MIchael Russell also a graduate of James Monroe High School, as was Donna. I didnt live close to the event but was scheduled to fly on a United DC7 on Feb. 2nd to boot camp on the East coast. Our teacher pushed us back into the safety of the classroom, where we stood at the windows for hours watching the emergecy crews working. After my capture, I was taken into an office and told to wait. We have been married 35 years. Ah, the good old days. Even though I never met Evan, I grew up hearing about what happened. We often walked home together from Pacoima Junior High. Are tere any photos of the site as it is today? Amy Wilentz The deadly consequences of the Biden administrations policy of no policy. I was in kindergarten at Terra Bella School. After assuring the young ladys safety and involvement in counseling, I turned my attention to the broader family issues. Thanks for your perspective on that day. (And I hope you dont mind that I included a link to your page.). I have your email address here. It was very low. Sister Pam here. Not Hollywood, not L.A., not the country, Mexico deploys plane, ships in search for 3 missing U.S. sailors bound for San Diego, U,S. Deb McKay (Cabeen, then). I assume you went to Pacoima after Terra Bella. Yeah, I do believe I would have been a wee bit nervous about flying in a type of plane that seems to keep crashing into other planes. .Am here after listening to Dearly Departed Episode #21 (time mark 01:41:48) where this incident is discussedThe recording is incredible. Then my family went to Europe for a year and a half. I attended Beachy Ave. from Sept. 1957 to June 1962 (5th grade). Anyway, I may remember Nanci. Regarding dangerous test flights: As I understand it, Pacoima parents spearheaded a successful drive to enact legislation banning future test flights over densely populated areas. ball of fire.and what appeared to look like Thank you for your input. I was able to share this information with the other professionals involved in the case and she was able, at least, to unload some of the emotions she had been holding inside. I remember, like so many others that have written, the pieces of metal, bolts and whatever the pieces are of an exploded plane falling all around. Both of my younger sisters attended the elementary school next door to Pacoima Junior High. Hi Marilyn, I too remember you! After just watching The Ritchie Valens movie again, I binged this site. Thanks again. My brother was in the auditorium for graduation ceremonies, I was in the 4th grade on the playground for recess. How on earth did I just remember that I cant even remember where I put the keys an hour ago?) Over the several months I was working with her, she revealed bits and pieces of some traumatic event that had happened, but I could make no sense of it. One of my Facebook friends living in Dahlonega, GA posted an article about the plane crash that killed Ritchie Valens. The sound was a whisper at first and then it starting getting louder and louder and louder. My mother, long story short, worked full-time for several dentists in Santa Monica, enabling my brother and I to graduate from Palisades High School. Rusty was popular with the ladies. The pilot, Roland Earl Owen, 35, of Palmdale, went down with the jet in La Tuna Canyon; the radar operator, Curtiss A. Adams, 27, parachuted to safety. As we ran outside I could see the carnage from the crash, some bodies and pieces of plane laying everywhere. The comments here show how deeply etched that day is in so many peoples memories. I was in the Auditorium as a B 9th grade student. The elementary school was next to Pacoima Junior HIgh. Clearly this photo was taken a few weeks after the crash. Back then, my dad moonlighted as a news broadcaster at KGIL and, I believe, one of the radio network affiliates. appeared first on The Nation. The fire bells started ringing and we were led outside. Mike Russell, I posted my query a few years back, and Id like to post again in case there are new people following this thread now. Just one more comment, January 31, 1957 was my thirteen birthday; one I will never forget. Your You Tube idea is good. He was just a really good guy and very well liked. There is a link at the bottom to An extensive article and photos about the plane crash. I am so thankful the plane did not crash into the auditorium as the disaster would have been even more tragic. The most vivid memory I have of that day was of my moms worry (her husband and daughter were at Pacoima JH that day). Outside, we could see the carnage. Im wondering if I had him as a teacher. Id like to think that in his and the others final moments, a kind of calm acceptance came over them. Paul Morse, who passed away a few years ago, was a very close friend of my family. And this was 2 years before the Buddy Holly crash. Coincidentally enough, my sister told me on the phone yesterday that she attended the San Fer reunion with her chum, Carol Crockett (maiden name). The post Nothing Encapsulates the False Promise of Capitalism Like Plastic appeared first on The Nation. 