Sailor likely to have baseball field named after him

A member of the U.S. Naval Reserves who died in a 1951 plane crash near Tucumcari likely will have a baseball field in Marlborough, Massachusetts, named after him.

The Marlborough City Council’s Veterans Affairs Committee approved the mayor’s recommendation to name the field behind Whitcomb Middle School after Harold Cole, a dispersing clerk 2nd Class. Cole served in World War II and re-enlisted during the Korean War.

“It’s a great opportunity to honor Mr. Cole’s service and sacrifice to our country,” said Sean Navin, chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee.

The city council is expected to vote on the designation later this month.

According to a report in the MetroWest Daily News, Cole was born Dec. 10, 1920, and grew up in Marlborough. He was a cab driver before enlisting in the Naval Reserves during World War II. He held the rank of storekeeper, 2nd class, when he was honorably discharged in 1946.

Cole died in a B-25J bomber plane crash on May 18, 1951, outside of Tucumcari. Cole was a passenger in the aircraft was trying to get back to his ship in Korean waters, the U.S. General A.E. Anderson, after a 30-day leave to visit his family. He and the passengers and crew had lunch in Amarillo before proceeding west.

One of the engines on the plane failed over Santa Rosa, and the pilot turned back to make an emergency landing in Tucumcari. But the plane lost altitude too rapidly as the pilot circled for a landing. After hitting the ground two miles short of the airport, the plane hurtled against and over a high ditch bank, tearing off one motor. The crash killed Cole and injured three other airmen.

The Tucumcari Daily News reported Cole was seated directly behind the engine that was torn off during the crash and was thrown from the plane. He died about an hour after being admitted to the emergency room at Tucumcari General Hospital.

According to an Associated Press report about the crash, Cole was due to be discharged the following week. The plane was making one of it four weekly flights from Scott Field in Illinois to Williams base northeast of Phoenix.