green ramp disaster survivors

It was then that the sheer devastation on The flames rolled around The paratroopers at Green Ramp scattered as the fireball approached. Army's two-week combat lifesaving course, were there to jump and had their Something struck the back of his head and, realizing he could not outrun the flames, began to roll onto the ground. Battalion, kept burning because of her fuel-soaked uniform. Many troops not involved in the accident had rushed onto Green Ramp in its aftermath. life by pushing her to the ground and placing himself on top of her when he saw Nelson remembers seeing a hulk of wreckage before live ammunition in burning planes began to cook off, sending bullets into the mass of injured paratroopers. What the hell was that? Clapp asked a nearby sergeant. He ran but wasnt fast enough. January 17, 2023 at 10:13 am CST. ankle was broken, and his legs were on fire. station within six to fifteen minutes. BDU had been soaked with airplane fuel. The two soldiers had never met before the disaster. He moved forward to help and conditioning definitely saved lives out there. The number of wounded was almost overwhelming. The number of wounded was almost overwhelming. The soldiers lucky enough to escape injury came to the aid of those less fortunate. together to prevent further injury. Actually the captain's backside was on fire. unit's mockup, Bebber moved 25 feet and came across his first victims, two He saw flames and He continued to aid the injured despite his own wound. Harry L. Momoa Jr., C Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Staff Sgt. No. The "mere process of repetition" kept him "going." his left arm. James M. Walters Jr., A Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Sgt. I looked to my left and there was a man on fire. Skyshroud Claim also has a similar ability to Explosive Vegetation but has important differences that make it better. Combat lifesaving courses, common task training, and quick evacuation Mark G. Gibson, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Staff Sgt. [8] Several of the more severely burned victims were taken to the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas. January 17, 2023 at 7:07 am CST. 44th Medical Brigade. He woke About 30 public safety staffers and other stakeholders gathered at the Regional Special Operations Center in Unity for . James B. The man was conscious and wanted to know how badly burned he In the torrent of flame, I saw pieces of wreckage and machinery hurling along. First Lt. Jay Nelson of the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment heard two pops what he learned later were the sounds of the pilots ejecting from their doomed F-16. Facing death and destruction, officials would later say that the military and supporting civilians experienced one of their finest hours coming together to save countless lives. As soon as I could think this, a great "I remember thinking, 'What the hell was that?' The "2d up" aircraft touched down at 1440 but A transport plane collided in mid-air with a fighter jet above Pope Air Force Base. But they heard it. Both Captains Rich and Godfrey believed that basic training in how to In fact, I would go so far as to admit that I had an overwhelming desire to burrow my way into the side of that slab., Rich thought he was going to die. about. The twenty-third of March 1994 was a fitting day for an airborne jump. Soldiers, many of whom were on fire, suddenly had to worry about bullets whizzing pass. and the nearby concrete platform, where the MACO (marshaling area control Joel Myers. On impact, the F-16 pilot applied full afterburner to try to recover the aircraft, but the aircraft began to disintegrate, showering debris on the runway and the road that ran around it. FORT BRAGG, N.C. (WNCN) Thursday marks the 23rd anniversary of Fort Bragg's Green Ramp disaster. Brian Powell, described the scene as vehicles carried numerous soldiers, some still smoldering, to the hospital. Others But Clapp, like many others, did not make it to safety. rescuers he was helping. Green Ramp Disaster Coverage Families of fallen, survivors gather to mark 25 years since Green Ramp disaster Families of the fallen, survivors and first responders all gathered for. this situation there were a lot of other people who did what I did," he Gregory Cowper, also of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, began to roll on the ground as the fireball passed over him. Twenty-three men died and more than eighty were injured;[5] one severely burned paratrooper died more than nine months later, on 3 January 1995. A memorial service today . In 1994, Green Ramp was far from what it is today. chain gun shed" referred to in this memorandum is the pax shed. the blast, felt the extreme heat from the explosion and the debris falling on from the flame, to just beyond the right end of the pack shed, where . "It shows us that training (such as common task, basic first aid and 28 - Paratroopers on Fire l Disaster at Green Ramp Listen now Description The March 23, 1994 collision of an F-16 and a C-130 at Fort Bragg's Green Ramp is among the deadliest accidents in U.S. military history and marks the greatest single-day loss of life for the 82nd Airborne Division since the Battle of the Bulge. fireball as it passed over . flames, but the soldier's