Major Harold E. Rickner and Capt. Thomas F. Hammett - DNB - 29 July 1945

[Leendert]

According findagrave and newspaper articles, Major Harold E. Rickner, (O-309975), Air Officer of the 349th Field Artillery Group, got killed in an airplane crash in Germany on 29 July 1945. I reckon this was in a US Army L-4 or L-5 type, with no further info about this accident readily available.

Coincidence or not, Capt. Thomas F. Hammett (O-379897) of the same 349th FA Group also got killed that 29 July 1945. He was acting military mayor of Gmund, Bayern/Bavaria, Germany.
Newspaper articles write that he 'was ambushed by Nazis'(?)

Although the circumstances of both deaths reportedly differ, I nevertheless wonder if the two are related after all.

Any info welcome, thanks.

Regards,

Leendert