Hey, Bob TY for the thread and my best to all. 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. Or did the magnitude of what you had witnessed come later? Thank you, An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Thanks for sharing, Russ. 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. I recall that some kids were having some twisted fun at Craig Bentleys expense, spreading rumors that he had been intimate with a tree. I am 73 yrs old now and live in Tulsa,Okla. She was our babysitter back then and I was looking for her full name. Two students were struck and killed by this wreckage and debris. I still watch El Encuentro now and then there is a lot of beauty in that work. I remember Evan Elsner, but I did not know him. Thank you for posting this, it has been shared with the rest of our family. I was ten years old and just made it out to the playing field of Burton Street School, to hear a loud explosion in the sky. My dad had joined the Air National Guard in Idaho about a year before, and had gotten a transfer to the Van Nuys National Guard Base (146th Fighter-Interceptor Wing). I wanted to let you know that we had our disaster drill 2 weeks ago and the recording really caught people off guard. . Unfortunately Raymond was killed in a motorcycle accident in his twenties. I think this makes you my homey, Susan. I only had time to check out the Pacoima section of your site just now, but I find the premise of CemeteryGuide.com Stories Behind the Stones fascinating. As you can see from the comments here, you are not alone. I never knew if it was because the school board believed nuclear war was less likely after 65 or if they figured junior high-aged kids should be wise enough, in the event of a nuclear blast, to drop under their desks without rehearsal. If you were an 8th grader when this happened, you must be in your 70s now. God bless you and all those who visit here. Was there to your knowledge two events going on at the school? Thanks for sharing the audio. Thanks, Im ok. 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. He was a captain in the US Army Air Force. You were only a year older than I (I hadnt yet started at Beachy), but you have a much clearer and more disturbing picture of that day. My Great Uncle Mike aka Mike Galasso was in this. Thanks. I retired in 2001 and am down to about one a month now. Most other California Counties have developed similar plans and most fire agencies now participate in these exercises. I am sure she did this out of pure fear and not knowing what to expect. Thank you for this site. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. My dad had Richie Valens in one of his classes and remembered him fondly. Of course, none of us knew how to play so our poker sessions were quite long and involved. I find it interesting that he is walking solo through the crash site. The post Can Elly Schlein Pull Italy to the Left? where my dad worked for Lockheed. I attended Beachy Ave. from Sept. 1957 to June 1962 (5th grade). We used to visit him at the hospital while he was recovering and suffering through painful skin grafts. Ill never forget the confusion, fear, and terror I felt. I was doing some research on this so thanks for posting the information. Hey Bill If you mean Beachy, I dont know. In 1957, a plane collision crash killed seven people two pilots and two crew members, three children and injured about 75 other students at Pacoima Junior High School, now Pacoima Middle School, during a graduation ceremony where 800 children were in attendance, according to the New York Times and the Aviation Safety Network database. Good to hear from a neighbor I lived in one of the very nearby tract homes and was always impressed by houses like yours, with the gigantic yards and big ranch-style houses. Here it is in 2012 and we still talk about it. I felt sick and light headed. Im not sure if any of the commentors here are depicted in the clippings, but it should prove an interesting read. At Beachy, I remember being in the classes of Mrs. Oshatz and Mr. Marto. He was very talented and I think his girlfriend was Wendy Peysar. Yours is one of the most illuminating and gut-wrenching accounts of the Pacoima crash Ive yet read. Our teacher pushed us back into the safety of the classroom, where we stood at the windows for hours watching the emergecy crews working. God bless all of those who had family that were involved. He was serious about educating his students and always had a very classy demeanor. I was injured and was told I was awake and running before I was hit but cant remember anything. Thought you might be interested. Oh, and who was Richie Valens best friend I know it was one of the boys that died but who was it. Anybody out there remember her? I saw it all and it has haunted me all my life. I cant begin to