Grave marker for 2nd Lt Roland G. Dronberger at Plot AE 24 in East Cemetery, Manchester. CT

Lt Dronberger was killed on August 14, 1943 when an aircraft he had hitched a ride on crashed during a violent thunderstorm over the area of Leslie County, KY.  He was one of two such passengers flying on a Space Available basis.  They and the crew of seven were all killed in the crash.

The aircraft was a Douglas A-20 Havoc twin-engine bomber, code named "Boston", based out of the 3rd Bomber Command, 397th Bomb Group, 599th Bomb Squadron at MacDill Field, Tampa, FL.  The flight was the second leg of a routine navigation training mission that had brought the aircraft into Greensville, SC, probably as a refueling stop.  It was then cleared to Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, MI.

The Havoc (tail number B-26-026MO, serial no.. 4135288) was totally destroyed and the wreckage was strewn down the mountainside as it tumbled to the valley floor. The site was so remote, four miles from the nearest road in mountainous terrain, that it took two days to trek into the location.

At least two of the bodies were not initially identifiable although Roland's identity was established immediately, probably due to dog tags and/or laundry marks, etc..  The aircraft was deemed "completely destroyed".  That plus the effort needed to reach the crash site resulted in no attempt to salvage anything of the aircraft.

Dronberger was on leave from Moore General Hospital and may have been trying to get to his home area in Indiana.

Two factors of great significance in this accident were, first, a weather forecast indicating thunderstorms n the area was apparently underestimated by the crew and, second, the pilot, 1st Lt. Malcolm S. Wardrop, had his rating only since Jan 19, 1943 ... eight months prior to the crash.  He undoubtedly had never experienced weather conditions, including violent wind updrafts and/or downdrafts that would have been generated over the mountainous terrain.

In fact, the accident report stated "At the time of the accident Lt MALCOLM S. WARDROP was lacking in judgment in that he flew into a violent local thunderstorm, the turbulence of which caused the ship to crash into mountainous terrain, killing all personnel aboard."

Sadly, Roland had been married to Barbara Jane Clark on Jan 28th in the chapel at Camp Mackall.  Witnessing the marriage was Lt Robert L. Lewis, Company D.  Barbara later became a commissioned officer herself and remarried in 1948.  Now 92 (Sept 2011) she is described by family members as being a very proud veteran.