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Died in a tragic plane crash of the Katy-did #41-35142 on April 9, 1944 nine miles southwest of Hartselle, Alabama. Eight Hunter Air Field crew members and passengers died in this crash. Base Commander, Col. Lucius Bass Manning; Pilot, Capt. Howard Lawrence Hardy; Co-pilot, Arthur Joseph Gratis; Engineer, Sgt. John W. Haney; Mechanic, Pvt Matthew J. Geoghegan; Radio man, Pvt. John J. Bailey; Staff Sgt. James R. Smith; and 1st Lieut. Hugh Lee Williams, Jr.