Gander, Newfoundland Plane Crash
December 12, 1985

On Thursday, December 12, 1985, the chartered DC-8 plane carrying 248 members of the 101st Airborne Division of Fort Campbell, Kentucky and 8 crew members returning home for Christmas from peace keeping duties in the Middle East, crashed during takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland. The following Monday, December 16, 1985, President and Mrs. Reagan visited Fort Campbell for a memorial service honoring those soldiers. Some time later, a memorial to those soldiers that died in the crash was placed at the junction of US 41-A and the Pennyrile Parkway in Hopkinsville, Christian Co, Kentucky. This memorial lists the names of those soldiers. In addition, a tree was planted in memory of each of them. I have recently [May 2001] taken some photos of the memorial and they will be found here! I would like to make this page a memorial to the memory of these men and women but need your help to do so. If you can supply an obituary or final resting place for anyone on this list, please send it to me. Be sure to include the name of the newspaper, the city and the date. I would like to put up a memorial page for each of them that includes comments made by their family, friends, and others that knew them, including pictures. Who were they? What were they like? What were their likes and dislikes? How was your life affected by them and by the loss of them? The following list of crew members on this flight was provided by: Ms. Sydney Delores Jennings, mother of Todd Martice Jennings listed in the New York section, and Bonnie Britt . Thank you for contributing this information to this site. All of the Cockpit Crew was from the Miami Area John Griffin 45 Captain John Robert Connelly   First Officer Mike Fowler   Flight Engineer All of the Cabin Crew was from the New York Area Maia Matasowski   Flight Service Manager Jean Sarafin 37 Flight Attendant Desiree McKay   Flight attendant Ruthie Phillips 26 flight attendant. Stacy Cutlar or Cutler   Flight attendant The following list of those soldiers killed in the plane crash appeared in the Kentucky New Era, Hopkinsville, Ky, December 16, 1985 as supplied by the Pentagon on Sunday, December 15.

Name	Rank	Age	City
ALABAMA
Davis, Jimmy D	Spec 4		Aliceville , Al
Highfill, Joe W	Pvt 2		Daleville , Al
Hughes, Frank J	Staff Sgt		North Carrollton , Al
Simmons, Carl N	Pfc		Banks , Al
Turner, Vincent L	Staff Sgt		Huntsville , Al
Winston, James A	Staff Sgt		West Birmingham , Al
Wright, John R	Spec 4		Daleville , Al
ARKANSAS
Kidd, Timothy Linn	Sgt		North Little Rock , Ar
Long, Paul D	1st Lt	24	Pine Bluff , Ar
Stewart, Randy S	Sgt	21	Texarkana , Ar
