The Tragedy At Howery Field

June 1, 1967

Six Ft. Belvoir soldiers were fatally electrocuted at 4:14 p.m. when the metal flagpole they were installing at the baseball fields in North Springfield, toppled onto the 7200 volt roadside power lines.

All of the victims were enlisted men, members of the 77th Engineer Port Construction Company. The park was Edward Howery Field at the corner of Braddock Rd. and Glenn Park Rd. in Springfield VA.

The soldiers had been preparing the site for the baseball season as part of Belvoir Community Assistance project. The victims were part of a ten-man detail from the Army Engineering Center.

Installing the 40 foot flagpole into a concrete base was one of the finishing touches. It had been set in the base but it started to sway and the soldiers tried to steady the pole. The pole toppled over onto the high tension line, there was a big flash of light and the 6 GI lives were taken.

More details of the tragedy can be found at:

Fairfax County Library - The Virginia Room
Fairfax City Times
Fairfax County Library - Virginia Room, Fairfax, VA

June 8, 1967 pg 45 Ft. Belvoir 6 electrocuted at L.L. field

Washington Post archives
ProQuest document ID: 204462742

'A Big Flash--They Lay in Mud on Fire':Ballfield Pole Hits Wire, 6 Soldiers Electrocuted 6 Soldiers Electrocuted When Ballfield Pole Falls Deaths Instantaneous Four Others Uninjured
By Helen Dewar and Richard Corrigan Washington Post Staff Writers. The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973) Washington, D.C.:Jun 2, 1967. p. A1 (2 pp.)