Telecon- Larry Carpenter Helen Roberts Courtney
2003 Williamsburg Row,
Denton, TX 76201
(940) xxx xxxx
1 :30 p.m. Fri., March 24, 2000I called a listing for a Robert C. Courtney of Denton, TX. The newspaper obit for Pat Roberts, Sr. noted he had a daughter, Mrs. R C. Courtney (Helen).
This was the sister of Lt. Roberts. Helen was now a widow, having been married 51 years, her husband having passed away recently due to a brain tumor. They have three sons, at least one living nearby.
Helen was two years older than her brother. Their mother had to sign in order for him to enter the service (or to train in aviation). She made him promise that he would train to be a bomber pilot, feeling it would be safer for him by having other men around him. It was at the time he received his wings that his father told him they wouldn't hold him to that promise. Helen said he ran like a streak to get his name on the list to be sent to fighter school!
After the crash the parents always wondered if that was truly Pat's body in the casket. Wielding his influence, Pat Sr. later contacted Lydon Johnson and Sam Irvin to get their assistance in learning more details about the accident. Helen said they were told the pilot of the C-47 turned back towards Bruning, NE when he encountered the line of thunderstorms but was ordered to turn around and head for Pierre, SD. She didn't remember the name of the officer giving that order at the moment but given a few minutes and she could come up with his name. She said she didn't want to "hate" someone but held that man accountable for the accident.
Helen also said some time ago a man called her to ask what caused the crash. When she told him the airplane was struck by lightning he told her that would not likely be the cause. I related that the accident report indicated the plane lost a wing, probably from severe updrafts.
Helen told me her father had corresponded with eyewitnesses to the crash. All the letters are gone now, she said.
She was concerned that the men had met their deaths without a chance to pray. I told her there was a time interval that would have given them time for last minute prayers. This greatly relieved her. I also told her plane came down at a 45-degree angle and was inverted upon impact and that she would have all those details from the website. Helen was upset that Pat's widow (married just 11 days) refused to give the family his casket flag. (No mention was made of the insurance money.) The widow remarried.
Her brother had a close circle of friends (he and 4 others of the group). She said she even had a photo of Lt. Charles Porter. (She commented that Porter was matried but was about to seek a divorce but was killed before that happened.) I encouraged her to hold on to Charles' photo, that I hoped to be getting closer in fmding one of his relatives. She remembered O'Malley's name and Porter. She didn't remember Lytle although he was from Texas. (Morton)
(Helen was having a hard time dealing with the loss of her husband. He didn't let her handle any of the affairs or drive-now she has to struggle through it all but does have at least one son living nearby. I gave her the Naper 28 website and my e-mail address so her son could bring it up this evening when she goes over to his place.)
Helen asked about the contributing to the cost of the monument. I told her plans hadn't moved that far along yet but she stated she wanted to contribute!
I told her I would be sending a questionnaire to her and requested a photo of her brother.
Larry Carpenter
