July 28, 1945…
New York City was shrouded in fog on the morning of July 28, 1945 as Lt. Col. William Smith piloted his B-25 Mitchell Bomber toward Newark, New Jersey from Bedford, Massachusetts.
Controllers urged him to land because of the fog, but he received military clearance to continue his mission. As he descended to look for a landmark, he found himself in the canyons of skyscrapers over Manhattan.
As he tried to weave and dodge the buildings, the bomber crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building at 250 mph, leaving a gaping hole in the world’s tallest structure.
As debris rained down on the streets below, hysterical New Yorkers believed their city was under attack. Fourteen people died in the crash, including the crew of three.
