Otis Jet Pilot Dies in Crash

World War II Ace is Killed In Cape Woods

Was on Last Leg Of Cross-Country Flight from West

Otis Air Force Base, Feb 15-Major Raymond S. Wetmore, 27, commanding officer of the 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron here, World War II ace and father of four children, died last night when his F-86 Sabre crashed into the woods in South Sandwich.

Major Wetmore, who attained that rank at 21, was returning from a visit at the North American Aviation Company factory in Los Angeles and was on the last leg of his flight, from Westover Air Force Base to Otis, when the crash occurred. Cause of the crash is unknown. A board of officers has been appointed to investigate.

Had Many Decorations

Stationed at Otis Air Force Base for approximately two months, he had come here from Grenier AFB, Manchester, N. H., where he was Air Force instructor with the New Hampshire Air National Guard. A legendary figure in the European Theater of Operations during World War II, he served as a fighter pilot there for 30 months, winning the Distinguised Service Cross with one cluster,: Silver Star with one cluster: Distinguished Flying Cross with five clusters: Air Medal with 12 clusters: French Croix de Guerre: Belgium Croix de Guerre, and the European Theater Medal with five battle stars. A native of Santa Cruz, Cal., he leaves his widow and four children, now living in North Falmouth, and his father, A. E. Wetmore, of Santa Cruz. With him in the two-plane flight from Westover was Lieutenant Eugene Conley, who landed safely. The crash plowed a crater about 12 feet deep and 20 feet wide in the woodlands about 150 feet from Harlow Road in South Sandwich.

Saw Flash

What appeared to be a parachute, still intact, was ablaze about 200 feet from the wreckage when firefighters arrived. Fire from the crashed plane did not spread to surrounding woods because of wet weather. Frank Gonsalves and William Mills of Mashpee Police were said to have been the first on the scene, followed by Patrolman William Foster of the Sandwich police. Patrolman Foster said he was on Grove Street in Sandwich in the police cruiser car when he saw a flash in the sky. A moment later he was informed of the crash by police radio. The accident was reported to Barnstable County Police Radio System by Mrs. Malcom Ryder of South Sandwich at 8:23 p.m. Position of the crash was roughly 2 miles from Forestdale village, a half mile from the Mashpee-Sandwich line and about 4 miles east of Otis Air Force Base. Raymond Gibby of South Sandwich, who lives half a mile from where the plane crashed, told police he saw the jet zoom over his home and dive toward the woodland.

My first attempt at wreck-hunting failed this past week in my attempt to find the F-86 that killed Raymond Wetmore. I had incredible directions to the site thanks to the Cape Cod Times, but area detailed by the Times is now a subdivision. Even if I had found the site in pristine condition, as it was in 1951, the odds that anything was there was low. 47 years of huricannes, wind, blizzards, and other natural occurrences would have left little of the plane. The odds that the plane would be there the week after the crash was low as well. The military would have taken the plane back for examination to find the cause of the crash. Even if anything had been left, the workers probably would have picked up the metal scraps and dumped them, unaware that a national war hero had died there on 14 February 1951.

In anything you do, you must expect a few setbacks, hopefully this was mine.

I met with Col. Wetmore's daughter in June and had a wonderful meeting. She allowed me to scan the image above and showed me numerous objects of Col. Wetmore. Thanks again Dona.