Loeffler Park (the Officers Picnic Park) on RSA

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by RSNHSV

This doesn’t answer the question regarding Loeffler Park but does give a little more information regarding the locations of the crash site:

The Huntsville Historical Review, Spring 2017-Summer 2017, Volume 42, Number 1, Page 27 states:
… three Army Air Forces personnel were killed in a crash of a Martin Marauder B-26 bomber while flight-testing incendiary bombs. On 27 June 1944, the Martin Marauder bomber took off from the Huntsville Arsenal Airstrip with bombs that were to be drop-tested on Little Tokyo. Climbing north, at about 3,000-feet altitude, an engine problem developed. The pilot turned back and dropped one of the 500-pound bombs into a vacant field near the present HudsonAlpha Institute. He again attempted a landing, but crashed into a cotton field just north of the highway near the present Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Killed were 1st Lt. Emmett J. Hale, the pilot; 2nd Lt. Jerome Loeffler, the bombardier; and Tech. Sgt. Antone Valim, the onboard engineer.

Hmm - was the 500 lb incendiary bomb recovered, or did it detonate?

[jsouder]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

Does anyone here know where the where Loeffler Park (the Officers Picnic Park) was located on Redstone Arsenal?

This has been bugging me for a while and my research hasn’t provided any answers.

"On June 27, 1944, a fully loaded B-26 Martin Marauder took off but developed engine trouble. The plane caught Fire and crashed in a cotton field just north of U.S. 72 and about nine miles from Huntsville. The bombs exploded.

Hale Road, which connects the airstrip with Rideout Road, is named for 1st Lieutenant Emmett J. Hale, the pilot. He had been among the first group of Army Airforce officers stationed at Redstone in 1943.

Loeffler Park is named for 2nd Lieutenant Jerome Loeffler, the bombardier.

Valim Reservoir, the Arsenal’s water reservoir on Madkin Mountain, is named for Sergeant Antone Valim, the flight engineer."

I know where Hale Road is and I read some interesting history about the Valim Reservoir.

All I could find about Loeffler Park is that it was the name given to the Officers Picnic Park, but no reference to it’s location.

One Reference: https://huntsvillehistorycollection....amed_That.pdf?

@y8tiger There is what seems to be the remains of a park immediately adjacent to the Valim Reservoir. I stumbled on this site as a result of trying to learn of the park's history. I wonder if this was Loeffler Park? This is an old thread - I can type more if someone is interested.

[y8tiger]

Originally Posted by jsouder

@y8tiger There is what seems to be the remains of a park immediately adjacent to the Valim Reservoir. I stumbled on this site as a result of trying to learn of the park's history. I wonder if this was Loeffler Park? This is an old thread - I can type more if someone is interested.

Was there any sort of plaque / signage?

We suspect Loeffler Park was located near the original post HQ and Officer's Housing off of Redstone Road close to Gate 3.