Memorial

More information

Sgt Irvin F. Van Blargan graduated from Nuremberg High School in 1943 where he was a well known basketball player and participated in all sports.

He enlisted in Allentown, Pennsylvania on 26 July 1943 and volunteered for the Army Air Corps. He took basic training at Greensboro, North Carolina and from there was sent to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he had the privilege of playing on the cadet basketball team. He graduated from the university March 1944 and then went to Santa Ana, California. He was graduated from Armament School at Lowry Field, Colorado and from gunnery school at Fort Myers, Florida from where he went to Barksdale Field, Louisiana. He was sent overseas in February 1945.

On 13 May 1945 a formation of two B-26s flew on a low-level formation navigation flight. The pilot of the lead airplane, 1st Lt Doming Jr., stated that he had advised 2nd Lt Whitehead, pilot of the ill-fated plane, not to attempt to fly formation due to the turbulence that day. Lt Whitehead dropped back and to the right but kept his sight of the lead plane. As they flew along, the waist gunner of Lt Doming's aircraft stated to him over the interphone that he could see Lt Whitehead buzzing villages and surrounding terrain. During the process of buzzing, Lt Whitehead's right wing of the aircraft struck a tree, causing the airplane to swing to the right. His altitude at this time was so low, he was unable to right the plane and the right wing struck the ground at a great speed, causing the crash. Parts of the plane were strewn over a great forward distance, carrying all the crew members to their death.