Buel E. Francis, 1st Lt., USAF (Fallen)
March 18, 1925 – October 20, 1953

H-5H #50-1240
Maxwell AFB, Alabama
20 October 1953

The Lincoln Star (Lincoln, NB.)
Wed, Oct. 21, 1953

2 Airmen Killed In Helicopter Crash

Montgomery, Ala. (INS) — An Air Force helicopter Tuesday fell 200 feet to the ground at Maxwell AFB and burst into flames, killing its crew of two. Names of the crewmen were withheld pending notification of next of kin. Authorities at Maxwell Field, where the aircraft was based, said that eyewitnesses told them the helicopter rose to a height of 200 feet after takeoff, banked and fell to the ground. The helicopter, an H-5H bounced hard once, then burst into flames.

Killed in the crash was 1st Lt. Buel E. Francis (P) and one unkn crew member.