Dale M. Patterson was born in Ohio. He served in the 406th Bomber Squadron (or Night Leaflet Squadron), 801st Bomb Group, as a Corporal and Engineer of the B-24 #42-95238 during World War II.
On the 18th of August 1944, around 8.35 pm, their airplane crashed on the grounds of St. Mary's Hospital (called Hereford County and City Asylum back then). They were on a cross-country training mission having set off from Cheddington Airfield (USAAF Station 113) in Buckinghamshire. The crew was supposed to be flying at high altitude but following mechanical problems the plane ended up hitting two chimneys of the hospital before crashing on the grounds, destroying a wall close to the reservoir. Eight out of the ten crew members died on impact. The pilot survived for a few hours and died the next day. The tail gunner died on the 27th of August after having been transferred to US 156th General Hospital, then stationed at nearby Camp Foxley.
Cpl Patterson is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The crew:
Chester Cherrington, Jr. - Pilot
Irwin Frieder - Gunner
Cressy L. Kingery - Navigator
Dale M. Patterson - Engineer
Robert M. Preston - Copilot
Douglas Reseigh - Gunner
Maurice E. Rushing - R.O.
Clarence A. Specht - Engineer
Donald A. Wilson - Bombardier
Robert P. Waite - Gunner
Source of information: htt.herefordshire.gov.uk, http://www.801492.org, www.abmc.gov