Wisconsin History Day By Day

Related Web Sites:
115 Fighter Wing

Truax Field Radar

115th Figher Wing (Wikipedia)


Read More About It

"Out of Fuel, 4 Truax Jets Crash" Wisconsin State Journal, Feb. 1, 1953

"Clouds Hamper Search for Fliers; Two Truax Men Still Missing" The Capital Times, Feb. 2, 1953


Vocabulary:

Sabrejet
exhausted
blinding


Interesting Fact:

The Sabrejet, first manufactured in 1947, became the country's first single-seat, swept-wing jet fighter.


Study Questions:

  • Why were the four jets unable to land in the snowstorm?
  • What other military plane accidents occurred in Wisconsin during the 1950's?
  • What was the purpose of having Air Force jets based in Madison?


    Search these newspaper databases for additional stories about airplane accidents in Wisconsin:

  • Wisconsin State Journal/The Capital Times
  • Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • BadgerLink Wisconsin Newsstand
  • Wisconsin Historical Society


    U.S. historical events that occurred on January 31:

    1940: The first social security check is issued.
    1958: The first U.S. satellite, Explorer I, is launched.



    • January 31

    January 31, 1953: Four Air Force F-86 Sabrejets based at Truax Field in Madison crashed in southern Wisconsin on Jan. 31, 1953. The planes were unable to land because of a blinding snowstorm and eventually ran out of fuel. Two pilots were able to bail out safely while the other two pilots were killed.

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