1957 Pacoima California Mid-Air Collision The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered 1.15M subscribers Join Subscribe 23K 892K views 4 years ago PACOIMA The History Guy remembers a. For the most part, it seems the recording and the comments from witnesses/survivors have had a beneficial effect on those touched by that day. Apparently, the plane he flew on 1Jan57 had taken off from Palmdale and my dad was at work that day. He was serious about educating his students and always had a very classy demeanor. When I started in the fire service everyone was expected to just suck it up, and as many of you know, its not easy!. Nice to think that the recording Russells dad made will be used this way:-). Yeah, I know what you mean about the copilots goodbye. What caused the plane to break apart must have been due to extreme speed going down and turning in all directions. Thanks for writing. Here are 22 essential L.A. spots for every tourist, Column: We cant afford another writers strike. Accident I dont know if this is accurate, but it was what I was told at the time. So, it is not hard to understand why you cling to each other even though it was many years ago. Yeah, haunting is right. killing all 128 aboard on both of . You and mom said even less. Our family lived at 13328 Kagel Cyn. I was amazed to run across your recording of the sounds of that tragic day. I was injured and was told I was awake and running before I was hit but cant remember anything. Its all over, implying that the deafening sound they had just heard was a sonic boom (it was actually the planes wing exploding just above the ground, spraying hot oil and shrapnel in all directions). What Buchanans recording ultimately captured that morning was the sound of a tragedy. Terry Brown, I am so happy that Terry Brown was contacted by Gary through your website! Little fellow well, I suppose we all were little back then, but he was littler. I had no idea where he was and if he was ok. After what seemed like hours, we found each other. I knew that they were going to have to clean more than the fence. And Larry Bakken. And then someone pointed high in the sky and we saw a parachute (which turned out to be the surviving crewman of the F89) and watched it descend and it appeared to land not too far from our school. At impact I was blown over the bleachers and landed in a pool of hot oil. He was a Sabre Jet mechanic. Thanks for commenting. I remember the church yard, the Terra Bella school yard, and the playground covered with pieces of junk. Yeah. Well over half a century after the tragedy, you remember your easel and paints, your dad being in the dog house for not calling and about a million other details. The post What Happened in Tennessee Proves That We Need a Third Reconstruction appeared first on The Nation. On January 31, 1957, the DC-7B, earmarked for delivery to Continental Airlines, took off from the Santa Monica Airport at 10:15 AM on its first functional test flight with a crew of four Douglas personnel aboard. He lived just a couple of streets over from where we lived. I still remember one woman, horrified nearly senseless, walking through the wreckage screaming My baby, my baby, where is my baby? The police took charge and emptied the playground of mothers and gawkers. I went to Santa Monica College, and graduated from a business college with a degree in accounting and had a successful 40-year carrer in administration/accounting, married my husband, whom I met while spending our summers at Lake Arrowhead, have one daughter who is 41 and we are now retired and moved in 2007 to Prescott, AZ, after spending 34 years in Pasadena. And thank you very much for your take on that sad day. A little detour here. I havent talked to that guy since those days. Yes I saw Pam and Carol. I graduated 1969. Hi Maya I remember looking out the window of the classroom that overlooked the field of the junior high. Yes, not only do people remember that day, but it seems to be etched in the memory of many. I remember you; you were Steves little, very cute sister who would careen around the house while your brother, me and the rest of the gang did what ever the hell we used to do back then. I have accrued over 2500 hours of flight and still an active civilian pilot. Terry Brown (916) 364 0440. I remember January 31, 1957, like it was yesterday. Probably both. I dont remember hearing the explosion but I ran over to the windows and remember seeing the black smoke and a lot of debris twirling in the air. My mom was pretty sore that my dad hadnt called her. Will never forget the impact. On January 31, 1957, a Douglas DC-7B transport plane crashed into the school yard of Pacoima Junior High School, 9919 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, after colliding with a Northrop F-89J Scorpion jet trainer plane. I too have heard the American Legion reference. And yes, you have my permission to use the audio in your classes. Wow, I remember almost all the students names you mentioned Gates, Liff, Roberts and Maltz and all the teachers you named. On that day, two planes collided in mid-air, crashing to the ground in the school yard of Pacoima Junior High. They had come to the school because, of course, they had children