But visibility was near zero and the pilot apparently became disoriented, turned the wrong way after skirting the Chrysler Building on 42nd Street and almost immediately slammed into the north side of the Empire State Building. Columbus Day 1944: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardias broadcasts to Italy during World War II, NYC Department of Records & Information Services, 31 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007, USA, Photoville 2016: Pretty Girl Charged with Clever Swindle, Lomex: Robert Moses and the Battle for Downtown, NYC Department of Records & Information Services, The Empire State Plane Crash, July 28, 1945, Preserving Malis Motion Picture Film Heritage, From Marketfield to the Greenmarket, Part II: The Market Man, A Charter for New Amsterdam: February 2, 1653, From Marketfield to the Greenmarket, Part I, The Rev. At the time the B-25 bomber slammed into the Empire State Building, an engineer for the American Society of Civil Engineers happened to be dictating a letter onto a recording device. "He pointed up to the 79th floor and I looked up and saw the tail of a B-25 bomber.". Somehow, against all odds, he had survived the war and was now stateside, enjoying a few days with his wife Martha, a former Army nurse, and their infant son in Watertown, Massachusetts, outside of Boston. Little did she realize that the foggy conditions outside would turn her world upside down. Other parts of the plane landed on 34th Street, but no one was injured there, according to the newsreel. State Building and watched as police cars, ambulances, and 41 fire trucks from 23 fire stations pulled up around the building and brave men rushed in to extinguish the fire and rescue survivors. In a letter accompanying his report, Walsh praised the Mayor for getting to the scene quickly and making sure that accurate information got out to the public to prevent widespread panic. But, he added, life hazard was very severe. You're stuck there in an island, with fire all around us," Willig said. Your presence at the scene with its attendant acceptance of the risks and rigors of the situation was very impressive and gave testimony to the cooperation that this department has received from you during past years., Miraculously, elevator operator Betty Lou Oliver survived the 75-story elevator shaft plunge, in what the Guinness Book of Records would later proclaim The Longest Fall Survived in an Elevator. Soon after the horrific accident, as firefighters were still rushing up to the 77th floor to fight the blaze, Army Lt. General Ira Eaker, Deputy Commander of the Army Air Forces, fired off a hand-delivered note to Mayor LaGuardia to express the concern of the Army Air Forces for the unfortunate accident which occurred at the Empire State Building this morning., He vowed to cooperate with city and federal agencies to ensure a complete and thorough investigation of the circumstances It is our keenest desire that everything humanly possible be done for those who have suffered in this unfortunate and regrettable accident and we shall leave nothing undone which lies in our power to that end.. Monsignor Patrick A. OBoyle, executive director of Catholic War Relief Services whose offices were on the 79th floor of the Empire State Building, was walking along 34th Street at 7th Avenue with Father Edward E. Swanstrom, the organizations assistant executive director, when they saw the plane go into the building. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. The elevator plunged a total of 75 stories, approximately 1,000 feet, so in reality, Betty shouldnt have survived. 6731 Whittier Avenue, Suite C-100 McLean, VA 22101, Stay up to date with all of our latest news, The B-25 Mitchell bomber, with two. On Smiths heels was a group of firefighters from Engine Company 54; together, they managed to rescue the hysterical survivors, many of them bruised, cut, and burned, and take them to safety on a lower floor. Queens County, "I guess he was trying to give us some solace -- to say don't worry," Willig said. Weve updated the security on the site. The horror was almost unimaginable . The city was going about its business shortly before 10 a.m., when a US Army bomber plane carrying a pilot and two other men from Bedford, Massachusetts to LaGuardia Airport made a wrong turn and slammed into the north side of the Empire State Building about 935 feet above the street. USA, Edwardsville, Fortunately, her fears were groundless because firemen arrived on the scene and rescued all the survivors. Telegrams, letters, secret communications between the City and Washington, and a detailed and heavily-illustrated Fire Department report in the Municipal Library and Archives recount the events of that dark day. He helped her crawl through the opening, then helped the man out. Smoke streaks out of the Empire State Building's 78th floor windows shortly after a B-25 Bomber crashed into the east wall of the skyscraper. The war in Europe was largely over, V-E Day had been declared about seven weeks earlier, and the fall of Japan was near. And men who ordinarily sold looks at the stars through their telescopes at night enjoyed a brisk business selling close-up views of the gaping hole in the Empire State Buildings north wall during daytime. Though its structural integrity was not affected, the crash did cause nearly $1 million in damages, about $10.5 million in todays money. