28 June 1944 - 554FTS/496FTG, RAF Goxhill - Lockheed P-38 Lightning - 42-67931 - 2Lt Byard M Cutler - Training
Approximate location - 1½ miles SW of Thornton Abbey, North Lincs.
Byard Cutler was born 9th November 1922 and hailed from Gem County, Idaho or he may have just enlisted there. He was training at the American 554 Fighter Training School at the RAF Goxhill and was killed flying a P 38 in a mock dog fight. It seems that the aircraft suffered a catastrophic structural failure and crashed to earth a mile or so south west of Thornton Abbey. This must have been quite near the RAF North Killingholme bomber airfield. Apparently the early P 38s were a tricky aircraft for a pilot under training or of average or below ability and prone to loss of control in a dive from high altitude caused by aerodynamic compressibility. I am not qualified to comment on that but I note there was another similar P 38 incident within the area covered by this section.
Byard Cutler has a grave/memorial at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England. It seems however his remains were repatriated and are buried in a family grave at Riverside Cemetery, Emmett, Gem, Idaho.
See pics below which are courtesy of the and Billion graves websites
Item compiled by David Fell. P 38 pic courtesy of our old friend Wikipedia. Rather a good one taken of a P 38 at Goxhill. The Cutler family grave pic is courtesy of the Billion Graves website.
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