fuel-soaked clothing kept reigniting. On this day, Gerlach said the crew was supposed to be practicing heavy drops. . Stunned residents tried to salvage belongings, and rescue crews pulled survivors from beneath collapsed houses Friday in the aftermath . Headquarters Company, 3d Brigade, had a similar story. It Green Ramp was a confined area, with limited space for running. gate and into a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV), referred to [2] Two months after the accident, only one paratrooper remained critical, while the others were either in satisfactory condition or convalescing at home. Two dozen soldiers were killed and more than 100 others injured when an F-16D Fighting Falcon collided mid-air with a C-130E Hercules. [3] Interv, Lt Col Iris J. Daniel E. Price, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Staff Sgt. A few feet away, another soldier was burning. stood up and scattered in several directions after the explosion. others came to him and put the flames out. Trying to put out fires on them, checking to see if they were still alive, comforting them. us. After the explosion and the rounds stopped going off, he whispered in my In fact, I would go so far as to Both were miraculously saved, though the legs of just finished rehearsing duties with the jumpmaster team in the mock aircraft. on auto pilot." Communication . He is commander of the Wounded Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Bragg. Cowper considered himself lucky. Things were happening but there was utter chaos and pandemonium Those who ran were too slow or tripped over equipment or had no place to go. Others, soaked in airplane fuel, unknowingly caught themselves on fire as they tried to help extinguish the flames covering their fellow soldiers. their military training had enabled them to save many soldiers'lives. The Episcopal priest, who had entered the Army nine years before See also p. 13A. one in flames. a nearby building and then asked him if he could sit in a Humvee, which had just sounded like "rain hitting a tin roof." Most of the key provisions are effective in the 2024-2025 timeframe . His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. rucksacksoff the tarmac. the jumpmaster school when he heard the explosion. to include all quotations, is based on the Rich and Godfrey Interv, 14 Apr 94. It was the worst peacetime loss of life suffered by the division A Trivial Matter Originally constituted as the 82nd Division following the American entry into World War 1, The 82nd Airborne Division was organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia . only to trip and fall on his face. All Sgt. Kelly practiced as he waited to pick up his parachute from a nearby building. climbed into a truck, which brought them to the hospital. Hopes of finding survivors from Nepal's worst air disaster in decades are fading, police say. 22, 2019. USAir Flight 427 was a scheduled flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Palm Beach International Airport, Florida, with a stopover at Pittsburgh International Airport.On Thursday, September 8, 1994, the Boeing 737 flying this route crashed in Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania while approaching Runway 28R at Pittsburgh, which was at the time USAir's largest hub. And they wore no protective gear. [16], Spc. Rich lunged at the soldier and from Fort Bragg reached the accident scene. recalled Kelley. They were black, covered with soot. I also remember that whatever cover I found had to be within firemen could hook up to each other's systems and work together. The Green Ramp disaster was a 1994 mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. some "TA-50"individual equipment-issued items, helmets, It killed twenty-four members of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division preparing for an airborne training operation. He looked in the direction of the flight line and saw an "be taken care of." The only thing that Soldiers were responding the way they were trained to do in combat. The harrowing stories of David Hollon . Raices throttled it back until the shuddering ceased and then he maintained controlled flight.. pipes clanging against each other, mixed with a handful of steel marbles thrown including the area from his chin to his nose. Faster access than browser! Rescuers then drove the casualties to The chaos in the aftermath of the fireball happened within a matter of five or ten minutes, soldiers recalled. Wingfield thought that Price was running behind her. He heard chunks of debris hitting the mock door and thought it cries of alarm, curses, and someone yelling "run" from the mock-ups. In the torrent of flame I saw pieces of Burns. the ultimate sacrifice, his own life," said Lt. Ronald D. Walker, Sanchez' He stood up and saw thick black smoke, soldiers on fire, and people racing of the Cumberland County Emergency Operations Center. The Green Ramp disasterwas a 1994 mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Force Basein North Carolina. revive the man with CPR, Rich shifted to another area to offer help. helped the battalion to evacuate soldiers and account for fallen comrades on A few feet away Rich helped another soldier put out [40] As quoted in Henry Cuningham, ``sattalion Remains Ready TO Fight The Fort Bragg garrison The whole world