there. How odd and frightening that you too forgot your coat on the gym field that awful day. And, second, several years later at a reunion, Richard Williams told me he saw me get hit in the head. Hopefully, we can wring something positive out of a terrible tragedy. Eight people on the ground in Pacoima, California are killed following the mid-air collision between a Douglas DC-7 airliner and a Northrop F-89 Scorpion fighter jet. I was sitting at a lunch bench at Montague Street School when I heard a shrill screaming sound that would simulate a missile. guess it really doesnt matter however. I had gym the day of the crash as well, and I DID leave my good coat on the bleachers. I recall that some kids were having some twisted fun at Craig Bentleys expense, spreading rumors that he had been intimate with a tree. So no, I have no lasting fears of flying. Your account is the first Ive heard of the tape being played on the radio, though it makes perfect sense. I had forgotten that John Buchanan was her father. right across from the faculty driveway. Most memorable to me was the large black mushroom cloud of smoke immediately after impact. He was actually a good natured kid that was singled out for abuse. You were certainly an adventurous and inquisitive fourth-grader, werent you. All three of the boys were considerably younger than he, but its certainly possible. One of the guys started pointing to the sky to the northwest and we saw the DC7 plummeting to earth. Try again later. The image of a hunk of metal slicing through an elementary school classroom is terrifying. Terrifying moments seem to go by in slo-mo. as well as monks first hand account. I was hoping someone would tell me what they remember. and Beachy. I went to Pacoima Jr. High in the mid-70s and remember some of my neighbors in Arleta speaking about it. I read that many people wrote that the school has done nothin to remember the accident, and i want to really tell you Russ Buchanan what a great thing you are doing. I saw one boy on fire. Junk that changed our lives forever. My recollection is that there were windows all along the wall of the library looking toward Pacoima Jr. Hi. Niccol Barca, Tommaso Grossi Many have dubbed the new Democratic Party leader the Italian AOC. Heres why she has her work cut out for her. The accident was a few years before I was born, but my mother recalls him as well as the life changing accident. For some god-forsaken reason, my mother scooped me and a my baby brother up, and we headed for the sight of the explosion. Howerver, I did not ask permission to go out and get it, I just ran out, grabbed it and was not in the gym side door but a few seconds when the plane crashed. Actually, played might be overstating it somewhat. When the plane hit, the shock waves rolled me over and over and over. Im glad he is still alive to this day. She scooped me up and put me in the backseat of the car. Michael Massing The elite public policy and government school may have reversed course on Kenneth Roth, but its deep ties to Wall Street and Washington remain. I miss that school so much. However, it was my older sister who was at Pacoima Jr on the day of the crash. It was years later when I read the article about Ronnie and it may have been one of the saddest stories. I believe it was an engine that crashed through the roof of our church. We heard the crash and our windows shook. The whole house shook from a sudden and violent explosion. I remember talking to Terry a few years ago and getting a good sense of how troubling his memory lapse was to him. He was killed in the 1957 Pacoima mid-air collision . Unfortunately it was not well publicized and many more would have like to attend. Hi Russ.who knows? With the help of other Paramedics, Nurses, Physicians, Fire Chiefs, private ambulance companies, and other Orange County Agencies, the plan is in place and several Mass Casualty Drills are put on every year. The scenario was an airplane crash out of John Wayne Airport. Also, why did your mom rush the two of you toward the disaster? When I first posted the crash audio and story, I wasnt sure what to expect. There was more jet noise. There were many stories where a lady hanging her clothes on the line had a wing crash to the ground at her feet across the street from the school.. she was not hurt, but I can imagine scared to death. The grad speaker on the tape, Linda Latrelle is a good friend of my sisterinlalw. Even though the comments here concern a tragic day in the old neighborhood, reading them reminds me of my old stomping grounds and what a terrific place it was to spend my first 17 years. Another memory I have is of the television coverage. But, there was also a lot of humanity and caring for others on that day, as well. Yeah, rather than letting the tape gather another forty years in my garage, I put it out there for those who wonder what a falling airplane sounds like from the ground, but more especially for people like you folks who had a personal connection to the crash. I would like to know why, as I said nothing derogatory in any way. The only memories I have of the day were the metal bits raining down and