Navy fliers indicted for killing woman (5-3-41)

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The Pittsburgh Press (May 3, 1941)

NAVY FLIERS INDICTED FOR KILLING WOMAN

Bay Minette, Ala., May 3 (UP) –
Two young naval fliers – Ensigns Paul Brown and Joseph Thompson – yesterday were charged with first degree manslaughter in connection with decapitation of a farm woman by their airplane.

A grand jury returned indictments against the two Navy ensigns, whose airplane flew into a group of workers in a turnip field near Robertsdale, Ala., March 25. The tip of a wing struck Mrs. Estelle Phillips, clipping off her head.

The fliers had since been in custody at the Pensacola, Fla., air base where they were stationed.

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Goodbye Wings and hello jail.

http://genealogytrails.com/ala/baldwin/newspaper_articles/fliers_indicted.html

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I wonder how they’re doing today…

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Same here,

They were “scaring workers” and filled a 35 y/o mother of 4. This explains the verdict. I wonder how there lives went. Flying for the Navy wasn’t a safe job. Just very sad story.

https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19410503.1.3&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1

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