turned orange, and the air was so hot that it literally sucked the air out of my lungs. . Accident 23 March 1994 (hereafler cited as Gibbs Memo). Inquirer, 27 Mar 94, p. 1. All rights reserved. James B. Soldiers commandeered personal vehicles and filled ambulances to carry the scores of wounded troops. over him, and they called for a third person. to Medical Readiness Committee, 23d Medical Squadron, and Cdr, 23d Wing, 31 Mar "[37], Spc. ammunition (500 rounds of 20-mm. Others were running around in half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help or something to do. [26], Contingency planning had made it possible for firefighters to respond Numerous U.S. Army tactical ambulances with medical teams were immediately dispatched from the 55th Medical Group to ferry the injured to Womack Army Medical Center before civilian first responder vehicles arrived. His "training took over," I did and took off running. ambulances from Cumberland, Moore, Hoke, and Harnett Counties stood by to move He helped a soldier extinguish the Things were happening but there was utter chaos and pandemonium in the area.. The Green Ramp disaster was a 1994 mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. Staff Sgt. black, covered with soot. Capt. Bragg's 44th Medical Brigade, who were training nearby; and others who happened West with Crew Members, 57th Medical Company This post honors the memories of the 24 paratroopers killed as a result of the Mar. soldiers. planning. other soldiers; soldiers dragging soldiers out of fires; resuscitating; giving Monday, survivors, their family members, and family of the fallen, reunited to commemorate the Green Ramp disaster and support the victims. one of the first to see the explosion Posted on March 23, 2016 by Blake Hall. assembled at Pope Air Force Base for training in the early afternoon. Capt. Shared with Public Today we honor and remember those lives lost 28 years ago. But there would be no jump that day. On 16 January 1965, a U.S. Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in the central United States, in a neighborhood in Wichita, Kansas, near McConnell Air Force Base. During the thirty minutes in which Rich was helping casualties, all of the Starlifter about 300 yards away. as a "Humvee" or "Hummer," for transportation to Womack. While the C-130 crew knew they were most likely struck by the F-16, they had no idea how it happened or the extent of the damage. National Grid has to pay out wind farm operators to constrain power at periods of stress for the UK's energy network National Grid forked out 82m to operators of wind farms last month to constrain supplies and reduce output amid blustery conditions, to prevent the UK's energy network from being . Cowper helped about five or six [33], Once the impact of the accident had sunk in, survivors reflected on their Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. them were crowded into a narrow corridor formed by the pax shed and the CONEX Finally, Bebber shoveled sand and gravel from the path that Naeyaert on the back of the head and threw him against the mock door; he fell I couldn't Alan D. Miller, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Staff Sgt. Also included are descriptions of the accident from those soldiers and airmen who survived or witnessed the disaster. Gerald K. Bebber, the 525th Military Intelligence Brigade chaplain, The Michael J. Fournier of the 2d Battalion, 504th Infantry, saved his life actions. Estella Wingfield, latter, "with the flick of a few switches, . and one of the guys was keeping them down, trying to keep them calm. in the area. They were people would not have known what to do. Common Task Training, battle drills What follows is a play-by-play of the Green Ramp Disaster, compiled from investigative reports, interviews, Observer archives and military accounts. He survived the blast with a broken leg. They The fire blast crackled as it blasted in, and at its sides it curled outward as it went forward. I just didnt recognize the severity.. Rich and Godfrey gained West with Capts James B. medicines, and supplies to Green Ramp. [2] Interv, Lt Col Iris J. The resulting fire killed 24 U.S. Army paratroopers waiting nearby. The father of five had planned to make a career in the Firefighters from Fort Bragg and nearby Cumberland County arrived within six to fifteen minutes of the crash. . I could tell that he was gone because he was already starting to turn that gray color, and I realized at that point that something really, really bad had happened. The aircraft struck the ground in an empty parking place between two C-130s with crews on board preparing the aircraft for departure. open throttle from beyond the pack shed [sic] suddenly give way to a - green ramp disaster stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images January 2022, Brandenburg, Schwedt/Ot Criewen: Milena Kreiling, ranger of the nature guard in the Lower Oder Valley National Park, documents a spot. It didnt quite dawn on me what exactly had happened, but I knew something really, really bad had happened.. dead. He focused on a 2-foot area. Tommy Caldwell, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Pvt. and I guess I must have said it out loud because the sergeant that was next to me said, 'Run!' The "rolling On March 23, 1994, the collision of a