Thomas, Randall K	Sgt	31	Springdale , Ar
Walker, Guy W	Spec 4	22	Jacksonville , Ar
ARIZONA
Barber, Daniel Mark	Spec 4	24	Flagstaff , Az
Danielson, Thomas	Spec 4		Mesa , Az
Hobbs, Kevin S	Pfc		Flagstaff , Az
McArdle, Paul A	Sgt		Winslow , Az
CALIFORNIA
Andreoff, Steven A	Staff Sgt		Antioch , Ca
Burdette, James D	Spec 4		Lancaster , Ca
Carter, Gregory T	Pfc		Covina , Ca
Chaddock, Garett R	Pfc		Lake Isabella, Ca , Ca
Gonzales, Michael J	Spec 4		La Puenta , Ca
Graham, Kelly O	Pvt 2		San Jose , Ca
Jackson, Adrian D	Pvt 1		Los Angeles , Ca
Millett, John M	Sgt		Idyllwild , Ca
Padgett, Gary W	Spec 4		Vista , Ca
Pevey, Terry R	Spec 4		Port Heuneme , Ca
Spears, James M	Spec 4		Costa Mesa , Ca
Wallace, Brian E	Pfc		Canoga Park , Ca
COLORADO
Serna, Ernest W	Pvt 2	20	Denver , Co
Sloan, Matthew S	Spec 4		Lakewood , Co
Stephens, Dane	Spec 4	19	Littleton , Co
Tucker, Thomas N	Pvt 2		Goldon , Co
DELAWARE
Haller, Brian D	Capt		Wilmington , De
Kuehn, John M	Spec 4	22	Wilmington , De
FLORIDA
Beer, Edward M	Pvt 2		Orlando , Fl
Brasfield, Tony L	Spec 4		Panama City , Fl
Britt, George A	Spec 4		Lighthouse Pt , Fl
Bury, David A	Pfc		Panama City , Fl
Ferguson, James A	Sgt		Orange Park , Fl
Graham, Thomas Lyle	Spec 4		Jacksonville Beach , Fl
Hart, Robert B	2nd Lt		Miami , Fl
Hobbs, Donald Ernest	Spec 4		Palm Harbor , Fl
Jeffcoat, Marvin A	Lt Col		Tallahassee , Fl
Kee, Jeff S	Spec 4		Pensacola , Fl
Kiser, Bruce E	Pfc		Jacksonville , Fl
Schmoyer, Ricky A	Spec 4		St Petersburg , Fl
Smith, Thomas E	Pfc		Brooksville , Fl
GEORGIA
Bauman, Eric Joseph	Spec 4	19	Warner Robins , Ga
Benson, Wyatt David	Spec 4	19	Forsyth , Ga
Lawrence, Michael R	Maj		Atlanta , Ga
Lynch, Benjamin R	Pfc		Macon , Ga
Searcy, Blanchard T	Pfc		Sylvester , Ga
Smith, Clinton D	Pvt 2		Conyers , Ga
Word, Virginia Ruth	Spec 4	20	Warner Robins , Ga
IOWA
Mullins, Steven W	Spec 4		Des Moines , Ia
Phillips, Alvin	Pvt 2		Oakaloosa , Ia
IDAHO
Bradshaw, Steven J,	Spec 4	20	Boise , Id
Crawford, Paul M	Pvt 2		Nampa , Id
ILLINOIS
Craig, Michael E	Pfc		University Park , Il
Gayton, Anthony Lovell	Spec 4		Robbins , Il
Goree, Joseph W	Pvt 2		Edwardsville , Il
Lundgren, David C	Spec 4		Chicago , Il
Richardson, Gregory W	Pfc		Sterling , Il
Wilburn, Darnell	Staff Sgt		Chicago , Il
Witmer, John B	2nd Lt		North Brook , Il
INDIANA
Arvin, Roger D	Spec 4	27	Evansville , In
Dumpert, Brian Lee	Sgt		Marion , In
Mayhew, Ronald C	Sgt	24	Indianapolis , In
Miller, Larry G	Sgt		Loogootee , In
Miller, Timothy E	Spec 4		Noblesville , In
Murray, Michael	Sgt		Washington , In
Robertson, Vergil L Jr	Sgt		Spencer , In
KANSAS
Banks, Bobby L	Spec 4		Junction City , Ks
Yeargan, Cary T	Pfc		Newton , Ks
KENTUCKY
Black, Hasland O	Cmd. Sgt		Lafayette , Ky