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Bogner, before returning to South Dakota. The left wing was sheared off and sailed down into Madison Avenue, a block away. Smith, a West Point graduate who had completed 42 missions in Europe during the war, made the fateful decision to proceed to Newark. Nine of the civilians killed were office workers while the others were a janitor and an elevator operator. The tower then cleared him to land at Newark, but noted they were unable to see the top of the Empire State Building and warned the pilot that if he did not have three miles of forward visibility, he should return to LaGuardia. The crash killed three people in the plane and 11 people who worked inside the building. As rescue workers loaded Oliver into an Elevator for transport, the car's cables snapped and was sent into a 75-floor firey free fall to the building's basement. Hole in south wall where plane crashed into elevators. "It was a very small universe at that point. Colonel Smith had been on the final leg of a cross-country trip from South Dakota to the East Coast. What we know is that she had three children with Oscar Lee and a total of seven grandchildren. July 28, 1945. At some point, a man named Paul Dearing jumped as he panicked in the aftermath of the fire. Willig said a man on the street below saw the office workers trapped in the building and signaled to them to stay where they were. By the time she landed, the cable was there to provide a softer landing surface. What was the Empire State Building B-24 Crash Death toll: 14 people died (three crew and 11 office workers) and 26 were injured. The Empire State Building is a 102-story [c] Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Within seconds Smith found himself in a canyon of skyscrapers, totally confused and lost. Any person who believes that inclusion of an item on this site violates his or her exclusive rights should notify us by contacting the designated agent in compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright ActDMCA. On July 28, 1945, residents of New York City were horrified when an airplane crashed into the Empire State Building, leaving 14 dead. One witness, Alfred Spalthoff, reported seeing the plane hit the building. Sebastian County, zones around the world. On the 56th floor, Gloria Pall said it felt as if the building was about to topple over. Just five months later while still recovering, Betty returned to the scene with an elevator inspector who was astonished at her guts for agreeing to travel in an elevator after her ordeal. The previous evening, she related, he had bounced their son, William F. Smith III, on his knee and said, The youngster recognized me for the first time since Ive been home. The wreckage of a giant aircraft that had carried a large supply of gasoline and tanks of oxygen giving added furor to the blasting fire scattered death and flames over a wide area, Walsh wrote. Mayor LaGuardia Collection, NYC Municipal Archives. The New York County Supreme Court Insolvency Assignments Records, A Conversation between Barbara Hibbert, Reference Room Director and Ken Cobb, Assistant Commissioner, January 17, 2018, New York Holds a Soft Spot for the Holidays, Milk, Midwives and Medical Quackery: Records of the Commissioners of the New York City Health Department, This Is No Clam Bake: Mayor La Guardia and the Office of Civilian Defense, Celebrate the anniversary of Womens Suffrage by expanding access to the ballot in New York State, NEIGHBORHOOD STORIES: A community history pilot project by Sunset Park High School and the NYC Municipal Archives. Without a second thought, Smith began swimming upstream against the flow of people coming down the stairs until he reached the 79th floor, which was in flames. The rapid compression of air also added to the cushion. The impact of the crash was felt throughout the building. "It was just wonderful. It's also thought that the narrow lift shaft acted as a compressor for air and softened the blow. Mayor LaGuardia Collection, NYC Municipal Archives. One of the those injured was Elevator operator Betty Lou Oliver, who was working on the 80th floor when the plane struck. Other pieces of the plane landed on the street and on top of nearby structures. USA, Plot info: Section: 010 | Row: 018 Grave 55, Kenmore, Queens County, An extensive Fire Department report issued by Commissioner Patrick Walsh on August 21, 1945, picks up the story, reporting that the plane hit between the 78th and 79th floors with such tremendous force that it made an 18-by-20-foot hole in what was then the tallest building in the world. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Eight months later, the U.S. Government offered money to the families of the victims. At the time, the Empire State Building was the tallest in the world, and Smith crashed between the 78th and 80th floors. Quick-thinking rescuers pulled the woman from the elevator, saving her life. I could see him. The day was foggy. The emergency auto brake saved the woman from crashing to the bottom, but the engine fell down the shaft and landed on top of it. July 28, 1945. elevator cable had broken away and fallen to the bottom. It started: The charred remains of the dead in the Empire State Building tragedy were identified yesterday while souvenir seekers and looters had a ghoulish field day among the debris. The story said looters invaded the 79th floor offices of the National Catholic Welfare Conference and stole charred stationary and $400 in cash. Meanwhile, Willig was still in shock over what happened on the 79th floor. Arnold, Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, backed up LaGuardia. Tagged: Empire State Building, Aviation disasters, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, Skyscrapers, Find out more about the NYC Department of Records at nyc.gov/records. July 28, 1945. What happened?' Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. National Interest Newsletter. This account has been disabled. Smith, a Birmingham, Alabama, native who bore a vague resemblance to movie star Clark Gable, had been the popular commander of the groups 750th Bombardment Squadron. As they turned the girl over to the medical personnel, she looked at them and said quietly, Thanks for saving my life.. I believe people must have sensed disaster; everyone in sight started running for Fifth Avenue to see what was happening. By the time Daniels had a clear view of the Empire State Building, sheets of flame spurted out in all directions from the buildings north side. New York, This action ensured that Betty had a day she would never forget as she cheated death twice in the space of minutes. Mayor LaGuardia Collection, NYC Municipal Archives. A tall, broad-shouldered graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (class of 1942), where he had lettered in football and earned All-American honors in lacrosse, was home from the war. With nearly zero visibility, the tower suggested that Smith not land. " Pall said. A United States military plane crashes into the Empire State Building on July 28, 1945, killing 14 people. The startled clerk handed him the largest first-aid kit he had, a quantity of morphine, a syringe, and several needles. Perna was on his way home to be with his parents in Brooklyn, whose other son had died in May when his destroyer, Luce (DD-522), was sunk off the coast of Okinawa. The Empire State Building was enveloped in smoke after it was rammed by a U.S. Army B-25 bomber on July 28, 1945. The rescuers had placed Betty on a stretcher and put her in an elevator on the 79th floor. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. When the plane hit, flames shot up to the top of the elevator shaft that opened onto the observation deck, followed by a blast of dirt and debris, sending those on the deck (reports of the number of people there varied from three to 50 or 60) into a panic. New York, A British Movietone newsreel from the time. And I'm sitting there, and I thought about my rings. People on the street looked up and were startled to see a twin-engine B-25D Mitchell bomber, flying just a few hundred feet above them between tall buildings just north of 42nd Street, heading southwest. Illinois, An engine plunges down an elevator shaft, sparki. They saw a female elevator operator who was badly burned and screaming. Air-traffic controllers instructed the plane to fly to Newark Airport instead. Even worse, flaming fuel spewed from the planes ruptured tanks, engulfing almost the entire 79th floor in fire, instantly immolating many of the 15 to 20 young women working in the Catholic War Relief Services office, and pouring down the stairwells and elevator shafts like molten lava. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. The crashes On 28 July 1945, with heavy fog over New York, a US B-25 Mitchell military bomber lost its way and crashed into three storeys (floors 78 to 80) of the Empire State Building. Ill be okay now.. Jefferson County, The Federal Tort Claims Act of 1946, for the first time, gave American citizens the right to sue the federal government. An injured woman is removed from the Empire State Building after the B-25 Bomber plane crash. The bomber itself was a B-25 that had 2 pilots and 1 passenger. Upon impact, the planes fuel exploded, filling the interior of the building with flames all the way down to the 75th floor and sending flames out of the hole the plane had ripped open in the buildings side. "I saw crowds of people just looking at each other and I said, 'What happened? Mayor LaGuardia Collection, NYC Municipal Archives. Despite the chilly blanket of gray that shrouded the tall buildings of Manhattan, New Yorkers had much to feel good about on that Saturday, July 28, 1945.The Yankees had shut out the Philadelphia Athletics, 2-0, the day before. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Betty suffered further serious injuries from her fall and was eventually cut from the mangled wreckage. They sensed that only a miracle could prevent a horrible tragedy. This new flight plan took the plane over Manhattan; the crew was specifically warned that the Empire State Building, the tallest building in the city at the time, was not visible. April 29, 2023. Deleting this Virtual Cemetery cannot be undone. The pilot and the two other men in the planeincluding a Navy machinist from Brooklynwere killed instantly and 11 people in the building or on the ground died. Now that you've read about the Empire State Building plane crash, read about these incredible New York City facts. The girl was conscious. An injured man was also there, lying on the floor of the car. The war in Europe had been over for two-and-a-half months. Smith, with no navigator on board and, erroneously believing that he was west of Manhattan over the Hudson River when, in fact, he was over the East River and heading into the heart of Manhattan, set a southwest course for what he thought was Newark. Since it was a Saturday, fewer workers than normal were in the building. Parts of a hurtling motor and other sections of the plane that passed entirely through the structure had brought fire to the roof and top floor of a thirteen-story building across the street from the scene of the original tragedy. This car, too, began its rapid descent toward certain doom. Search crews did not find Smiths body for two days as it went through an elevator shaft and was at the bottom. It appears as if Smith became disorientated by the fog and rather than turning left after the Chrysler Building like he should have, Smith, turned right and was now directly among the citys skyscrapers.