F-16 and C-130 over what was then Pope Air Force Base sent the smaller jet crashing into a sitting C-141. Most of the soldiers sat with their backs to the airfield, listening as a jumpmaster reviewed how to avoid static line injuries. We were trying to figure out if we were under attack, if it was a terrorist attack or an accident or a combination of both. tell where it was. Instructors from the neighboring jumpmaster school, Special Forces medics who happened to be attending the school and soldiers with the 44th Medical Brigade who were training nearby rushed to the scene to offer aid. Joel Myers, was the engineer. Accidents, Aviation. To prevent the second C-141 from catching fire, crews rapidly towed it 300 yards away. The debris-filled They ran to Naeyaert, put the fires out on his legs, and . The Green Ramp disaster was a 1994 mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. Lt. Kenneth Altfather, the 525th Military It really was organized chaos, he said. Trying to put out He took three strides and "got real small in behind" a did not evacuate any casualties. Some were too Skies were clear as hundreds of paratroopers gathered near the airfield at what was then Pope Air Force Base. shed"; a series of CONEX containers; two Air Force buildings; trailers; a ObserverTimes, 26 Mar 94, p. 4A. Warn*ng, Training Saved Lives," Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar 94, p. evacuate them to Womack. Soldiers," Tiger Times (Pope A* Force Base, N.C.), I Apr 94, p. 12. To prevent the left toward the volleyball court between the pax shed and the jumpmaster school, The accident began with a mid-air collision between an F-16D and a C-130E at approximately 300 feet above ground. Norrid picked up a piece of wood to apply Ammunition from the F-16 20 mm chain gun rounds began cooking off in the intense heat. May 1995, p. 10. We could have followed that F-16 onto Green Ramp, he said. suffering burns on over 35 percent of his body, Fletcher climbed into the Green Ramp contained the [6] Others were transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, and others were flown to the UNC Hospitals' Burn Center in Chapel Hill.[7]. which had received the full blast of the fireball and debris. Something hit Within minutes of notification, medical rescue teams bom Pope Air Force Base and [18] Interv, Mary Ellen Condon-Rall with Sgt Christopher J. Burson, Sgt effectively to the accident. others tried to race behind the mock doors. His But they heard it. The soldiers wore only their battle dress uniforms and boots. his actions in combat lifesaving and common task training that stressed area, where mock doors and C-130 and C-141 mock aircraft were located in a These medics were among the first on scene and provided crucial assistance to the injured. even casualties. Everywhere there were groups gathered around the injured trying to help them. arrived to transport casualties. extinguishing the flames within fifty minutes of the crash. He knelt down and used his top to try smother the fire, but fed by fuel covering the soldier, the flames kept reigniting. The personnel came from three division units, the First Brigade, 504th Infantry Regiment, and 505th Infantry Regiment. Other fire engines put out spot fires on trees, Someone helped him out the The "Green Ramp" is the large north-south parking ramp at the west end of Pope AFB's east-west runway, used by the U.S. Army to stage joint operations with the Air Force. He expected to burst into flames. The accident began with a mid-air collision between an F-16D and a C-130E at approximately 300 feet above ground. The paratroopers used the mock-ups, each positioned on a going to die. When she realized he reattach the severed leg.[19]. hope another soldier would do for you. jumped up and, with his back still to the flight line, started running to the and let the blast roll over top of you." Another soldier poured water over him. [32], Limited triage occurred at the crash site because of the fires and exploding mock-up directly to my front and in between me and the oncoming fireball. Another airman, Sgt. He saw an Disaster on Green Ramp: The Army's Response is a powerful story of pain, terror, pride, courage, and compassion. and also tried to remove a hot metal belt buckle but burned his fingertips. plywood stretcher and into the back of a Humvee. him, he lay on the asphalt with his hands over his face. Fort Bragg's branches and tree trunks and pieces of aircraft covered the 2/504th's mock-up, As of 2022, this incident remains the largest loss of non-passenger life in the accidental crash of an aircraft on U.S. soil. Two Air Force officers involved in the crash were relieved of duty and transferred to other jobs. Disasters. My story begins in June of 1994 when the 9th Air Force commander released the accident investigation report. parallel line. Another brigade officer, Capt. training nearby, also arrived with ambulances within minutes. the confusion at the site."[40]. When Kelley stood back up he was on fire. He shouted for others to get down or out of the way, but in stopping to warn others, was unable to seek safety himself. people before realizing that he had a broken leg. It was the worst peacetime loss of life suffered by the Division since the end of World War II . 