World War II, one of the most devastating conflicts in human history, had a huge impact on the lives of so many.

And for many, including Inland Empire residents, many soldiers never made it back home.

Capt. Leland F. Norton, namesake of the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, was killed in action in 1944, on his 16th mission flying an A-20 bomber near Amiens, France.

There was one local tragedy, not related to combat, that really hit home -- literally.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Oct. 7, 1943, a twin-engine Army bomber disintegrated in the air over San Bernardino. It ripped through tree-tops on Valencia Avenue and then roared wildly across the city's north end residential district, skimming the rooftops before crashing between two houses at 3048 E. St.

Pilot Lt. Randall R. Weiland and his two crew members all died.

A graduate of San Bernardino High School in 1941, Weiland was commissioned in 1942 after training at Texas airfields and was assigned to the ferry command in Long Beach.

While on leave visiting his uncle and aunt Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Libby, who lived at 2894 Wall St., their nephew made a promise: "I'll fly over the house the next time I am out this way."

The young pilot kept his promise, but the flight had a tragic ending.

While approaching San Bernardino, the plane experienced engine trouble, lost altitude and struck trees. The bomber then began coming apart as it raced over homes.

As the pilot fought frantically to save the plane, its motors alternately sputtering and roaring, its course was straight over the Libby home, where Weiland's two young sisters, Joyce Weiland and Coleen Luce were living.

Attracted by the roar of the motors and recalling the young flier's statement to "fly over the house," Mrs. Libby rushed out, saw the ship, and telephoned her husband, who was an employee of The Sun at the time.

An airplane just went over and exploded in the air, she said. I hope to God it wasn't Randall, she said.

Mr. Libby was later informed by the ferry command at Long Beach, the plane's home base, of the young pilot's death.

Hundreds of residents living in the area watched its wild flight across the housetops and heard it strike the ground.

Mrs. A. M. Brigham of 2924 Valencia was in her home when she heard the motors sputtering.

"I thought it was going to strike the house," she said. "I ran to my children in another room. Just then the plane seemed to be right over us. I heard the motors quit for an instant. Then they started up again with a roar."

Other witnesses, including traffic Officer Thomas Stuteville said they saw the plane east of Sierra Way at an altitude of about 250 feet, indicating the pilot may have struggled to save the ship from crashing.

It was over Sierra Way the plane began to break apart, pieces of one wing falling first and then parts of the plane's tail. The pieces fell into yards and on roofs. Residents puzzled by the falling bits of the plane, reported to police that a plane was scattering leaflets over the neighborhood.

As the ship roared on, it seemed to lose altitude and as it crossed north E Street, it barely skimmed the roof of the John B. Spyksman home, and crashed with a deafening impact in the yard between Mrs. Paul Kapp's home, on the rear of the lot, and a dwelling occupied by Mrs. Joseph Hoffert.

Kapp was in the house with her two children and a neighbor's child.

"I don't know how I could help from hearing the plane's motors," she said, "but the first thing I remember was a noise like a terrific gust of wind. Then it struck, right in our yard. It was a terrible noise."

Spyksman was sitting in the front room, alone.

"I didn't know whether it was the Japanese or not," he said. "I looked out and there was the plane -- right on my home, it seemed. I sat paralyzed, expecting the plane to hit my house.

"Then a terrific crash. Again, it seemed as if was actually in the house," Spykman said. "I looked out and saw the wreckage."

Fortunately, none of the occupants of the two homes was injured.

Within a couple days Lt. Victor Hugo, 42, of Detroit was identified as one of the other men killed in that tragic flight.

Unfortunately, I have been unsuccessful in finding out about the third man.

On Oct. 12, 1943, a military funeral was conducted for Lt. Randall Weiland at San Bernardino's Mark B. Shaw Chapel and burial followed at Mt. View Cemetery.