In 1947, three accidents involved the Gratz Airport, Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Two of the accidents were fatal. The first occurred in April 1947 and involved a young man who had just qualified for his private pilot’s license. On his first solo flight out of the Gratz Airport, he was killed.
Area newspapers reported on the crash. From the Elizabethville Echo, 25 April 1947:
Hebe War Veteran Killed In Plane Crash
Glenn Orvin Leitzel, 20 year old veteran of World War II, was killed when a small plane he was piloting, crashed in the yard next to his home, near Hebe, shortly after noon, Saturday.
Leitzel sustained a fractured scull, broken neck, and other injuries. Dr. Sidney Kallaway of Shamokin, Northumberland County Coroner was notified and released the body to the Reed Funeral Home, Pillow.
Leitzel was a son of Warren Leitzel and Elva M. [Wiest] Leitzel, and was a member of David’s Lutheran Church, Hebe.
Following his graduation from the Dalmatia High School, he entered the armed forces and had served as a member of the 16th Infantry Division with the Army of Occupation in Germany. Since his discharge from the service last November he had been employed in the garage of his brother, Leon Leitzel, at Erdman.
In addition to his parents he is survived by two brothers and four sisters: Ray Leitzel, Roxie Leitzel and Marlene Leitzel, all at home; Mrs. Gladys Keen of Hebe; and Mrs. Russell Bohner, of West Lafayette, Ohio; and his grandfather, Adam Leitzel, of Hebe.
Services were held from the Reed Funeral Home, Pillow, at 2 o’clock Wednesday afternoon with further services in the Hebe Lutheran Church. Rev. Ralph Alderfer, pastor of the Urban Lutheran Parish officiated and interment was made in the Hebe Cemetery.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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