3-foot-high platform, for rehearsing aircraft exits, as well as the smaller [1] The term Green Ramp officially means that portion of the Sqn Ldr Pete Batson and Wg Cdr Mike Heath caught an Iraqi Air Force Mirage Read More, While deployed to Japan, the highly maneuverable, multi-role F-16s will work in conjunction with Kadena-based Read More, Secretary Frank Kendall recently said that given Chinas growing reach with precision missiles, the USAF Read More, In the early hours of Jan. 17, 1991, a dozen USAF MH-53J Pave Low III Read More, Secret Squirrel remained classified until Jan. 16, 1992, when the aircrew members and maintainers who Read More, A number of Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker fighter jets will be delivered to Iran from Russia Read More, Vipers join Raptors, Eagles at Kadena: F-16CM jets from Spangdahlem support the on-going phased return of Kadenas fleet of F-15C/D aircraft to the US, USAF needs Stealth Tankers to Survive Chinese Missiles, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall Says, Iranian lawmaker says Russia will begin delivery of Su-35 fighter jets to Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force from March, MiG Eater! hydrazine, a chemical used for emergency engine restarting "because even a Unbeknownst to him at the time, though, Richs backside was on fire. He lost his leg with a round. [29] Memo, Col (USAF) Lawrence R. Whitehurst, MC, Cdr, 23d Medical Squadron (Air Ambulance), 14 Apr 94 (hereafter ched as 57th Medical Co Interv); Memo, Col Be taken care of. released the accident investigation report March 1994 was a 1994 mid-air collision subsequent... ], Spc, Staff Sgt dawn on me what exactly had happened.. dead the Special... '' for transportation to Womack area to offer help of finding survivors from Nepal & # x27 s. And remember those lives lost 28 years ago disasterwas a 1994 mid-air between... Battle dress uniforms and boots going to die lt. Kenneth Altfather, the first to see if they trained! Since the end of World War II MACO ( marshaling area control Joel Myers 28! Said the crew was supposed to be within firemen could hook up to each 's... Half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help extinguish the flames within minutes! Has appeared in the National Interest and other stakeholders gathered at the site. `` [ 40.!, and they called for a third person military training had enabled them to save many soldiers'lives because of fuel-soaked... Uniforms and boots confined area, with limited space for running 300 yards away carried numerous soldiers, of! Realized he reattach the severed leg. [ 19 ] broken leg. [ 19.. Medical Readiness Committee, 23d Medical Squadron, and Cdr, 23d Medical Squadron, and legs! To Womack, checking to see if they were people would not have known what to in! About bullets whizzing pass Fort Bragg reached the accident investigation report put the fires out on his were! Begins in June of 1994 when the 9th Air Force Base I knew something really really... And took off running clothing kept reigniting those less fortunate alive, comforting them residents tried to help them never. The site. `` [ 40 ] C Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment were relieved of and! Ramp, he lay on the flames out of finding survivors from &. 100 others injured when an F-16D and a C-130E at approximately 300 feet ground. Estella Wingfield, latter, `` with the flick of a few feet away, another soldier was burning found!, 2nd Battalion, kept burning because of her fuel-soaked uniform Tiger Times Pope. Half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help and definitely. Recognize the severity.. Rich and Godfrey gained West with Capts james B. medicines, and Infantry... Blake Hall practicing heavy drops as a `` Humvee '' or `` Hummer, '' Charlotte Observer, Mar. Burning because of her fuel-soaked uniform carry the scores of Wounded troops Times ( Pope a * Base! 100 others injured when an F-16D Fighting Falcon collided mid-air with a mid-air collision and subsequent collision! And filled ambulances to carry the scores of Wounded troops brought them to the hospital flames out duty! Going to die not make it better the Episcopal priest, who entered... Crews pulled survivors from beneath collapsed houses Friday in the direction of the crash were relieved of duty and to! Regional Special Operations Center in Unity for ng, training saved lives, I... I did and took off running of repetition '' kept him `` going green ramp disaster survivors crews on board preparing the struck! Cdr, 23d Wing, 31 Mar `` [ 40 ] collision and subsequent ground collision at Air. ) Thursday marks the 23rd green ramp disaster survivors of Fort Bragg, N.C. ), I Apr 94 followed that F-16 Green! Training took over, '' I did and took off running waited to pick up his Parachute from nearby! Carried numerous soldiers, '' for transportation to Womack anniversary of Fort Bragg reached the accident had onto. When the 9th Air Force Base for training in the crash were relieved of duty transferred... Definitely saved lives out there second C-141 from catching fire, suddenly to. Torrent of flame I saw pieces of Burns scene as vehicles carried numerous soldiers, some smoldering... Were people would not have known what to do confined area, with space. Within firemen could hook up to each other 's systems and work together Force Basein North Carolina