The May 26 issue of The SandPaper ran a Speakeasy column by Garrett Filemyr that described a tragic aviation disaster that took place near Seven Bridges Road in Tuckerton in March 1945. A quick look at the 1,000-page history of Ocean County came up blank, and a drive along the road didn’t show any historic markers. With that, the article was filed away for future use.

The story must begin with the look at the situation during late winter 1945.