SSGT. Arlyn Aaron Gustafson was an Aerial Engineer with the 310th Bombardment Group; 380th Bombardment Squadron; stationed at Columbia Army Air Field, South Carolina; in training and preparation for overseas combat duty in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, (MTO).

His Hometown was Wausa, Knox County, Nebraska.

On May 19, 1942, Captain James A. Plant assumed command of both the 310th Bomb Group and the 380th Bomb Squadron, until additional officers were found to relieve him of his many duties.

The following day, Lt. Earl E. Batten, now Captain and flight leader, became the squadron commander, and except for a brief period of detached service when relieved by Lt. Herndon M. Jeansonne, remained in command until July 28. The morning of June 17, 1942, found another change in Group Commanders, with Lt. Col. Anthony G. Hunter, present commanding officer, taking over the reins from Captain Plant.

Disaster first struck locally on July 8, when Captain Plant was killed night flying near Smithfield, North Carolina, along with three members of the squadron, Staff Sergeants, Arlyn Gustofson, Joseph Schmidt, and Louis Turner.

MIXED GROUP FLIGHT TO PATTERSON AIR FIELD IN DAYTON
The Crew consisted of members of the 310th Bomb Group as well as members of the 309th Bomb Group. Their intended destination had been Patterson Air Field, in Dayton, Ohio.

A/C B-25B; Serial No. 40-2271 (wing broke off during night flying near Smithfield, NC – crashed at Wilson Mills, NC)
P Plant, James A., Capt, pilot, 310th BG Commander
CP Henthorn, Howard Earl, 2Lt, pilot, HQ 310th BG; 309th BG; 378th BS
E Gustafson, Arlyn A., S/Sgt, engineer, 380th BS
R Turner, Louis F., Jr., S/Sgt, radio-gunner, 380th BS
PAX McDonald, Samuel R., PFC, public relations clerk, HQ 310th BG
PAX Sailer, Frank E., Pvt, journalist, HQ 310th BG
PAX Schmidt, Joseph Andrew, S/Sgt, brakeman, 380th BS
++++++++++
The Robesonian (Lumberton, North Carolina) July 9, 1942
Seven Killed In Crash Of Army Bomber
Wing Breaks Off Plane in Low-Level Flight Near Smithfield
Smithfield, N. C., July 9.-(AP)

Army authorities today fixed at seven the number of men killed when a big two-motored army bomber crashed near here late yesterday. Previously it had been believed that nine persons were killed.

The army officers, who came here from the air base in Columbia, S. C., said the seven bodies had been identified. They did not, however, release the names of the victims.

The plane roared low over the farm house of A. D. Stephenson late yesterday. Suddenly, he said, a wing broke away from the plane, “the ship rose slightly, jumped about wildly and in no time was completely enveloped in flames.”

“It then crashed with a big explosion.”

The wing was found approximately half a mile from the spot where the plane tore deep into the earth and hurled fragments for as much as 200 yards. One body was found 100 feet away in a cotton field. Over it was a partly burned parachute, indicating that the man had tried to bail out. The parachute of a comrade, his body lying several hundred feet away, was in a like condition.

It was believed the men saw a crash was unavoidable.

It was the worst aerial mishap in North Carolina in years.

It occurred only five miles from a highway intersection where seven persons were fatally injured on March 7 when a truck loaded with munitions caught fire and exploded.
++++++++++
Raleigh Man Killed
Columbia, S. C., July 9.
The Colummbia army air base announced this afternoon the names of seven men who died in the plane which crashed yesterday at Smithfield, N. C.

They are:
Capt. James A. Plant, 27, single, pilot, Long Beach, Calif.
Second Lieut. Howard E. Henthorn, 23, single, co-pilot, Ludlow, Ky.
Staff Sergt. Arlyn A. Gustaffson, 23, single, engineer, Wausa, Nebraska.
Pfc. Samuel R. McDonald, 27, single, Raleigh, N. C.
Pvt. Joseph A. Schmidt, 25, single, passenger, Toledo, Ohio.
Pvt. Frank E. Sailer, 34, passenger, Kane, Pa.
++++++++++
The High Point Enterprise (High Point, North Carolina) July 9, 1942
Raleigh Youth Among Victims
Samuel R. McDonald in Army List of Casualties in Bomber Crash at Smithfield

COLUMBIA, S. C., July 9.
The Columbia army air base announced this afternoon the names of seven men who died in the plane which crashed yesterday at Smithfield, N. C.

They were:
Capt. Jamodia Plant, 27, single, pilot. Nearest of kin, Mrs. W. J. Plant, 853 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach, Calif.
Second Lieut. Howard E. Henthorn, single, co-pilot, nearest of kin his mother, Mrs. E. W. Henthorn, 309 Montclair Avenue, Ludlow, Ky.
Staff Sgt. Arlyn A. Gustaffson, 23, single, engineer, Nearest of kin his mother, Mrs. Ester Greenwall, R. F. D. 2, Wausa, Neb.
Staff Sgt. Louis F. Turner, Jr., 23, radio operator, married. Nearest of kin his father, Louis F. Turner, Sr., 19 West 7th St., Chester, Penn.
Private First Class Samuel R. McDonald, 27, single, a passenger who worked with the public relations office at the base. Nearest of kin his mother, Mrs. Nell J. Hardin, 406 West Hargett St., Raleigh, N. C.
Private Joseph A. Schmidt, 25, single, a passenger. Nearest of kin his mother, Mrs. Clara Josephine Schmidt, 430 Baden Street, Toledo, Ohio.
Private Frank E. Sailer, 34, a passenger from Fort Jackson. Nearest of kin his mother, Mrs. Alice Sailer, 318 Bayard St., Kane, Penn.

Arlyn A Gustafson