J. D. Williamson - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Janet Byram Newsom 10/24/2012 (Courtesy of Cecil Smith Scrapbook)

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J. D. Williamson - Madison Parish, Louisiana

From Tallulah Madison Journal July 17, 1933 

FORMER TEACHER HERE KILLED AS PLANE CRASHES

J. D. Williamson of Ruston Fatally Injured as He Tries "Flat Turn"

J. D. Williamson, 30, of Ruston former science teacher and coach of Tallulah High school, was fatally 
injured Tuesday afternoon at Selman field of Monroe where he was flying a Keystone bombing plane that 
crashed when the flyer attempted a "flat turn" about 50 feet from the ground.

Wednesday many from Tallulah attended the funeral to pay silent tribute to their friend, former teacher 
and coach.

Williamson is well known here, having taught four years in the high school from March, 1926 to 
February, 1930, before leaving to enroll in the army flying school at Kelly field. His athletic teams 
attracted considerable attention and it was while he was coach that the name, "Trojans," was selected 
for the teams of Tallulah High school. Williamson has been a visitor here on several occasions since he 
became a pilot. His last visit was less than a month ago when he went on a fishing trip with a party of 
his friends.

Excellent progress was made by him at the aviation school and he received his commission in his first year. 
He was transferred to Long Island, New York in1931, only to join the faculty of Ruston High school as a 
teacher of chemistry.

Lieut. Williamson was flying ships at the Monroe field to demonstrate his ability as a flier. He was planning 
to become associated with the proposed aviation courses to be included this fall in the curriculum of 
Louisiana Polytechnic institute.

Persons present at the field were reported to have commented on the aviator making such maneuvers so low to 
the ground as they were ordinarily performed only at a high altitude. When he made the fatal "flat turn" the 
plane began to slip and equilibrium was never gained. He was rushed to a Monroe sanitarium and died of a 
fractured skull soon after being carried there.

Airport officials reported the plane, the second one he had flown during the afternoon, to have been in perfect 
condition. He had been in the air about 20 minutes when the ship crashed to the ground.

He was born at Bernice and named John David. He is survived by his parents, Floyd E. Williamson and 
Dora Fouse Williamson, and two sisters, Ona Mae and Berna Williamson, all of Ruston.