A ceremony at noon Friday, Dec. 12, at Hopkinsville’s Gander Memorial Park will mark the 40th anniversary of the Gander, Newfoundland, air crash that killed 248 Fort Campbell soldiers.
The chartered aircraft crashed in a forest moments after taking off from the Gander, where it had stopped to refuel on a flight bound for Fort Campbell. Anticipating reunions with their families at Christmas, the soldiers were returning home from a peacekeeping mission in the Sinai Penninsula. Eight crew members also died in the crash. There were no survivors.
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The Christian County Military Affairs Committee organizing the annual memorial service in Hopkinsville.
“During this solemn ceremony, we will unveil the newly designed Gander Memorial, created to preserve their legacy and ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten,” the committee announced. “Please join us as we stand together in remembrance, reflection, and gratitude. Your presence means so much to the families, our Soldiers, and our community.”
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
