remembering

On January 24, 1963, a B-52 took off from Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts.  This plane was 160 feet long from head to tail and had a wingspan of 185 feet (that's about the same as half a football field).

As the terrain of northern Maine was considered the same as Russia, the plane was out on a low-level radar training mission.

Something went terribly wrong and the vertical stabilizer broke off and 10 seconds later it crashed into Elephant Mountain.

Nine people were aboard, six crew and three observers.  Two people successfully ejected out of the plane, spent a night in -30 degree temperatures and five feet of snow before being rescued.

Most of the passengers didn't even have the ability to eject from the plane - only the pilots and navigator.  Everyone else would have had to use a parachute, but on a low-level flight there's no chance.

The majority of the wreckage still remains today - strewn throughout the woods, in the trees, all over the ground.

photo by sean

People driving miles up the mountain, on dirt roads, to walk silently through the debris - paying their respects.

Everyone had their dogs with them but yet it was still a very quiet and reflective place.  It made me think about all the military people that risk their lives - not only in actual war but also just in training.

I thought this was a beautiful memorial to those lost in this tragedy and those that survived.

Then the next day I got up and hopped on a plane.

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All information from plaques at the site and research Sean did on the internet.  A special thanks to Amber for telling me about this!