Bradley, John T Jr	Spec 4		Winchester , Ky
Carter, Troy G	Capt	40	Fort Campbell , Ky
Cruz-Salgado, Francisco	Pvt 4		Fort Campbell , Ky
Englebert, Christopher	Spec 4		Louisville , Ky
Grala, Douglas F	Staff Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Manion, Edward John	Capt	30	Fort Campbell , Ky
Martin, Thomas L	Pvt 2		Louisville , Ky
Moore, Samuel Theodore Jr	Staff Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Nelson, Donald C	Sgt 1st Class		Hammond Hts , Ky
Nichols, Richard Sidney	Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Owens, Gregory Allen	Pvt	21	Louisville , Ky
Palmisano, Jeffrey R	Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Parris, Rudy	CW3		Hopkinsville , Ky
Phillips, James D Jr	Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Powell, Barry C	1st Lt		Madisonville , Ky
Rahr, Michael R	Spec 4		Fort Campbell , Ky
Robinson, Thomas E Jr	Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Scott, Gary L	Spec 4		Oak Grove , Ky
Sellner, Timothy D	Staff Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Smith, Rex V	Sgt 1st Class		Fort Campbell , Ky
Smith, Scott John	Spec 4		Louisville , Ky
Stone, Earl C	CW2		Fort Campbell , Ky
Thompson, Danny C	Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
Witt, Kevin Michael	Sgt		Fort Campbell , Ky
LOUISIANA
Alexander, Herbert D	Pfc		Ponchatoula , La
MASSACHUSETTS
Aponte, Ivan R	Spec 4		Boston , Ma
Gerdes, Scott W	Pfc		Pittsville , Ma
MARYLAND
Duckworth, James Frederick	Staff Sgt		Westernport , Md
Heidecker, David W	Pvt 1	21	Westminster , Md
Hoyer, Robert S	Spec 4		Pasadena , Md
Stearn, Alexander W	Pfc		Lutherville , Md
Thornton, Christopher G	Sgt		Tacoma Park , Md
Whiteman, Michael L	Spec 4		Dunkirk , Md
MICHIGAN
Andrews, Danell	Spec 4	22	Detroit , Mi
Guerra, Richardo	Pfc		Ferndale , Mi
Karadsheh, Ibrahim	Sgt	25	Warren , Mi
Parsons, Thomas F	Sgt		Washington , Mi
Wisson, Theodore M	Spec 4		Port Huron , Mi
Wyn, Robert	Pfc		Sherwood , Mi
Ziegler, Cathleen M	Spec 4		Novi , Mi
MINNISOTA
Kubic, Mark R	Staff Sgt	25	Brooklyn Park , Mn
Nolan, Michael T	Pfc		Plymouth, Mn
Witt, Kevin M.	SSG	26	Sleepy Eye, Mn
MISSOURI
Easley, Brian E	Sgt		Independence , Mo
Stack, Michael Shayen	Spec 4		St Louis , Mo
Straub, Gary L	Pfc		Benton , Mo
Williamson, James H	Spec 4		Waynesville , Mo
MISSISSIPPI
Holliman, Jerry W	Staff Sgt		Coldwater , Ms
Staten, David C	Pfc		Pontotoc , Ms
MONTANA
Wallace, Mark E	Pfc		Bozeman , Mt
NORTH CAROLINA
Arrowood, Stuart N	Pvt 2		Fayetteville , NC
Buchanan, Gregory A	Pvt 2		Bakersville , NC
Carter, Mark E	Sgt		Fayetteville , NC
Edmonds, Kyle L	Capt	28	New Hill , NC
Johnson, Jerrin Andrea	Pvt 1		Fayetteville , NC
Johnson, Ravon Leroy	Staff Sgt		Eaton , NC
Morgan, Lindale	Pfc		Enfield , NC
