The Accidental Bombing of Boise City

The United States Army has its fair share of embarrassments, like losing nuclear bombs and accidentally dropping one on the backyard of a South Carolina home. One such incident, involving conventional bombs, occurred on the night of July 5, 1943. A 10-member crew had taken off from the Dalhart Army Air Base in Texas in four B-17 bombers for a nighttime practice bomb run. They were supposed to proceed to Conlen, also in Texas, 20 miles to the northeast where the target range was located. The square target was to be marked by four lights at each corner creating the illusion of an 'X'. The mission was supposed to be routine, but somehow the young, inexperienced navigator, took the formation 40 miles north to Boise City in Oklahoma instead.

The four B-17 bombers reached Boise City shortly before half past midnight. By then most of the 1,200 residents of the town had already gone to bed. Most of the lights of the small town had been shut off. Only the lights surrounding the Cimarron County Courthouse was glowing. Once the bomb crew saw the four lights around the courthouse, they believed that they had reached their target.

The first bomb thundered through the roof of a garage and exploded, creating a four-foot deep hole in the floor. The town butcher Hurlie Reed and his wife Hazel, who were sleeping at that time, were jolted out of their bed by the loud explosion. They hurried outside and watched in stupefaction and horror as the airplane swept around the sky in a wide circle and came again for the second drop.

The second bomb fell a foot short of the Baptist church, breaking out several windows and creating another crater three feet deep. The third bomb struck between the sidewalk and curb, and by sheer luck, missed a gasoline tanker. The fourth bomb also came narrowly close to striking a parked fuel transport truck.