B-25 Crash at Mount Timpanogos
Figure 1 – An engine lays dormant in the Wasatch Mountains (Author's Photo)
Utah’s World War II Bomber Crash Site
March 9, 1955 – S/N 44-30050
The Hill Aerospace Museum proudly displays 80+ military aircraft, many that are restored, that represent the history of aviation in Utah and are part of this nation’s National Collection. Even though it is free admission, the Museum still provides an unforgettable experience where guests can see many World War II, Cold War, and modern day jets, such as the F-16, A-10, and F-22. While the Museum offers plenty for guests to enjoy, it is not the only place to see historic aircraft in Utah. Did you know that there is a World War II bomber aircraft site in the Utah mountains? Here’s the catch – you need to hike to see it.
On March 9, 1955, a North American B-25 Mitchell (S/N 44-30050) from Malmstrom Field near Great Falls, Montana, flew a training flight scheduled to arrive at March Field near Riverside, California. The plane and crew stopped in the middle of their journey at Hill Field, Ogden, Utah, for a quick refuel. Unfortunately, as the crew left Hill Field to make their way to March Field, the aircraft encountered heavy winter conditions and low visibility, which caused it to crash on the east side of Mount Timpanogos. When the aircraft did not arrive at March Field, search and rescue operations commenced. Search crews located wreckage three days after the crash, about 300 feet below the summit of the mountain. All five members aboard died on impact. Lives lost included Major Daniel C. Howley (pilot), Second Lieutenant Howard E. St. John Jr. (copilot), Airman 2nd Class Doyle Dempsey (flight engineer), and civilian passengers Donald R. Cubbage and Maurice McNulty.
Figure 2 – Two of the aircraft’s engines can be seen on this site (Author photo)
Those who discovered the wreckage site were “three daring mountaineers” who managed to dig three out of the five bodies out of the snow.[1] However, winter conditions dominated the scene as the Wasatch Mountains were blanketed with heavy snow. Bodies could not be excavated from the site until more snow melted, which took at least a month more at that high of elevation (over 10,000 feet).
Despite the crash occurring exactly 70 years ago this month (March 2025), pieces of the wreckage still exist on the mountain. Hikers can make a pit stop on their way down from summitting Mount Timpanogos to pay their respects to those who did not make it.
Figure 3 – The Author hiked to this site on 17 September 2023 (Author photo)
Hiking to this crash site provides a rare physical interaction between the visitor and the location. It establishes a “sense of history” – a space that reflects the intersection of the historical and the intimate.[2] It allows the visitor to connect with history by visiting a place with a storied past and experiencing the emotional connection to that land. This author felt the impact of the crash during her hike to the site in September 2023. It was a space that had experienced hardships of not only mountain winter weather, but accidental human deaths. To see the pieces of a B-25 that crashed 68 years ago made the situation more tangible. It is a sacred space that deserves care and respect. It is a reminder of our shared humanity.
[1] “Wreckage of B25 Found By 3 Daring Climbers.” The Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday, March 13, 1955. Page 15.
[2] Glassberg, David. Sense of History: The Place of the Past in American History. University of Massachusetts Press: Amherst, 2001.
If you do visit the crash site, please be mindful of your own interaction, and respect the historical objects. Do not disturb, pillage, or vandalize the site. Take a moment to reflect and explore your own connection with the land, and those souls who lost their lives.
Wreckage Location: 40.40515204277052, -111.65696574794168