Perry, Vickie S	Pvt 2		Enfield , NC
Rawls, David L	Pfc		Fayetteville , NC
Shook, James Emerson	Pfc		Fayetteville , NC
Simmons, George Henry	Spec 4		Wilmington , NC
NEBRASKA
Olson, Robert L	Pfc	20	Omaha , Ne
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Eastman, Michael C	Capt		Plymouth , NH
NEW JERSEY
Cordero, Miguel Angel	Sgt		Paterson , NJ
Davis, Thomas E	Staff Sgt		Woodbury , NJ
NEVADA
Bowen, John P	Sgt		Las Vegas , Nv
Mathis, Donald Lee	Pvt 2		Las Vegas , Nv
NEW YORK
Bostwick, Paul J	Pfc		Binghamton , NY
Brilya, William R	Pvt 2		Hudson Falls , NY
Campbell, Trevor	Pvt 2		Brooklyn , NY
Coleman, Bobby Lee	Pfc	20	Rochester , NY
Hemingway, Paul C	Sgt		Staten Island , NY
Jennings, Todd Martice	Spec 4		Yonkers , NY
Nelson, Kenneth J	Pvt 2		Falconer , NY
Rimiller, Richard D	Pfc		Bloomingdale , NY
Sears, Ronald W	Staff Sgt		Bronx , NY
Stringer, Richard	Spec 4		Dexter , NY
Thomas, Robert F	Spec 4		Roslyn , NY
Travis, Theodore	Sgt		Niagara Falls , NY
OHIO
Brady, Darrin P	Pfc		Brunswick , Oh
Caudill, Phillip R	Pvt		Cincinnati , Oh
Daniels, Walter G	Pfc		Columbus , Oh
Harris, Brian D	Pfc		Canton , Oh
Napier, Michael A	Spec 4		Middletown , Oh
Reasbeck, Patrick S		.	Adena , Oh
Seitz, Frederic C	Pfc		Aurora , Oh
Wilson, Rodger L	Spec 4		Dayton , Oh
OKLAHOMA
Wolford, Robert Neil II	Sgt		Tulsa , Ok
OREGON
Fuller, Paul Koerner	Cpl		Portland, Or
Hassing, Mark S	Pvt 1	20	Portland, Or
Hull, Jeffrey D	Pfc	19	Cornelius, Or
Shultz, Robert D	Pfc		Veneta , Or
Venneri, Steven C	Pfc	19	Gladstone, Or
PENNSYLVANIA
Council, Orlando F Jr	Pfc		Philadelphia , Pa
Deckman, Herbert R	Pfc		Steeltown , Pa
Fink, Kevin F	Pvt 2	23	Dayton , Pa
Haugsdahl, Reginald	Spec 4	20	Erie , Pa
Lloyd, William Michael	Pfc	21	Philadelphia , Pa
Schremp, Peter E	Sgt	24	Pittsburg , Pa
Shipley, Michael D	Spec 4	27	Huntingdon , Pa
Stritch, Scott A	Pvt 2		Annville , Pa
Thompson, Scott Bryan	Spec 4	22	South Waverly , Pa
Wester, John Charles	Pfc	19	Pittsburg , Pa
Wilkins, Franklin R	Pvt 2	20	Shamokin , Pa
RHODE ISLAND
Spearman, Mark	Pvt		Woonsocket , RI
SOUTH CAROLINA
Bittle, Sammy Dale	Pfc		Cheraw , SC
Brown, Johnny L	Pfc		Sumter , SC
Diventura, Joseph L	Cpl	21	Summerville , SC
McWhite, Calvin	Spec 4		Columbia , SC
Ruth, Ray A	Spec 4		Walterboro , SC
Singleton, Earl	Sgt	30	Hugger , SC
Walker, Gregory	Spec 4		Manning , SC
Ward, Abraham	Sgt 1st Class		Chester , SC
SOUTH DAKOTA
McCleery, Christine M	Spec 4		Rapid City , SD
TENNESSEE
Avillan, Luis A	1st Lt		Clarksville , Tn
Brancato, Charles F	Sgt		Clarksville , Tn
Davis, James A	Sgt		Knoxville , Tn
Dixon, Thomas D	Spec 4		Sequatchie , Tn
Ferguson, Mark W	Spec 4		Kingsport , Tn
Foskey, Thomas J	Cpl	22	Clarksville , Tn
Givens, Gary Lynn	Sgt		Clarksville , Tn
