Small Museum In No. Attleboro MA - Robert F. Toner/Lady Be Good Items

[Scarecrow]

Falls Fire Barn Museum Of North Attleboro History

100 Commonwealth Ave,

North Attleboro, MA 02763

774-778-4605

facebook.com/NorthAttleboroMuseum/

 

This small museum is only open Saturdays 9-12.

 

I will try and make this as brief as I can. On Saturday my 10 year old granddaughter wanted to visit this museum which is in her town.  So I took her expecting to see much about No. Attleboro's fire fighting history.  It was much more than that, it was a museum dedicated to No. Attleboro's history from Native American culture to present. Really some interesting exhibits in a small local museum.  As I was looking around I spotted a glass case that appeared to have a B-24 model suspended from one of the shelves in the case. Now for the rest of the story.

 

I'm sure most of you have heard of the B-24 aircraft the "Lady Be Good", so I will not try and tell the full story.  If you have not heard of the Lady Be Good the internet is loaded with information about this aircraft and the tragic saga of her crew.  Found in the Libyan desert in 1958 by a British oil exploration survey crew, in a remarkably well preserved state. The crew had all bailed out and landed approximately 12 miles from the crash site. Eventually the remains of 8 of the 9 crew members were discovered many miles from the crash site.  They set out in hopes of rescue with only 1/2 of a canteen of water. Their unbelievable journey for survival lasted 8 days before they perished due to lack of food, water and brutal 130 degree desert heat.  A group of 5 remains were found together in 1960, (85 miles from the crash site!) and approximately 25 miles further the remaining 2 crew remains were found.  Any how their struggle for survival was chronicled in a pocket diary kept by Co-Pilot Robert F. Toner and found with his remains in 1960.

 

Back to the museum.  Robert F. Toner was from North Attleboro, in fact he attended high school with my Mother-In-Law.  When I started to look at the items in the glass case I was startled/shocked to see this very pocket diary along with his Purple Heart and a RCAF signet ring. (he had enlisted in the RCAF before transferring to the USAAF).  This signet ring was also found with his remains and you can see that after 17 years of blowing desert sand the RCAF crest on the ring had been worn smooth. When the volunteer/curator saw my interest in Lt. Toner and the Lady Be Good she opened the case and let me hold the diary and his signet ring.  A bit of a haunting yet extremely historical experience in my life.  Not to be soon duplicated.  I had just assumed (incorrectly) that his items were in either the US Army or the Air Force museums.  Obviously these personal items were returned to the family and subsequently donated to the Falls Fire Barn Museum.  You never know what historical items can be found in these small local museums.  Thanks for reading this far.

 

Paul (aka Scarecrow)

 

 

 

 

[Dave]

Wow! That's amazing! I once owned the pilot's Purple Heart. I wish I had known about this one because it would have been awesome to reunite the two medals in my book. Looks like I'll still need to make a visit. Really neat and definitely not expected!

[Dave]

Just noticed the location - my youngest daughter is starting school in Newport this summer. I'll have to make sure to bridge one of my visits over a weekend. 

[Scarecrow]

24 minutes ago, Dave said:

Just noticed the location - my youngest daughter is starting school in Newport this summer. I'll have to make sure to bridge one of my visits over a weekend. 

Thanks Dave.  If you do have time this summer to make a trip there, give me a shout out and I be happy to meet up and go with you.  I'd love to see these items again.

[ScottG]

   An awesome day with the Grand daughter to be sure. Here in Michigan we have a propeller from the plane. It is in the Upper Peninsula in the town of Lake Linden which was the home of the radio operator Robert LaMotte. I have visited it many times and it is near the county museum but the museum has never been open so I am uncertain if they have any of LaMotte's items.      Scott

[Scarecrow]

Another photo of the display case dedicated to Lt. Robert F. Toner.  Not sure why my first photo posted upside down but this is another view of it.

 

[Scarecrow]

On 5/19/2026 at 3:50 AM, ScottG said:

   An awesome day with the Grand daughter to be sure. Here in Michigan we have a propeller from the plane. It is in the Upper Peninsula in the town of Lake Linden which was the home of the radio operator Robert LaMotte. I have visited it many times and it is near the county museum but the museum has never been open so I am uncertain if they have any of LaMotte's items.      Scott

Hi Scott, My son's fiance just moved out east here but she grew up in Escanaba MI.  Is that any where near Lake Linden?  Also I believe that Sgt. LaMotte's remains were, along with Lt. Toner's, among they initial group of five that were discovered in 1960.  Still reeling a bit from being able to actually hold Lt. Toner's diary and signet ring.

s

[ScottG]

6 minutes ago, Scarecrow said:

Hi Scott, My son's fiance just moved out east here but she grew up in Escanaba MI.  Is that any where near Lake Linden?  Also I believe that Sgt. LaMotte's remains were, along with Lt. Toner's, among they initial group of five that were discovered in 1960.  Still reeling a bit from being able to actually hold Lt. Toner's diary and signet ring.

s

 

        Hi Paul, from Escanaba to Lake Linden would be about a 3 hour drive but certainly one of the most beautiful drives you could take. Escanaba has a nice museum called the Upper Peninsula Military Museum, its fairly new but they have done a great job so far. If I'm not mistaken, the prop is the only piece of the aircraft that was brought back to the states. I am up there from time to time and one day I will get into the museum there to see if they have anything else. It certainly would be quite the experience to hold those items, I'm glad they let you do that.

[Brig]

I get out that way every now and again, will need to stop by

[GIKyle]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this. 

[Scarecrow]

On 5/24/2026 at 8:51 AM, Brig said:

I get out that way every now and again, will need to stop by

Hey Brig,

Just like with Dave's post above, if you ever get out this way please let me know.  We can meet up and go, I would love to see these items again.  Thanks for your comment.

Paul (aka Scarecrow)