By Elizabeth Bourgault
On July 9, 1946, a Boeing B-17G “Flying Fortress” bomber, converted into a transport plane, crashed into Mount Tom in Holyoke, MA, killing all 25 on board. Aboard were 15 U.S. Coast Guardsmen, 8 members of the Army Air Corps and two civilians, a U.S. Public Health doctor and an American Red Cross member. Two members of the Army Air Corps were from Prescott, the pilot, Flight Officer Herman (Joe) Valdrini, Jr., 24 and Radio Operator Sgt. Daniel Roberts (Pat) Roe, 20.