Post Hosts Gander Ceremony (http://www.fortcampbellcourier.com/news/article_a02b91da-03dd-11e0-a0fc-001cc4c03286.html) Posted: Thursday, December 9, 2010 3:44 pm | Updated: 3:50 pm, Thu Dec 9, 2010.
Post hosts Gander ceremony by Megan Locke, Courier staff
This Sunday marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most devastating losses in 101st Airborne Division history the Gander crash.
On that cold winter morning, 248 Soldiers and eight crew members died upon takeoff of an Arrow Air flight in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada.
The service members, mostly assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, were en route to Fort Campbell after a six-month peacekeeping mission to the Sinai, Egypt.
Fort Campbell’s annual remembrance and wreath laying ceremony will be Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. All community members, whether personally impacted by the crash or not, are invited to attend the ceremony at Fort Campbell’s Task Force 3-502nd Memorial Tree Park, located between Normandy and Screaming Eagle boulevards.
Retired Maj. Gen. John Herrling, 2nd Brigade commander at the time of the crash, is scheduled to speak, along with the Army’s Chief of Chaplains Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver, a Fort Campbell chaplain in 1985.
“It’s been 25 years but I haven’t forgotten as I’m sure they surely have not forgotten,” said Herrling about surviving Family members in an interview earlier this year. “Their sons and daughters did a wonderful job, and they really need to be proud of their service.”
For Family members of the fallen and the rest of the Screaming Eagles, the tragedy is one that is memorialized in hearts and minds year round.
“Once you go through a tragedy like that, you realize that this can happen at other places and other times,” Herrling said.
Current Installation Chap. (Col.) Roger Heath, 101st Airborne Division DIVARTY chaplain 25 years ago, remembers that December day vividly.
Heath deployed on a similar peacekeeping mission to the Sinai in 1984 with the Rakkasans, and he said many of these same Soldiers were reassigned and deployed with the 3-502nd in 1985.
The battalion’s chaplain, Maj. Troy Carter, was killed in the crash. As a result, Heath was one of the many 101st Airborne Soldiers cross-leveled to fill his position.
Even before Heath became the battalion’s chaplain, he remembers the despair from survivors that winter day.
“It was a tradition that many of those who deployed the previous year met their counterpart at the [Campbell Army Airfield] when they returned the following year,” he said. “After hearing that a military aircraft crashed at Gander, many feared it was our plane.
“We made our way to the 2nd Brigade gym to be with the Families awaiting their return. Many were gathered in the gym with lots of welcome home signs, flowers, yellow ribbons.”
Heath recalls a chorus of screams and crying when the commander came to the microphone with the official announcement of no survivors.
“One young Korean wife did not speak English,” he recalled. “A Korean-American chaplain assistant interpreted the situation to her. She kept saying, ‘no, no,’ in Korean and calling her husband’s name. She was alone in this country with no one, and didn’t speak the language. I believe the Korean community helped her with many of the details of a survivor.”
The Screaming Eagles are known for their sacrifices in combat, but it is Gander that taught Heath what being a Soldier really means. The 3-502nd Soldiers tasked to help keep the peace between Egypt and Israel serve as an example of a job well done, he said.
“It was the first time I felt the cost in human terms what our nation pays for peace in the world,” he explained. “It takes more than beans, bullets and money. It often takes lives to keep our world safe. Taxpayers pay some expenses and bills, Soldiers pay the ultimate price.”
Hopkinsville will also host a memorial service at the city’s Gander Memorial Park, Sunday. The ceremony is from 3 until 4:30 p.m.
Additional remembrance ceremonies are scheduled at Arlington National Cemetery, where several of the fallen Soldiers are buried, as well as at Gander.
