Ernest Boumont
| Date of Interment or Death | 01/09/1945 |
|---|---|
| Location | Old Fairview |
| Section | A |
| Block-Lot-Grave | 18-4-6 |
Obituary
Aviation Cadet Ernest Boumont Killed in Wreck
Wahpeton Man Dies in Train Collision in Utah Sunday Night
Aviation Cadet Ernest Boumont, aged 19 was killed in the wreck of the Pacific Limited Sunday night according to word received by his father Archie Boumont of this city, Monday night. The body will be brought to Wahpeton and funeral services will be held from the Church of God. No arrangements as to time have been made as yet.
Cadet Boumont was enroute to St. Mary, Calif., to report following a holiday leave which he had spent in Wahpeton. He was to be assigned to another naval air school from there to complete his naval training of which he had some six months left.
Ernest Boumont was born 19 years ago in Brushvale, Minn. He attended Wahpeton schools, graduating from high school in 1942 and attended the Science School the following year prior to entering the Naval Air Corps in the fall.
He is survived by his father, Archie Boumont, two brothers, Allen aged 10 and Dennis aged 12 and one sister, Miss Doris Boumont, who is attending school in Lemmon, S. Dak. His mother died two years ago.
There were 48 civilian and military dead and 79 injured in the rear-end collision Sunday of the crack Pacific limited.
Eleven cars of the two trains-- first and second sections of the limited---were broken and telescoped in what veteran railroaders described as the worst carnage in western rail history. Three cars were tossed from the 10-foot high roadbed into the salt-crusted back washes of Great Salt lake and others were thrown askew of the lines, blocking west-bound traffic at a point 22 miles west of Ogden.
The crash occurred when the 20 car fast mail and express section of the limited plowed through red signals, torpedo warnings and flare signals to drive its huge steam locomotive into the sleeper car at the rear of the 18-car passenger train. James McDonald, 64-year-old, veteran of 37 years with the Southern Pacific and an engineer of the fast mail-express, died at his post. The fireman, M.E. Hardman, also of Ogden, escaped with minor injuries and shock despite the fact that he also rode the engine to the grinding stop which brought death or injuries to virtually every passenger in the last four cars of the holiday crowded passenger train. Some of the dead, dying and injured were pinned in the wreckage for as much as eight hours The temperatures hovered at 10 degrees when the collision occurred two hours before dawn Sunday with the cold accentuating the agonies of the injured.
Among the dead were CM1-c Gordon N. Roland of Bayport, Minn., and STM 2-c Joseph Zehnley of Long Prairie, Minn.
The passenger section had been delayed by a freight train which had stopped while crewmen repaired hotbox. Peterson’s office announced. It was only beginning to move again when the fast mail express sped out of the darkness. The terrific impact telescoped the three rear cars as if they were match-boxes.
Boumont Rites Will be Tuesday
Military funeral rites for Aviation Cadet Ernest Boumont, son of Archie Boumont, who lost his life in the wreck of the Southern Pacific in Utah last week, will be held from the Methodist church Tuesday afternoon at two o’clock.
Rev. W. E. Mundell, of the Church of God will have the service and the pall bearers will be World War II veterans: Kermit Lee, Anton C. Plettl, Jacob Steffen, Arnold Kline, Walter Holthusen and William Schoeneck. There will be a firing squad and bugler from Company D.
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
Old Fairview is located on the southern half of the cemetery grounds.