Service Notes: Vaughan, Junious T. Sgt.; Jackson Par., Louisiana
Submitter: Sharon K. Ray
Source: Jackson Independent
Date: 20 Dec 2004

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Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives

Vaughan, Junious T. Sgt. January 24, 1950

T. Sgt. Junious E. Vaughan, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Vaughan of Jonesboro
was one of 10 who parachuted to safety on Thursday of last week, November
16, when two griant air force four engine bombers collided and crashed
during high altitude refueling operation over the Parago Indian reservation
near Sell, AZ killing 13 others.

The planes collided and spun to the earth in flames, exploding when they hit
the catus-studded desert. Smoke from the crash scene was visable across the
desert for more than an hour after the crash. The tower operators at the
Tucson Municipal airport 60 miles east of the crash reported seeing a big
puff of smoke over the reversation about the time the ships went down in
flames.

As soon as possible T-Sgt. Vaughan notified relatives here by telephone of
his safety, telling how he escaped thorugh the nose of the plane, landing a
safe distance from the smoking mass of metal.

T-Sgt. Vaughan is a graduate of Jonesboro-Hodge High School and entered the
army in 1940. He was trained at Barksdale Field, and Chanute Field, ILL. and
served in the European Theater of operations. He re-enlisted in 1946 and is
now stationed at the Davis Monthan Air Base, Tucson, AZ.