imagine the terror and sadness he must have been feeling. I was not hurt. That is terrific news. I realized I was only 3 years old. You are keeping the people who passed away alive on this site, you are keeping the memories of them alive, so they will never be forgotten. It was designed for folks that were interested in Vocational Instruction and Vocational Course Development. As I was running, I saw the kids trying to climb the fence, the fires, the screaming, and some of the injured. Nanjala Nyabola Individual good intentions can only carry us so far when the global recycling system is stacked in favor of the oil industry. I was in the class with Mr. Snyder are you on facebook contact me. Your assessment of the situation at the school directly after the crash is chilling and sad. As it completed the turn, the jet slammed into the wing of a DC-7B transport plane returning to Douglas Aircrafts Santa Monica plant on a routine test run. She said she ran onto the playground and there was chaos apparently parts of the aircraft were still falling. I can only imagine the terror and bewilderment you and your classmates must have experienced in those moments. I couldnt tell from your message if you saw her there or not. And Larry Bakken. By the way, I have a feeling that this discussion will be going on until we are both shuffling down the streets of Leisure World, so your comment is by no means late.. Thanks again for posting as I commented once before. My Dad rushed to the school through the black smoke to administer first aid to the injured students as he was a trained volunteer fireman. 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. Some events just seem to get burned into your memory. Evan and I were in youth group together. It would strictly be for my own use I wouldnt post it or use it in any other public way. Link to the other page He now lives in Boulder City, NV. Thanks for commenting, Stephanie. One of the guys started pointing to the sky to the northwest and we saw the DC7 plummeting to earth. Things were a mess on the other side of the fence from us. I will let you know how it turns out and thank you again for permitting us to use it. May I have permission to post your link onto a Facebook page called, https://www.facebook.com/groups/59234735717/, as well as my own? Thanks for the info. Yknow, at the house we never talked much about the crash. I would like to listen to your audio recording, but havent been able to make it work. \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2, Eyewitness to the Carnage A Personal Account of the 1957 Pacoima Crash, Corpor-Antics: Corporate Nibblings at Our Quality of Life, I Felt That I Had Saved My Own Life: A Polish Womans Harrowing Story of Illegal Abortion, Nothing Encapsulates the False Promise of Capitalism Like Plastic. Debris on the Pacoima Junior High School Athletic Field. Thanks again for sharing it and for sharing your familys experience. Not to mention, the words Pacoima Crash intrigued the hell out of me. If anyone knows, please write. Three students and . John was their bass player. They were frantically climbing over the fence to get into the gym field to help. Edition of The Californian Get this The Californian page for free from Friday, February 1, 1957 d Enjoyment For if very Member of THE FAMILY . Unable to find anything, we tasked ourselves to create one. The one thing I recall of that day (I was five) was the thousand pieces of metal, as you put it, falling out of the sky. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. (sp) Street? The full story by Cecilia Rasmussen is online: L.A. Then and Now The day fiery disaster fell from the sky. All I remember is the confetti-like pieces of metal floating down from the sky and later, when we returned to the house, my moms agitated state (my sister and dad were at the school). We were both very lucky that day. I remember being in the car with my panicked Mom on the way to the school. How horrible was that! I hope you were able to contact each other. Over by a demolished backstop, a burned and mangled crewmember was still strapped to a chair, his death stare looking out at the carnage that was all around. Some of the people profiled are famous, but most are not. When I left that day, I searched for information on such an event and found the reports of the midair collision that led to this story. As I looked out the window, almost instantly people came from nowhere. In summary, the disaster drill was a disaster. Yes, my classroom was one row back from the fence dividing the two schools. It appears the kid is walking toward the school? I joined Newport Beach Fire Department in 1971. In fact, Paul and my father were colleagues during the 50s when dad taught at Pacoima. The image of a hunk of metal slicing through an elementary school classroom is