseph L. Norris (pilot) (injured); Ens. George H. Blackwood (co-pilot in command) (injured). Passengers: (all survived with minor injuries)1st Lt. Frank T. Heffernan (USAF); Diana D. Day (USAF special services division hostess at Templehoff Air Field, Berlin); 1st Lt. Kenneth Sanger (USAF). He was the only Navy member lost during the Airlift.

Harry is buried now in the Spring Vale Cemetery, Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com