The Teaneck Historical Society will sponsor a free guided walking tour, “When War Planes Crashed Over Teaneck,” Sun. May 17, beginning 10:30 a.m. from the Richard Rodda Center, 250 Colonial Court, Teaneck. Professor Daniel Z.Levin, amateur local historian and Teaneck resident, will lead the two-hour tour. The rain date is Sun., June 14. Registration and further information from: teaneckhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
On May 24, 1942, nearly five months after Pearl Harbor and with German U-boats reportedly sighted from New Jersey beaches, two fighter planes crashed over Teaneck. People thought the township was under attack as debris rained down on homes. Houses were in flames, but there were no fatalities. Some considered it the “first taste of modern war.”
“It’s an unusual local piece of history,” said Professor Levin. “We’ll consider what the newspapers reported, what my interviews with the pilots’ sons revealed and what the Air Force’s secret report—classified for more that 50 years—disclosed.”
A resident of Teaneck since 1998, Professor Levin has a B.A. degree in American history and is a faculty member at Rutgers University Business School.
Walk-ins are welcome. People can join in or leave the tour at any time. The route will go from the Rodda Center to Julia Street, then south along Queen Anne Rd. to Cherry Lane, before returning to the Center.
The Teaneck Historical Society is dedicated to celebrating and preserving township history. It conveys this history to the public through programs, exhibits, publications and cooperative events.