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Location: Gander, Newfoundland

Surnames/tags: military military disasters
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Crash
On Thursday, December 12, 1985, a chartered DC-8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Gander, Newfoundland en route to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The aircraft stalled, crashed, and burned about half a mile from the runway, killing all 248 passengers and 8 crew members aboard. The accident was investigated by the Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB), which determined the probable cause of the crash was the aircraft's unexpectedly high drag and reduced lift condition, most likely due to ice contamination on the wings' leading edges and upper surfaces, as well as underestimated onboard weight. The dissenting opinion of four members of the CASB stated the crash was possibly caused by "...a fire that broke out on board, possibly due to a detonation in the cargo compartment." [1]
The 248 passengers were all members of the United States military, mostly consisting of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army, specifically the 3d Battalion, 502d Infantry. They were returning from the Sinai Peninsula to Fort Campbell, Kentucky for the Christmas holiday via Cologne, Germany and Gander, Newfoundland after completing peacekeeping missions with the Multinational Force and Observers.[2]
Aftermath
This crash served as a pivot point for the US Army regarding the handling of medical records and deployed troops. Until this time, medical records on soldiers were sent with troops as they deployed and returned. As the records were on board during the disaster, identifying the bodies proved difficult as reliable dental and medical records were incinerated in the fire. Notifying next of kin and returning bodies home took weeks. This incident also solidified the need for the Army to ensure deploying soldiers had their final will in place before deploying. [3]
List of Passengers and Crew
Cockpit Crew | ||
---|---|---|
Rank | First Name | Last Name |
Captain | John Joseph | Griffin |
First Officer | Joseph "John" Robert | Connelly |
Flight Engineer | Arthur "Mike" Michael | Fowler |
Cabin Crew | ||
Rank | First Name | Last Name |
Flight Service Manager | Maia | Matasowski |
Flight Attendant | Jean E | Serafin |
Flight Attendant | Desiree | McKay |
Flight Attendant | Ruthie Ann | Phillips |
Flight Attendant | Stacey | Cutler |
Passengers | ||
Rank | First Name | Last Name |
PFC | Mark Edward | Abrams |
PFC | Herbert D | Alexander |
SSG | Steven Allen | Andreoff |
SPC | Danell | Andrews |
SP4 | Ivan R | Aponte |
PVT | Stuart N | Arrowood |
SPC | Roger D | Arvin |
1LT | Luis A | Avillan |
SPC | Bobby L | Banks |
SPC | Daniel Mark | Barber |
CPL | Eric Joseph | Baumann |
PVT | Edward Myron | Beer |
SPC | Wyatt David | Benson |
PFC | Sammy Dale | Bittle |
CSM | Hasland Ora | Black |
PFC | Paul J | Bostwick |
SGT | John P | Bowen |
CW3 | Robert | Bowen |
SPC | John T, Jr. | Bradley |
SP4 | Steven John | Bradshaw |
PFC | Darwin P | Brady |
SGT | Charles F | Brancato |
SPC | Tony Lynn | Brasfield |
PVT | William R | Brilya |
SGT | George Andrew | Britt |
PFC | Johnny L | Brown |
PFC | Gregory Alan | Buchanan |
SGT | James "Jim" Duane | Burdette |
PFC | David A | Bury |
PVT | Trevor | Campbell |