Pfc. Mark E. Abrams 1st Lt. Joey McCarty Pfc. Herbert D. Alexander Spc. Christine M. McCleery Staff Sgt. Steven A. Andreoff 1SG Robert F. McCook Spc. Danell Andrews 2nd Lt. J. Scott McCormick Spc. Ivan R. Aponte Spc. Calvin McWhite Pvt.2 Stuart N. Arrowood Staff Sgt. Jerry W. Malone Spc. Roger D. Arvin Capt. Edward J. Manion 1st Lt. Luis A. Avillan Pvt.2 Thomas L. Martin Spc. Bobby L. Banks Pvt.2 Donald L. Mathis Spc. Daniel M. Barber Sgt. Ronald C. Mayhew Pfc. Eric J. Bauman CW2 Dirk A. Miller Pvt.2 Edward M. Beer Sgt. Larry G. Miller Spc. Wyatt D. Benson Staff Sgt. Richard D. Miller Pfc. Sammy D. Bittle Spc. Timothy E. Miller CSM Hasland O. Black Sgt. John M. Millett Pfc. Paul J. Bostwick Sgt. James A. Mollett Sgt. John P. Bowen Staff Sgt. Samuel T. Moore Jr. CW3 Robert Bowen Pfc. Lindale Morgan Spc. John T. Bradley Jr. Spc. Steven W. Mullins Spc. Steven J. Bradshaw Sgt. Michael Murray Pfc. Darrin P. Brady Spc. Michael A. Napier Sgt. Charles F. Brancato Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. Nartia Spc. Tony L. Brasfield Sgt. 1st Class Donald C. Nelson Pvt.2 William R. Brilya Pvt.2 Kenneth J. Nelson Spc. George A. Britt Staff Sgt. Steven R. Nelson Pfc. Johnny L. Brown Sgt. Richard S. Nichols Pvt.2 Gregory A. Buchanan Pfc. Michael T. Nolan Spc. James D. Burdette Sgt. Francisco Ocasio Jr. Pfc. David A. Bury Pfc. Robert L. Olson Pvt.2 Trevor Campbell Pvt. Gregory A. Owens Pfc. Gregory T. Carter Spc. Gary W. Padgett Sgt. Mark E. Carter Pfc. Theodore L. Pafford Capt. Troy G. Carter Sgt. Jeffrey R. Palmisano Pvt.1 Dennis Cartwright CW3 Rudy Parris Pvt. Phillip R. Caudill Sgt. Thomas F. Parsons Pfc. Garett R. Chaddock Pvt.2 Vickie S. Perry Spc. Stephen R. Colby Spc. Terry R. Pevey Pfc. Bobby L. Coleman Pvt.2 Alvin Phillips Sgt. Miguel A. Cordero Sgt. James D. Phillips Jr. Pfc. Orlando F. Council Jr. 1st Lt. Barry C. Powell Pfc. Michael E. Craig Spc. Raimo K. Puntanen Jr. Pvt.2 Paul M. Crawford Spc. Michael R. Rahr Spc. Francisco Cruz-Salgado Capt. Terry L. Rains Pfc. Troy R. Cupples Pfc. David L. Rawls Pfc. Walter G. Daniels Patrick S. Reasbeck Spc. Thomas Danielson Pvt. Melvin W. Reed Sgt. James A. Davis Staff Sgt. Jessey T. Reynolds Spc. Jimmy D. Davis Pfc. Gregory W. Richardson Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Davis Pfc. Richard D. Rimiller Pfc. Herbert R. Deckman Spc. Bobby E. Roberts Cpl. Joseph L. Diventura Staff Sgt. Wilbur G. Roberts Jr. Spc. Thomas D. Dixon Sgt. Vergil L. Robertson Jr. Staff Sgt. James F. Duckworth Sgt. Thomas E. Robinson Jr. Sgt. Brian L. Dumpert Pfc. Ronald C. Russell Sgt. Brian E. Easley Spc. Ray A. Ruth Capt. Michael C. Eastman Spc. Ricky A. Schmoyer Capt. Kyle L. Edmonds Sgt. Peter E. Schremp Spc. Christopher Englebert Pfc. Keith M. Schultz Sgt. James A. Ferguson Spc. Gary L. Scott Spc. Mark W. Ferguson Pfc. Blanchard T. Searcy Pvt.2 Kevin F. Fink Staff Sgt. Ronald W. Sears Spc. David Fitch Pfc. Frederic C. Seitz Cpl. Thomas J. Foskey