Major Doak A. Weston USAAF

What compelled a man to stay with a burning plane, knowing his chances of survival were slim? At the Mount Hood Golf Course in Melrose, Massachusetts, a simple monument stands as a testament to such bravery. This is the story of Major Doak A. Weston USAAF. Major Doak A. Weston, a seasoned pilot recently returned from WWII, faced a terrifying ordeal on September 24, 1945. During a routine training flight from Manchester, New Hampshire, to Boston in his B-25J bomber, one of the engines caught fire. Approaching Saugus, with the plane losing altitude rapidly, Major Doak A. Weston USAAF ordered his five crewmen to bail out. They landed safely. Knowing the populated area below, Major Doak A. Weston USAAF chose to remain at the controls. He aimed to steer the crippled aircraft away from homes and people. He circled over Melrose, Malden, Saugus, and Wakefield, desperately searching for a safe place to crash-land. He spotted the Mount Hood Golf Course. It was his only option. Too low to bail out himself, he aimed for the 8th green. Witnesses saw a flaming wing tear away before the B-25 slammed into the ground. The plane exploded on impact, killing Major Doak A. Weston USAAF instantly. A part of the wreckage set a nearby house ablaze, but firefighters quickly contained it. Major Doak A. Weston USAAF’s selfless act undoubtedly saved lives on the ground. Sixty-five years later, Melrose honored his sacrifice with a ceremony at the crash site. A monument bearing the names of all the crew members, including Major Doak A. Weston USAAF, was unveiled. His son, only three years old when his father died, attended the ceremony. Major Weston’s story is a sobering reminder of courage and sacrifice. It’s a story of a man who put the lives of others before his own. He made the ultimate sacrifice at the Mount Hood Golf Course.