SPC | Gregory Thomas | Carter |
SGT | Mark E | Carter |
CPT | Troy G | Carter |
PVT | Dennis | Cartwright |
SPC | Phillip Ray | Caudill |
SPC | Garett Richard | Chaddock |
SGT | Stephen Rice | Colby |
SPC | Bobby Lee | Coleman |
SGT | Miguel Angel | Cordero |
PFC | Orlando Freeman, Jr. | Council |
PFC | Michael Edward | Craig |
SPC | Paul Markham | Crawford |
SSGT | Francisco | Cruz-Salgado |
CPL | Troy Ray | Cupples |
SP4 | Walter Gene, Jr. | Daniels |
SP4 | Thomas E | Danielson |
SGT | James A | Davis |
SPC | Jimmy D, Jr. | Davis |
SSG | Thomas E | Davis |
SP4 | Herbert Richard, Jr. | Deckman |
SGT | Joseph Louis, Jr. | DiVentura |
SPC | Thomas D | Dixon |
SSG | James Frederick | Duckworth |
SGT | Brian Lee | Dumpert |
SGT | Brian E | Easley |
CPT | Michael C | Eastman |
CPT | Kyle Lee | Edmonds |
SGT | Christopher William | Englebert |
SGT | James A | Ferguson |
SPC | Mark W | Ferguson |
PVT | Kevin F | Fink |
SPC | David | Fitch |
CPL | Thomas J | Foskey |
CPL | Paul K | Fuller |
SGT | Kevin A | Gantzer |
SPC | Anthony L | Gayton |
SPC | Scott Warren | Gerdes |
SGT | Gary L | Givens |
SFC | David L | Godsey |
SPC | Michael J | Gonzalez |
PFC | Roberto | Gonzalez |
PVT | Joseph W | Goree |
SPC | Kelly O | Graham |
SPC | Thomas L | Graham |
SSGT | Douglas Franklin | Grala |
SP4 | Christopher Thomas | Gray |
PFC | Richardo | Guerra |
CPT | Brian D | Haller |
PFC | William W, III | Hansen |
PVT | Chester Donel | Hardeman |
CW3 | Benny J | Hardin |
PFC | Brian D | Harris |
1LT | Robert Bruce Gordon | Hart |
PV2 | Mark Steven | Hassing |
SPC | Reginald Van | Haugsdahl |
SPC | David Wayne | Heidecker |
SGT | Paul C | Hemingway |
PVT | Joe W II | Highfill |
PFC | Thomas T | Hileman |
SPC | Donald E | Hobbs |
PFC | Kevin Scott | Hobbs |
SSGT | Jerry Wayne | Holliman |
SPC | Robert S | Hoyer |
SPC | Charles W | Hughes |
SGT | Frank J | Hughes |
PFC | Jeffrey Dean | Hull |
SGT | Herbert Guy | Ivy |
PVT | Adrian D | Jackson |
LTC | Marvin Alvis, Jr. | Jeffcoat |
SSGT | Donnie K | Jennings |
SPC | Todd M | Jennings |
PVT | Jerrin A | Johnson |
SSGT | Ravon Leroy | Johnson |
SGT | Joseph A | Jones |
PVT | David A | Jordan |
SPC | Robert S | Kaplin |
SGT | Abrahim Farah | Karadsheh |
SGT | Jeffrey Scott | Kee |
SGT | Timothy L | Kidd |
SPC | Jerry Joe | King |
CPT | Robert Milton | King |
SGT | Thomas J | Kirby |
PFC | Bruce E | Kiser |
1LT | John K, Sr. | Kosh |
SGT | Mark R | Kubic |
SPC | John M | Kuehn |
SPC | Randall A | Lane |
MAJ | Michael R | Lawrence |
SGT | Donald G | Lineberry |
PFC | William M | Lloyd |
1LT | Paul D | Long |
SPC | David C | Lundgren |
SP4 | Benjamin Rogers | Lynch |
SGT | Paul Aaron | McArdle |
1LT | Joey | McCarty |
SPC | Christine M | McCleery |
1SG | Robert Frank | McCook |
2LT | J Scott | McCormick |
SPC | Calvin | McWhite |
SSG | Jerry W | Malone |
CPT | Edward J | Manion |
PVT | Thomas L, Jr. | Martin |
PFC | Donald Lee | Mathis |
SGT | Ronald Gene | Mayhew |
CW2 | Dirk A | Miller |
SGT | Larry G | Miller |
SSG | Richard Dean | Miller |
SPC | Timothy E | Miller |
SSG | John Morton | Millett |
SGT | James A | Mollet |
SGT | Samuel T, Jr. | Moore |
PFC | Lindale | Morgan |
SGT | Steven Wayne | Mullins |
SSG | Michael Wade | Murray |
SGT | Michael Andrew | Napier |
SFC | Joseph A | Nartia |
SFC | Donald Craig | Nelson |
PVT | Kenneth J | Nelson |
SSG | Steven R | Nelson |