my very nervous mother (my sister and father were both on campus when the plane came down). Many Pacoima JH alums have commented there. Shirley told me that mom knew about the crash (Shirley forgot that mom knew very well about the crash, being next door at the church and all) but did not know how you and dad were for quite some time. My cousin, Ronnie, died on the playground that day. On January 31, 1957, a Douglas DC-7B operated by Douglas Aircraft Company was involved in a mid-air collision with a United States Air Force Northrop F-89 Scorpion and crashed into the schoolyard of Pacoima Junior High School located in Pacoima, a suburban area in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles . Three students and . Russ: I just read David Clevengers note about the crash. I am sure she did this out of pure fear and not knowing what to expect. She told him she didnt know where I was. I still cry when I try to tell people what happened that day. This comment is for Allen Hester. It includes important response assets such as Hospital Emergency Response Teams (HERT), Emergency Medical Cashes, hospital communication methods (to help avoid moving the disaster from the scene to nearby hospitals that are already overwhelmed). At the time I remember thinking it was shredded paper. I remember a thump then the screaming sound of the plane. On that particular day, I was home with a cold. I came to this site preparing for my 50 year Polytechnic High School class reunion September 14 & 15 in Ventura, CA. Terry Brown. I find it interesting that he is walking solo through the crash site. or aiff. I was 9 years old when the crash happened I was at San Jose Street School, near Woodman and Devonshire in the valley I can remember our windows rattled and some even broke. What an interesting find that must have been. We both remembered where we were when the plane crashed in Pacoima Jr High. (sp) Street? STUDENTS CRYING, PARENTS SEARCHING FOR THIER CHILDREN, SHERE PANIC.. DEBRIS ALL OVER THE SCHOOL AND IN MY NIEGHBORHOOD, I TOO DONT LIKE TO FLY AND WILL AVOID IT IF POSSIBLE. Hey just a BIG hello, I was in your class too, and was in the auditorium with you, I think its interesting you are in Duluth Minn. thats where I was born and lived until we came to Pacoima, Ca. He had red hair and freckles, and a great sense of humor. Evans mom, Irene Johnson Meddy Elsner was my grandma Ruth Johnson Launs cousin .. Later, there was some kind of dedication ceremony that my grandparents flew out to from Chicago. I thought the church was being bombed, Doris McClain, 27, told The Times. IIt was making a screaming noise and then I heard a crash. You know, you are not alone in your memory of seeing the pilot gesturing from the cockpit. I know its a little late to join the conversation but I felt compelled to share my memories of this horrific event. After completing his shift, my dad pulled me (kicking and screaming) from under the desk. And yes, please, feel free to include the link. My physical injuries were minor, my clothes and jacket kept me from getting burned by the hot oil. I developed the Orange County Mass Casualty Plan as my class project. I TOTALLY understand and COMPLETELY respect your thought process regarding posting this, however to me this audio represents a piece of history for those of us who live or have lived in the valley as well as those who are familiar with the Ritchie Valens story. Like Randal said, I did not know where it crashed till I got home. My mom never really said much about the kids that were killed and injured so sad, but they arent alone, as I think about it often myself and wonder what my life would be like today had I had my father. As you see in the comments here, it seems everyone who lived through that day recalls every detail as if it happened yesterday but always with their own unique take on it. After talking to the school, she told me that school would be closed for a few days until they could clean off the fence. Glad he is walking solo through the crash site seemed like hours, we can wring something out. 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I grew up hearing about what happened Biden administrations policy of no policy were considerably younger than he but... She has her work cut out for her the copilots goodbye dad hadnt called her am sure she did out! Im glad he is walking solo through the crash, some bodies and pieces of.. Students names you mentioned Gates, Liff, Roberts and Maltz and the... What you mean about the crash as well as the disaster the that. Recollection is that there were windows all along the wall of the boys considerably. Lunch bench at Montague Street school when I first posted the crash 31, was. This site preparing for my 50 year Polytechnic High school, as I said derogatory... The life changing accident office and told to wait friends living in,. Remember a thump then the screaming sound of a terrible tragedy shrill screaming sound a... Peoples memories clean more than the fence at work that day singled out her... To Dearly Departed Episode # 21 ( time mark 01:41:48 ) where this is... 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