Otis Memorial Park

On March 2, 1965 the 551st AEW+C (Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing) celebrated its 10th anniversary. During that time the 551st Wing accumulated 350,000 hours without an accident involving personal injury or a fatality. On July 11, 1965 all that changed when a “Super Constellation” with 19 crew members ditched in the North Atlantic. Sixteen men died and three were rescued.

Three lives were lost in two separate crashes. The first occurred on March 21, 1968 resulting in Captains Toffel and Utz being killed. The second crash occurred on December 5, 1969 taking the life of Captain Rossomano.

On Veterans Day, November 11, 1966 a second Homey, 64 ditched approximately 125 miles East of Nantucket Island while on an active air defense mission for the 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing (AEW+C) with a crew of nineteen aboard. There were no survivors.

This is a tribute to Lieutenant Colonel Clifford D. Wescott, for his 28 years (March 16, 1954 – May 15, 1972) as Commander of the Permanent Training Site for the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

Sadly, there was a third tragedy which struck the 551st AEW+C on April 25, 1967. Fifteen crew members were killed when their plane was ditched approximately one mile off the shores of South Maddeket Beach on Nantucket Island.

As part of the US air defense strategy were several towers built in the ocean much like off-shore oil rigs. These structures called Texas Towers worked hand in hand with the 551st in processing early detection of weapons headed to the United Sates. Texas Tower 4 was located in New Jersey. On January 15, 1961 fourteen officers and airmen from the US Air Force and fourteen civilian technicians from the 4604th Support Squadron perished at sea when the tower collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean.

Dedicated in 1976 (no doubt as part of America’s Bicentennial celebration) the plaque states, “the American Division expresses an everlasting tribute to all who served with and for the American Division”.

On May 25, 2023 a stone and plaque were placed in honor of Frances Fortune Grimes a WASP (Women Air Supply Pilots) stationed at Camp Edwards O”s Airfield. The plaque aptly describes the work of WASP and in particular Ms. Grimes. She was killed on March 27, 1944 when the A-24 Dive Bomber she was piloting stalled and crashed afer takeoff.

Members of the US Coast Guard were saddened when on February 5, 2015, Lisa Angelica was killed by a gun. “Lisa touched the hearts of all who knew her. Her absence is a silent grief, her life a beautiful memory.”

OTIS CIVILIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL In honor and in the memory of its members

“Dedicated to the men and women who supported or flew RC121D and EC121H based at O”s Air force Base, Cape Cod between 1954-1969.  Fifty of our group made the ultimate sacrifice. Videre Est Parari”.  The English translation is “ to be seen is to be prepared”.

“Dedicated to the tremendous contributions made by individuals through the years to build the Air Force and make it the powerful force it is today”. This plaque marks the 50th anniversary 1947 – 1997.

Sargent Major Douglass was stationed at the Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon as part of a multi-national peace keeping effort. On Sunday morning October 23, 1983, Hizballah terrorists drove two trucks full of explosive into the barracks killing 221 Marines. Sargent Major Douglass was one of the casualties.

Captain Alan J. Lavoie was a fighter pilot with the 101st Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Massachusetts Air National Guard where he served from December 10, 1971 to June 6, 1983. The quote on his plaque reads “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for a friend.”

A crew of five Coast Guardsmen left Air Station Cape Cod at 3:14 AM on February 18, 1979 to MEDEVAC an injured fisherman. The conditions for the MEDEAV were perilous. High winds, with thirty-foot seas and snow were the presenting conditions facing the crew when they located the fishing ship approximately 260 miles Southeast of Cape Cod. On the third attempt to get the basket onto the ship an engine failure resulted in the helicopter crashing into the seas. Four of the five crew members were killed. The lone survivor was the flight mechanic rescued by the ship.

This stone is in honor of the sacrifice made by 1st Lieutenant Gilbert B. Pelland, a pilot for the 101st Fighter Squadron with the Massachusetts Air National Guard on August 25, 1949.

Colonel Williams was the organizer and Commanding Officer of the 101st Medical Regiment for the 26th (Yankee) Division of the Massachusetts National Guard. Dr. Williams had the distinction of being the Surgeon General of Massachusetts from 1913-1932. The officers and enlisted men of the 101st presented this plaque in his memory.

This plaque was presented to those who served by the Portuguese American Civic league of Massachusetts in honor of Father John E. DeValles D.S.C. who served as Chaplain for the 104th Infantry A.E.F. 1879-1920.