SSGT | Richard S | Nichols |
CPL | Michael Thomas | Nolan |
SGT | Francisco, Jr. | Ocasio |
PFC | Robert L | Olson |
PVT | Gregory A | Owens |
SPC | Gary W | Padgett |
PFC | Theodore L | Pafford |
SGT | Jeffrey R | Palmisano |
CPT | Rudy | Parris |
SGT | Thomas F | Parsons |
PVT | Vickie S | Perry |
SPC | Terry R | Pevey |
PVT | Alvin | Phillips |
SGT | James D, Jr. | Phillips |
1LT | Barry C | Powell |
SPC | Raimo K | Puntanen |
SPC | Michael R | Rahr |
CAPT | Terry L | Rains |
PFC | David L, Jr. | Rawls |
PFC | Patrick S | Reasbeck |
PVT | Melvin W, Jr. | Reed |
SSG | Jessey T | Reynolds |
PFC | Gregory William | Richardson |
PFC | Richard D | Rimiller |
SPC | Bobby E | Roberts |
SSG | Wilbur "Buddy" Grant, Jr. | Roberts |
SGT | Vergil L, Jr. | Robertson |
SGT | Thomas E, Jr. | Robinson |
PFC | Ronald C | Russell |
SPC | Ray A | Ruth |
CSPC | Ricky A | Schmoyer |
SGT | Peter Edward | Schremp |
CPL | Keith Mitchell | Schultz |
SPC | Gary L | Scott |
SP4 | Blanchard Thomas | Searcy |
SSG | Ronald W | Sears |
PFC | Frederic C | Seitz |
SSG | Timothy D | Sellner |
PVT | Ernest W | Serna |
SPC | Michael D | Shipley |
PFC | James E | Shook |
SPC | Carl N | Simmons |
SPC | George H | Simmons |
SSGT | Earl | Singleton |
SPC | Matthew S | Sloan |
PVT | Clinton D | Smith |
SFC | Rex V | Smith |
SGT | John Scott | Smith |
SPC | Thomas Vernon | Smith |
PVT | Mark | Spearman |
SPC | James M | Spears |
SPC | Michael S | Stack |
PFC | David C | Staten |
PFC | Alexander W | Stearn |
SGT | Dane P | Stephens |
1LT | Kip Lynn | Stevens |
SGT | Randy Sam | Stewart |
CW2 | Earl Collen, Sr. | Stone |
PFC | Gary L, Jr. | Straub |
SPC | Richard | Stringer |
PFC | Scott A | Stritch |
SSGT | Randall Keith | Thomas |
SPC | Robert F | Thomas |
SGT | Danny C | Thompson |
SP4 | Scott B | Thompson |
SGT | Christopher Gerard | Thornton |
SGT | Theodore | Travis |
PFC | Thomas N | Tucker |
SSG | Vincent L | Turner |
CPL | Steven Craig | Venneri |
CPL | Wayne | Vinson |
SPC | Gregory | Walker |
SPC | Guy W | Walker |
PFC | Brian E | Wallace |
PFC | Mark Edward | Wallace |
SFC | Abraham | Ward |
MSG | Thomas "Butch" Edward | West |
PFC | John C | Wester |
SGT | Frankie Charles, Jr. | Wheeler |
SSG | Emery Samuel, III | White |
SGT | Michael Lee | Whiteman |
SSGT | Darnell Larry | Wilburn |
PVT | Franklin R | Wilkins |
SPC | Rodger Louis | Wilson |
SGT | James "Jim" Harold | Williamson |
SSG | Richard Neal | Willingham |
SSG | James Andre | Winston |
SGT | Theodore Melvin | Wisson |
1LT | John Bruce | Witmer |
SSG | Kevin Michael | Witt |
SGT | Robert Neil, II | Wolford |
SSG | Lawrence Allen | Wood |
SSG | William Leonard | Wooliver |
SGT | Virginia "Jenny" Ruth | Word |
CPL | John Richard | Wright |
CPL | Robert, Jr. | Wyn |
SP4 | Cary Todd | Yeargan |
SP4 | Cathleen M | Ziegler |
Sources
- "Aviation Occurrence Report 85-H50902", Arrow Air Inc. Douglas DC-8-63 N950JW, Gander International Airport, Newfoundland, 12 December 1985" (PDF). Canadian Aviation Safety
- Vowell, Michele. "Fatal Gander Crash: 1985 tragedy impacts Fort Campbell, Army-wide procedures to present day," Fort Cambell Courier (Fort Campbell, KY). August 9, 2012. Accessed September 6, 2018. Online Archive
- Arrow Air Flight 1285
- "Victims of the Airline Crash in Newfoundland," The New York Times (New York, NY), p. 4. December 14, 1985. Accessed September 6, 2018. Online Archive