terrifying. One teacher held a boys intestines from spilling out, as the boy screamed in agony, I dont want to die, I dont want to die. Teachers were everywhere, trying to comfort the injured. He played it for us once. At least, I hope so. I got As for some of them and got accepted into university to study dentistry which was my dream, so i feel like the nightmare i had was only so i could search it up and find this tragic accident. Today. My mom and dad were friends with Mr. and Mrs. Elsner from Wisconsin days. Russ, I was just looking through the blog again for familiar names (I wrote my memories earliert). I myself am from europe and didnt no anything about this incident before my little exam/school related nightmare, and if there was not written anything about it on the internet i would never ever have known anything about what happened in in 1957, i dont even know where carlifonia is on a map, so i think your story is really reaching out to people. Our teacher yelled at the class to drop and cover. Today. Thank you for providing this history and a media for those who remember to express those memories. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rebecca Grant Polish activist Justyna Wydrzyska is the first woman in Europe to be convicted of intent to aid an abortion. I too was adjacent to the junior HS. and Garber, so our vantage points were probably quite similar. He was a Sabre Jet mechanic. Very good question. I think my sister and my father knew your cousin. The sound was a whisper at first and then it starting getting louder and louder and louder. appeared first on The Nation. Cmdes thanks for commenting. I remember dad once said (and I mean only once he rarely talked about that day) something about having to either identify or tend to (I cant remember which) a boy who had sustained a horrible head injury. Thanks for this site and the memories. Craigs nickname was Beetle Bentley. Oh my God this is something horrible, and i cannot even imageine the horror people who experienced the plane crash went through. One day, looking through a box of reel to reel tapes, I found one marked Pacoima Jr. High School airplane crash (1957). Does anyone know who this kid is? 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. Today, I still have problems with low flying planes, which happens often in Littlerock, CA. or aiff. I remember hearing a tape of the crash that the music teacher, Mr Morse, had. I just checked and your comment is there. I remember there was an electrical problem that caused his amp to repeatedly emit a very loud flatulent-like sound at about a billion decibels, while the lead microphone was sending blue arcs of house current into my nose. I was in kindergarten at Terra Bella School. We didnt know if it was an airplane, a rocket, or the long expected A-Bomb that we had been practicing drop and cover for through our school years. Talk about different times. It must have been the DC7 falling to earth. Children were running and screaming. It was cold that day and we had not changed into our gym clothes. Terry Brown (916)364 0440). Yeah, that is one stunning little piece of Valley history like an audio time capsule. I was in the third grade. I dont recall my parents reaction to the crash. He was waving out the window for kids to clear the field, but some were mesmerized and didnt run. The Pacoima Mid-Air Collision. The song was We Aint Got Nothing Yet. If youd prefer a larger file, wav. My mother and friends mother were in the auditorium as well. One more way the Buchanan family was connected to that grisly day. Strange how a disaster so many years ago can bring back good memories as well as the bad. From one Poly high alum to another, I really appreciate the thanks at your sign-off; I am now more convinced that posting this story/recording was a good thing to do. Jan. 31, 1957 was a tragic day in the northern San Fernando Valley. I was in the 4th grade at Montague that day. You reminded me that my sister, who happened to be at the P.E. The clip is quite sobering. No sign of the crash, such as debris or bodies, was ever found. those hospitalized in the air collision and crash of two airplanes in Pacoima: At San Fernando Hospital: Robert Curry, 12, 13722 Pierce St., Pacoima, broken left ankle and foot. Richard noted he was in the Valley Hospital and, as I recall, I was too. [citation needed], The 1957 crash was discussed on the May 19, 1957, episode of The CBS Radio Workshop (entitled "Heaven Is In the Sky"). He developed an intense fear of flying and died in a plane crash 2 years later June 15, 2015 at 7:15 am. Eight people were killed, including three students at Pacoima Junior High School. We had a couple of ER Docs from Hoag Hospital at the scene. I have your email address here. Thanks, Knight. Thank you for your posting. Sincerely, He took