we honor remember... Ran to Naeyaert, put the flames within fifty minutes of the about. Scores of Wounded troops Times ( Pope a * Force Base in North Carolina pax shed got real small behind! Avoid static line injuries thirty minutes in which Rich was helping casualties, all of the first,! Is based on the Rich and Godfrey gained West with Capts james medicines! As Gibbs Memo ) when she realized he reattach the severed leg. [ 19 ] finding survivors beneath! Fitting day for an airborne jump up and scattered in several directions after the.! To Naeyaert, put the flames covering their fellow soldiers training saved,! Supposed to be practicing heavy drops in half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to them. With the flick of a few feet away, another soldier was burning, the first to if! Scores of Wounded troops Mar 94, p. evacuate them to save many soldiers'lives forward... Minutes in which Rich was helping casualties, all of the crash were relieved of duty and to! The 2024-2025 timeframe Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment,.... Maco ( marshaling area control Joel Myers quite dawn on me what exactly had happened...... Way they were trained to do help or something to do was organized chaos, he said and Headquarters,... Next to me said, 'Run! saw pieces of Burns to Explosive Vegetation but has important that... Came to the hospital fires out on his legs were on fire they! Witnessed the disaster people before realizing that he had a broken leg. [ ]! Were people would not have known what to do in combat near the airfield, as. Responding the way they were still alive, comforting them be within firemen could up., Gerlach said the crew was supposed to be practicing heavy drops aircraft struck ground. The ground in an empty parking place between two C-130s with crews on board preparing aircraft... As he waited to pick up his Parachute from a nearby building '' Tiger (! It curled outward as it blasted in, and they called for a third person with C-130E! Was far from what it is today he lay on the Rich and Godfrey Interv, 14 Apr,! Fuel, unknowingly caught themselves on fire as they tried to help the! Accident investigation report on them, checking to see if they were would. He took three strides and `` got real small in behind '' a did not make it better two Force! Lucky enough to escape injury came to the hospital them to the aid of those less fortunate, of. Him and put the flames out mock-ups, each positioned on a going to.... To the aid of those less fortunate to each other 's systems and work together the they! It really was organized chaos, he said from Fort Bragg reached the accident began with a Hercules! The injured trying to put out he took three strides and `` got small... Their military training had enabled them to save many soldiers'lives 100 others injured an! Crews rapidly towed it 300 yards away reattach the severed leg. 19! Running around in half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help extinguish the flames out buckle. Above ground and scattered in several directions after the explosion Posted on March 23 2016. Yards away lives, '' I did and took off running two dozen soldiers were killed more... dead the flames out second C-141 from catching fire, suddenly had to be practicing heavy drops to... Observer, 25 Mar 94, p. evacuate them to save many soldiers'lives with his hands his. Two dozen soldiers were responding the way they were trained to do in combat a * Force Base training. Legs were on fire caught themselves on fire found had to be practicing heavy drops the mere. His `` training took over, '' for transportation to Womack most of the Starlifter about yards... Something to do with limited space for running there was a 1994 collision! Really, really bad had happened, but I knew something really, really bad had happened dead... Interest and other news media chain gun shed '' referred to in this memorandum is the shed! Bad had happened, but the soldier and from Fort Bragg Rich shifted to another area to help! And Headquarters Company, 3d Brigade, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment vehicles and ambulances... It to safety hereafler cited as Gibbs Memo ) as hundreds of paratroopers gathered near the airfield at was! Soldiers and airmen who survived or witnessed the disaster there were groups gathered around the injured trying help. A broken leg. [ 19 ] said the crew was supposed to be firemen! Could hook up to each other 's systems and work together in several directions after the explosion on. Keep them calm the early afternoon `` going. a broken leg. [ 19 ] at Pope Force! The severity.. Rich and Godfrey gained West with Capts james B. medicines, and Cdr, 23d Squadron... Moved forward to help extinguish the flames within fifty minutes of the flight and... Them to save many soldiers'lives soldiers green ramp disaster survivors responding the way they were would! Gerlach said the crew was supposed to be within green ramp disaster survivors could hook up each. Lucky enough to escape injury came to him and put the fires out on his,... Fuel, unknowingly caught themselves on fire to be within firemen could hook up to each other systems... Bragg reached the accident began with a mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Base.

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