See Also:
- "Airline Confirms Jet had Problems Before Crash." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 21. December 15, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- "Soldiers on Chartered Jet that Crashed at Gander." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 22. December 15, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- "Travel By Air Brought Prosperity to Gander." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 22. December 15, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- "U.S. Autopsies Set for Crash Victims." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 23 December 15, 1985. Online Archive.
- "A Homecoming Turns Into Tragedy." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 178. December 15, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- Zambrano, Mark, and Lisa L. Frazier. "In Illinois, Services Held for 8 Soldiers." Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL), December 16, 1985. Accessed June 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- Holusha, John. "Town Gathers In Mourning Soldiers Lost in Plane Crash" The New York Times (New York City, NY). p. 38, December 16, 1985 Online Archive.
- Clines, Francis X, "'Love is Never Lost,' Reagan Tells Crash Victims' Grieving Families." The New York Times (New York City, NY). pp 1, 36. December 17, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- Witkin, Richard, "Engine Reversal A Theory in Crash." The New York Times (New York City, NY). Pp 1, 36 December 17, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- Barron, James, "Thousands Pay Tribute To Soldiers Killed in Jet." New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 8, December 21, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- Witkin, Richard, "Plane in Gander Crash Was in 3 Earlier Incidents." The New York Times (New York City, NY). p. 8. December 21, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- Martin, Douglas, "Force of Jetliner Crash at Gander Complicates Investigators’ Work." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 38. December 16, 1985. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- "Another Body Found At Gander Crash Site." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 4. January 18, 1986. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- "Error on Arrow Jet’s Weight." The New York Times (New York City, NY), p. 2. February 15, 1986. Accessed August 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- McClure, Maria Rice. "Journey of Healing: Anniversary of Tragedy Brings Soldiers, Families Solace." U.S. Army. December 17, 2015. Accessed June 04, 2019. Online Archive.
- Busch, Fritz, "Gander air disaster nears 32nd anniversary: Newfoundland plane crash fatalities include Sleepy Eye soldier" The Journal (New Ulm, Minnesota), Online. December 10, 2017. Accessed September 16, 2019. Online Archive
Notes
- Many of the servicemember's ranks are reported inconsistently. I have chosen to use the rank listed on the headstone as a standard, if available.
- This is an ongoing project to add and connect, as far as possible, the above service members. Please feel free to add, edit, and help out.
- Current completion:
- 5/8 Crew (62.50%)
- 110/248 Servicemembers (44.35%)
- 115/256 Total (44.92%)
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