his job very seriously. The remains of Carr, Twitchell and the other crew members -- radio operator Roy Nakazawa, 28, and flight engineer Waldo B. Adams, 42, both of Los Angeles -- were found in the fuselage, which smacked into the ground at Pacoima Congregational Church, adjacent to the school. When I was writing and researching this story, I thought about how tough that day must have been for mom. I heard he came out of the Marine Corps, slim and buff. there were bits and pieces of the airplane everywhere, not big pieces, just millions of little pieces of airplane everywhere. Have you considered posting somewhere permanent or giving the recording to the Smithsonian? I was 8 years old, but was at Plummer Elementary in Sepulveda, nearly 3 miles SW of Pacoima JHS. Karen Bakken. Other commenters remember the same chilling sight. Sad time for all. I was 6 years old at that time and I still have my class photos of May 1956 and 1957 if anyone is interested. My uncles story was one that has not been told and I think it added to your blog rather than detracting from it. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I lived over on Hadden Ave a little south of PJH. That day is still only yesterday and it was 57 years ago. I was soaked in oil, my heavy coat was ripped up from flying bits of metal but had no real injuries. 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. Thanks for your interest. Terry Brown, I am so happy that Terry Brown was contacted by Gary through your website! Those sights would have been tough enough for any adult to handle, let alone elementary-aged kids. Then again, I was only five so everything probably sounded unusual. All of us at the fence line knew children were hurt and killed. He told me Douglas Aircraft offered his folks some token settlement and its too bad they didnt know better than to sign off. The loss of life could have been so much worse. Hello Russ, thank you for these pages. I came to this site preparing for my 50 year Polytechnic High School class reunion September 14 & 15 in Ventura, CA. I still have all of my Beachy class photos. I remember the engine that landed on the schoolyard fence, the airplane door on the roof of a car across the street and the airplane seats everywhere. I cannot imagine what a horrifying experience that mustve been for anyone who was near the school at the time, and thank you for giving the people who were there a chance to discuss their memories, and perhaps find a way to deal with what must certainly be terrible memories of that day. As horrible as it was for the badly injured and, of course, the surviving families, had the plane slammed into the auditorium, with you, your mom, my father and a few hundred other souls inside, the devastation would have been too awful to imagine. Another memory I have is of the television coverage. My name is Mark Masek, and Im the author of Hollywood Remains to Be Seen: A Guide to the Movie Stars Final Homes, a guidebook to find the final resting places of hundreds of Hollywood celebrities. [1] [2] [3] Accident [ edit] Its unusual enough to meet a fellow native Southern Californian these days, let alone four all connected in some way to the crash. If possible,could you give her my email?? Yes, many people were profoundly affected by this tragedy. I always remembered it in my mind, but this was the first time I heard it againamazing, its just the way I remembered. 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. I am sure readers here will appreciate your familys story and the brave and loving actions of your mother on that day. Thank you for your posting the audio tape. They were among After that I spent time reading some of the other comments and read what Richard Berger had posted. 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. In fact, the thought that those sons or daughters might be traumatized by hearing the recording almost kept me from posting it. I remember that day too. But please do not copy and paste any of the text to another site . Ill refer to to this site which Im sure she will find interesting. A year or so later I had Helen Snipper as teacher of a drama class at Pacoima Jr. High. My only memory of this event was my parents speaking in hushed tones after reading/hearing a news report. I suppose he planned to use the tape to help critique the performances in preparation for the coming real graduation for the parents. Once I approve a comment, it is there for good unless the commenter requests that I remove it. Here is the link to that and other fascinating, heart-rending stories from those who were there. Thanks for writing and for your nice words about Evan. A taller boy, standing to my right, said look there is a leg. I said if that is a leg, then where is the rest of the I then began to see more. Was it the same recording I have here? 1957 Pacoima California Mid-Air Collision The History Guy remembers a mid-air collision between two planes flying test flights over a California city and its connection to Ritchie Valens. Fascinating and, considering the effect her unresolved feelings might have had on her daughter, very sad. I just listened again and he could very well be saying jet blast. At any rate, it sounds a lot closer to jet blast than it was just loud and I thank you for the correction. I was in 9th grade at Pacoima Junior High School, when the plane crash occurred.. Thanks to those who have shared their thoughts here. Thank you very much for commenting and sharing the post with your family. 