Thomas C. Rogers

February 13, 1918

Prairie Grove Boy, Army Flyer, Killed In Fall From Plane

MEMPHIS, Tenn., February 12

T.C. Rogers and P.B. Cooley, flying cadets were killed at Park Field, the army aviation camp near Memphis when the machines in which they were making practice flights collied in midair today. They were fling at a height of about 250 feet when the accident occured.

Rogers’ home was in Prairie Grove, Ark., and Cooley was from San Jose, Cal.

When the machines struck the ground they were shatted to pieces and the two aviators were pinned under the wreckage, badly mangled. Both were dead when extricated from the debris of the planes.

Spectators who witnessed the accident said one of the machines was preparing to land when the collision took place. The aviators had made several flights when they came to Park Field. This is the first fatality since the field was approved for advanced students in aviation.

Rogers Well Known Here

Tom C. Rogers the army aviator mentioned in the above dispatch, was well know in Fayetteville. He attended the University of Arkansas in 1912 and has tow sisters, Mrs. Tom Hart and Mrs. Roy Williams residing here. He is a son of Mr. And Mrs. S.H. Rogers of Prairie Grove.

Rogers enlisted in the army aviation section in August and attended the ground school at Atlanta. From thre he was sent ot Camp Millington, Memphis, to train at a flyers. He had been making flight alone from the past tow or three weeks.

Hugh Rogers, a brother of the man killed yesterday, also is in the army aviation section. He enlisted in August, was sent ot the ground school at San Antonio and later to the school for flyers at Waco.

Young Rogers was 21 years old. He is survived by his parents: by four sisters, Maud and Clementine of Prairie Grove and Mrs. Roy Williams and Mrs. Tom Hart of Fayetteville.

Due to the undertainty as to the time of arrival of the body, funeral arrangement have not been announced. Tom L. Hart this morning received a message from Memphis stating that the body probably would arrive Friday morning. Captain Leon R. Smith of the home Guard this aftrnoon stated that a squad from his company would escort form Fayetteville to Prairie Grove.