Staff Sgt. Timothy D. Sellner Cpl. Paul K. Fuller Pvt.2 Ernest W. Serna Sgt. Kevin A. Gantzer Spc. Michael D. Shipley Spc. Anthony L. Gayton Pfc. James E. Shook Pfc. Scott W. Gerdes Pfc. Robert D. Shultz Sgt. Gary L. Givens Spc. Carl N. Simmons Sgt. 1st Class David L. Godsey Spc. George H. Simmons Spc. Michael J. Gonzales Sgt. Earl Singleton Pfc. Roberto Gonzalez Spc. Matthew S. Sloan Pvt.2 Joseph W. Goree Pvt.2 Clinton D. Smith Spc. Kelly O. Graham Sgt. 1st Class Rex V. Smith Spc. Thomas L. Graham Spc. Scott J. Smith Staff Sgt. Douglas F. Grala Pfc. Thomas E. Smith Spc. Christopher Gray Pvt. Mark Spearman Pfc. Richardo Guerra Spc. James M. Spears Capt. Brian D. Haller Spc. Michael S. Stack Pfc. William W. Hansen III Pfc. David C. Staten Pvt.1 Chester D. Hardeman Pfc. Alexander W. Stearn CW3 Benny J. Harden Spc. Dane Stephens Pfc. Brian D. Harris 2nd Lt. Kip L. Stevens 2LT Robert B. Hart Sgt. Randy S. Stewart Pvt.1 Mark S. Hassing CW2 Earl C. Stone Spc. Reginald Haugsdahl Pfc. Gary L. Straub Pvt.1 David W. Heidecker Spc. Richard Stringer Sgt. Paul C. Hemingway Pvt.2 Scott A. Stritch Pvt.2 Joe W. Highfill Sgt. Randall K. Thomas Pfc.Thomas T. Hileman Spc. Robert F. Thomas Spc. Donald E. Hobbs Sgt. Danny C. Thompson Pfc.Kevin S. Hobbs Spc. Scott B. Thompson Staff Sgt. Jerry W. Holliman Sgt. Christopher G. Thornton Spc. Robert S. Hoyer Sgt. Theodore Travis Spc. Charles W. Hughes Pvt.2 Thomas N. Tucker Staff Sgt. Frank J. Hughes Staff Sgt. Vincent L. Turner Pfc. Jeffrey D. Hull Pfc. Steven C. Venneri Cpl. Herbert G. Ivy Pfc.Wayne Vinson Pvt.1 Adrian D. Jackson Spc. Gregory Walker Lt. Col. Marvin A. Jeffcoat Spc. Guy W. Walker Staff Sgt. Donny K. Jennings Pfc. Brian E. Wallace Spc. Todd M. Jennings Pfc. Mark E. Wallace Pvt.1 Jerrin A. Johnson Sgt. 1st Class Abraham Ward Staff Sgt. Ravon L. Johnson Sgt. 1st Class Thomas E. West Sgt. Joseph A. Jones Pfc. John C. Wester Pvt.2 David A. Jordan Spc. Frank C. Wheeler Spc. Robert S. Kaplin Staff Sgt. Emery S. White III Sgt. Ibrahim Karadsheh Spc. Michael L. Whiteman Spc. Jeff S. Kee Staff Sgt. Darnell Wilburn Sgt. Timothy L. Kidd Pvt.2 Franklin R. Wilkins Pfc. Jerry J. King Spc. Rodger L. Wilson Capt. Robert M. King Staff Sgt. James A. Winston Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Kirby Spc. James H. Williamson Pfc. Bruce E. Kiser Sgt. Richard N. Willingham 1st Lt. John K. Kosh Spc. Theodore M. Wisson Staff Sgt. Mark R. Kubic 1st Lt. John B. Witmer Spc. John M. Kuehn Sgt. Kevin M. Witt Spc. Randall A. Lane Sgt. Robert N. Wolford III Maj. Michael R. Lawrence Staff Sgt. Lawrence A. Wood Sgt. Donald G. Lineberry Sgt. William L. Wooliver Pfc. William M. Lloyd Spc. Virginia R. Word 1st Lt. Paul D. Long Spc. John R. Wright Spc. David C. Lundgren Pfc. Robert Wyn Pfc. Benjamin R. Lynch Pfc. Cary T. Yeargan Sgt. Paul A. McArdle Spc. Cathleen M. Ziegler
pen 15pit Crew John Griffin, Captain John Robert Connelly, First Officer Mike Fowler, Flight Engineer