1957 Pacoima mid-air collision - Wikipedia 1957 . I had never flown on anything so this was to be my first flight. Look in your email I wrote you.RB | |. I was hoping someone would tell me what they remember. Thanks for commenting and for the attaboy. Note from Russ Buchanan to those who were there: Pacoima Jr. High alum Terry Brown, who was badly injured in the crash but has never been able to recall what happened that day, would like to speak to anyone who has a recollection of the events especially someone who might have some idea of what happened to him. Thanks for writing. Im a cousin of Ronnie Brann who lost his life that day. I have wondered if I really heard this, but after reading the other accounts on this site I am sure I did. 55 years later and we who were there are drawn back to the memory. That is likely what Paul played at the dedication. What an interesting turn of events. A fine man whose life seemed way too short. He told me that hes not sure he wants to listen to the tape, but Ill bet he will. My name is Terry Brown. I was in the 6th grade at Beachy Ave. Windows and room walls were rattling and shaking. Yeah, a few other commenters wrote about either being sprayed with hot oil or seeing other kids covered with the stuff I wonder if they were remembering seeing your uncle. In 2009 I was working as a behavioral specialist for the Summit County (Ohio) Juvenile Court. Hey Brian Part of an engine crashed through the roof of the church auditorium, smashing windows and destroying that building. Hey Monk is there a way to email you then? It rolled to the left and began an uncontrollable, spiraling, high-velocity dive earthward. I remember talking to Terry a few years ago and getting a good sense of how troubling his memory lapse was to him. On January 31, 1957, a Douglas DC-7B collided with a United States Air Force Northrop F-89 Scorpion. \deftab720 [] event can be seen here. My brother Marvin and sister Delores were at the school and my sister was in the auditorium at the time of the crash. She was in the church office with her 18-month-old daughter, Kathy. There is the webpage http://www.youtube.com, and i think it would be so great if the audio recording was put in there too. He and this whole tragedy made a huge impact on me, too. Its crazy how she just said we have one life to live right before it happened. I thank my brother, Phil, for sending this link. In 1987 the crash was spotlighted again in the movie La Bamba as the reason Richie Valens, the 50s rock icon and Pacoima favorite son, was afraid to fly. I lived on the Easterly side of Beachy at the corner of Garber in the older houses that were there before all the tract houses were built. I had just turned five on the 16th of January and the plane flew right over me, raining down some sort of metallic confetti. It was a closed room with only transom windows. I was injured in the plane crash and would like to talk with others who remember what happened.I dont. Wreckage was still on fire, strewn everywhere, having slammed into fences, backstops, basketball hoops, and, of course, children, who lay everywhere, burned and bleeding from gashes too grisly to comprehend. A lot of human misery occurred on that day. I think I was about a year after you. I was a student in the seventh grade on What caused the plane to break apart must have been due to extreme speed going down and turning in all directions. I asked where this was and she said, Pacoima Junior High School. Then she just started talking. I felt connected to the terrible history. 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. to tell us that our father, William (Bill) Carr had died in a plane crash. and when my mom heard about the crash.. and how close it was she left work and came home..she had a lot of neighborhood friends whos kids were there. Just guessing though. I wanted to reply to Evans cousin. There are few things I can imagine that would be more frightening than a large, breaking-apart airplane hurtling toward me. Thanks for your recollection of that day. For some reason I stopped running and put my head down on the back of the portable bleachers.