Godsey, David L	Sgt 1st Class		Clarksville , Tn
Harden, Benny J	CW3	38	Clarksville , Tn
Ivy, Herbert Guy	Cpl		Knoxville , Tn
Jennings, Donny K	Staff Sgt		Clarksville , Tn
Jones, Joseph A	Sgt		Knoxville , Tn
King, Robert M	Capt		Clarksville , Tn
Kosh, John K	1st Lt	27	Clarksville , Tn
Lane, Randall Alan	Spec 4		Clarksville , Tn
Malone, Jerry W	Staff Sgt		Clarksville , Tn
McCook, Robert F	1st Sgt		Woodlawn , Tn
McCormick, J Scott	2nd Lt	24	Bristol , Tn
Miller, Dirk A	CW2	30	Clarksville , Tn
Nelson, Steven R	Staff Sgt		Clarksville , Tn
Pafford, Theodore L	Pfc		Clarksville , Tn
Rains, Terry L	Capt	29	Clarksville , Tn
Reynolds, Jessey T	Staff Sgt		Jamestown , Tn
Roberts, Wilbur Grant Jr	Staff Sgt	28	Clarksville , Tn
Stevens, Kip L	2nd Lt		Clarksville , Tn
West, Thomas E	Sgt 1st Class		Clarksville , Tn
White, Emery S III	Staff Sgt	late 20's	Clarksville , Tn
Willingham, Richard N	Sgt		Clarksville , Tn
Wooliver, William L	Sgt		Clarksville , Tn
TEXAS
Cartwright, Dennis	Pvt 1		Silsbee , Tx
Cupples, Troy R	Pfc		Porter , Tx
Gray, Christopher	Spec 4		Alvarado , Tx
Hardeman, Chester D	Pvt 1		Dallas , Tx
Hughes, Charles W	Spec 4		Cleburne , Tx
King, Jerry J	Pfc		Fort Worth , Tx
McCarty, Joey	1st Lt		Canyon Lake , Tx
Miller, Richard Dean	Staff Sgt		Tyler , Tx
Roberts, Bobby E	Spec 4		Fort Worth , Tx
Wheeler, Frank C	Spec 4		Odell , Tx
VIRGINIA
Bowen, Robert	CW3		Wytheville , Va
Colby, Stephen R	Spec 4		Colonial Beach , Va
Hansen, William W III	Pfc		Stafford , Va
Kirby, Thomas James	Staff Sgt		Salem , Va
Puntanen, Raimo K Jr	Spec 4	20	Chesapeake , Va
Russell, Ronald C	Pfc		Portsmouth , Va
Vinson, Wayne	Pfc		Chesapeake , Va
WASHINGTON
Kaplin, Robert S	Spec 4		Gig Harbor , Wa
Lineberry, Donald G	Sgt		Olympia , Wa
Reed, Melvin W	Pvt		Tacoma , Wa
Wood, Lawrence A	Staff Sgt		Everett , Wa
WISCONSIN
Schultz, Keith Mitchell	Pfc	19	Schofield , Wi
WEST VIRGINIA
Abrams, Mark Edward	Pfc		Rhodell , WV
Gantzer, Kevin A	Sgt	22	Wheeling , WV
Hileman, Thomas T	Pfc	,	Fairmont , WV
Jordan, David A	Pvt 2	21	Winfield , WV
Mollett, James Albert	Sgt	22	Kermit , WV
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Fitch, David	Spec 4		Washington
GUAM
Nartia, Joseph A	Sgt 1st Class		Tumon
PUERTO RICO
Gonzalez, Roberto	Pfc		Quebradilla
Ocasio, Francisco Jr	Sgt		Juana Diaz

Links to other Gander Sites
Gander - The Untold Story

Miscellaneous

Can you help me locate a copy of "Improbable Cause", by Les Filotas?
Filotas was a dissenter on the Canadian Aviation Safety Board, which investigated the crash.
Any help or leads would be appreciated.
Ken Kimsey kkimsey@mindspring.com
The Book Place - A Paralyzed Veterans of America Bookstore
Stockbridge, GA

Nancy Trice, © 1996-2000