DALE HAUPTMANN

Dale HAUPTMANN, son of Mr and Mrs. Dilver Hauptmann, was born at Neligh, December 12, 1930. He attended Rural Grade School Until he entered Neligh High. An airplane accident took his life Thursday morning, May 13, 1948. Dale was an honor student and would have received the Regent's Scholarship at Commencement Monday eveing. He was very active in the Neligh Chapter of future Farmers of America and had served as their news reporter. He was chapter treasurer in 1946 and last year was chosen State Farmer. Dale also took part in athletics and was a football letterman. He also belonged to the Modern Woodmen of America. Dale is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dilver Hauptmann, one borther LaVerne and one sister Patty, both at home.

Accident Report and Obituary from the Neligh Leader, Weds, May 19, 1948, p.1;

Perry HACKETT and Dale HAUPTMAN

All Neligh bowed its head in mourning Sunday afternoon as double funeral services were held at the Congregational church for the two Neligh youths, Perry Hackett and Dale Hauptman who were killed in an airplane crash at the municipal airport, last Thursday morning. The accident occurred shortly before 9 o'clock Thursday morning. Dale Hauptman, 17, was instantly killed, and Perry Hackett, 17 fatally injured, when the plane they were flying went into a nose dive and crashed to the ground about 400 feet from the hangar. Young Hackett was taken to a Norfolk hospital, where he died about 12;25 pm., as preparations were bing made to give him a blood transfusion. The boys were flying a plane which Hauptman had brought from wisner with a View to purchasing same, but had decided to return it, and the boys were planning to fly the plane back when the accident occurred. The accident was witnessed by Keith Carnes of Neligh and Adolph Shur of Elgin, who had taken the boys to the field and watched them take off. The plane took off to the north, and the pilot then turned left and came back over the hangar. According to the witnesses, the plane never reached an altitude of more than 200 feet. As the plane headed northwest, flying over the hangar, the pilot attempted a steep climbing left turn, when the plane suddenly stalled and dived to the ground. John Younghein, manager of the Skyways, Inc., of Norfolk, who investigated the accident, stated that the motor in the plane apparently had not stopped and there was considerable power on as the propellor cut into the ground about two feet. It was not know who was piloting the plane at the time of the accident. According to the report of Rolland Harr, state aeronautics safety engineer, there was "no malfunctioning of the aircraft." The accident was due to pilot error in entering into a steep climbing turn while too close to the ground." Dale Hauptmann is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dilver Hauptmann of Neligh. Perry Hackett is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Hackett of Neligh. Both boys would have graduated Monday night with the class of '48 of the Neligh High School. Both boys were experienced fliers, Hackett having received his pilot's license several months ago. Young Hauptmann was to have been awarded the Regent's scholarship Monday night. He received the State Farmer awarded in 1947 for his outstanding work in Future Farmers of America. About seven hundred friends and neighbors attended the double funeral services Sunday. A public address system carried the service to the church parlors and to several hundred gathered in the church yard. The Rev Henry Demler read the obituary of Perry Hackett and gave a short address. Rev. Sanders of Belden, pastor of the rual church attended by the hauptmanns then read Dale Hauptmann's obituary and gave a short address. Interment for both was in Laurel Hill Cemetery at Neligh. Pallbearers for Perry Hackett were Roger Baker, Ray Peterson, Dean Lichty, Paul Jaschke, Donald Otto and Henry A. Van Kirk. Paullbearers for Dale Hauptman were Gordon Baker, Clinton Godkin, Lyle Reinke, Keith Carnes, John Thorin and Norman Fallesen. The Senior class of the Neligh High School, of which both young men were members, attended the services in a body.