Saturday, November 13, 2010

WE ARE . . . . REMBERING . . . MARSHALL

Sunday, November 14, 2010

40 years ago tonight will be etched in the memories for thousands of people from the Marshall University community. The plane carrying most of the team, coaches, staff, and fans, hit the hillside as they approached the Tri-State airport. All aboard the plane perished that fateful night. I remember that night, and remembering thinking this can't have happened. Many of the players had been or were classmates of mine at MU. Many were friends with John because he was taking the athletic classes in which most of the team was taking!

As I looked over the names of the coaches, players, and the fans, I shudder when I realize at how many I actually knew or had some special connection. The players such as Ted Shoebridge, Michael Blake, Marcelo Lajterman, Allen Skeens, David Griffith, and Barry Nash were members of some of the classes I had taken or were taking in education. Our family's medical doctor and his wife were on that plane, Dr. Joseph and Margaret Chambers. They had three daughters in which two were MU cheerleaders! Dr. Joe's father had been our pediatrician. We knew them well! Other fans on the plane were the parents of many who attended the same high school as I had.

It still makes me shiver when I think back about that night. I was watching my grandmother, who was living with us after my grandfather had passed away earlier that year. Mom and Dad had friends up and they were playing rummy in the kitchen and eating the cheese, pickle, and a cracker tray I had fixed. The boys were milling around watching the game and what ever we had on TV to entertain Mammaw. Then we got a phone call. The daughter of the lady visiting us called and said a plane had crashed out at the airport. Then they interrupted the program on the TV to say a plane had crashed and that there was the fear it was the Marshall plane!

Many people around town jumped into their vehicles to rush out to the airport to see what they could do to help. My brothers also went out to the crash site. Needless to say, there was nothing that could be done! What it did do was embed memories of that fiery plane crash in the minds of all who rushed out to be of assistance - including my brothers!

It was a very long week for the community. Funerals were being planned with many here in Huntington, while others were being sent home to Ohio, Alabama, New Jersey, and Georgia just to name a few of the states. Coach Dawson tried his best to attend all those funerals, because he had recruited many of those boys to come to Marshall. Each funeral had a representative from the coaching staff as well as a surviving team mate who had not been on the plane due to a variety of reasons.

The first day back in one of my classes, there were three black roses on three separate desk scattered about the room. The roses were placed on the desk of three of the players who had been on that plane! That was one of the hardest classes to concentrate in I believe I have ever had!!!

This tragedy did not just touch the lives of those who live in Huntington, or who went to Marshall. It also touched the lives of many sports fans from across the nation, and most definitely the family and friends of all aboard that plane. The flight crew, the coaches, and the players were from all around the United States. They all may be gone, but they will never be forgotten!



The 1970 Team and Coaches
The Coaches:

Rick Tolley – Head Coach
Al Carelli – Offensive Line
Jim “Shorty” Moss - Offensive Coordinator
Deke Brackett – Kicking Coach
Frank Loria – Defensive Backs
Carl Kokor – Defensive Line (was not on the plane)
Red Dawson – Defensive Coordinator (was not on the plane)
Gail Parker – Freshman Coach (was not on the plane)
Mickey Jackson – Offensive Backs (was not on the plane)

The Players:

Jim Adams
Mark Andrews
Michael Blake
Dennis Blevins
Willie Bluford
Larry Brown
Thomas Brown
Roger Childers
Stuart Cottrell
Rick Dardinger
David DeBord
Kevin Gilmore
David Griffith
Arthur Harris
Robert Harris
Bobby Hill
Joe Hood
Tom Howard
Marcelo Lajterman
Richard Lech
Barry Nash
Pat Norrell
Bob Patterson
Scotty Reese
Jack Repasy
Larry Sanders
Al Saylor
Art Shannon
Ted Shoebridge
Allen Skeens
Jerry Stainback
Robert Van Horn
Roger Vanover
Fred Wilson
John Young
Tom Zborill
The following players were not on the plane:
Tony Barile
Richard Brautigan
Jon Calvin
Dickie Carter
Ed Carter
Jack Crabtree
Dave Cyrus
Ed Deeds
Greg Finn
Dennis Foley
Fred Gaudet
Wes Hickman
Frank James
Felix Jordan
Gary Morgan
Pete Naputano
Paul Oden
Nate Ruffin
Jim Sly
Mike Swartley
Richard Taglang
David Withers

Other Athletic and Football Staff:
Charles E. Kautz – Director of Athletics
Gene Morehouse – Sports Information
Jim Schroer – Head Trainer
Donald Tackett – Assistant Trainer
Gary George – Student Assistant Statistician
The following were not on the plane:
Ed Starling – Assistant Director of Athletics
Jim Hodges – Business Manager
Eugene Jones – Assistant Football Manager
Gerald Sieber – Assistant Football Manager
John Hagan – Equipment Manager
Mervin G. Black – Assistant Equipment Manager
David W. Byrd – Student Equipment Manage
Joseph Wortham – Student Assistant Statistician
The Fans:
There were twenty-four of Marshall’s most diligent supporters who went with the team on that fateful trip.

Charles M. Arnold
Rachel Arnold
Donald Booth
Joseph Chambers
Margaret Chambers
Shirley Ann Hagley
Ray Hagley
Arthur L. Harris
Emmett O. Heath
Elaine Lois Heath
Cynthia Jarrell
James Jarrell
Kenneth Jones
Jeff Nathan
Brian O’Connor
Michael Prestera
Glenn H. Preston
Phyllis Preston
Courtney Proctor
Herbert D. Proctor
Helen Ralsten
Murrill Ralsten
Parker Ward
Norman Weichmann

The Flight Crew:

Captain Frank Abbott
First Officer Jerry Smith
Stewardess Charlene Poat
Stewardess Patricia Vaught
Charter Coordinator Danny Deese
The Headlines


The fountain which was designed as a memorial for the 75 who lost their lives. There are 75 points on top of this fountain! Each year on November 14 the fountain is turned off for the season!

WE ARE . . . . . . . MARSHALL




During the weeks following the crash I decided to clip all the articles and pictures from The Herald Dispatch and make a scrapbook. Why? I really don't know, but it was something I wanted/needed to do
The following pages are images that have stuck with me through the years

Coach "Red" Dawson was an inspiration to us all. He knew these players, coaches, and community leaders. He rode the plane down to the game, but was on acouting mission afterwards and drove back to WV! He was so strong and comforting the families of those who had lost their life. He himself was suffering as much grief as most of the families. They were his MU family!


The list of those who had perished that raining, foggy Saturday night.

The headlines were placed in the paper using red ink - this didn't happen often!
Just one of the daunting photos that was put into print.
Over 7,000 people were in attendance at the memorial services held at the Field House.
Another image that made an impact on me was this one . . . the family of those who had cherished were awaiting for some good news, but we know they never received!

This bulletin board was cover with messages from all our the county. Oresident Nixon sent a condolence note, many of the officials from WV sent notes as did many, many strangers

The fountain will be shu down on the 14th - as it is every year!!!
We pray that the survivors have adjusted and gone on to live a very productive life.
No, we will never forget those who lost their life that fateful day. But we will always remember!!
WE ARE . . . Marshall

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Another Veterans Day - Thanks to All

Thursday - November 11, 2010

Another Veterans Day is here and as a nation we are thanking the men and women who have helped preserve the freedoms many of us take for granted. These men and woman have made and are making so many sacrifices to ensure that the American people will continue to live in a free country. What does it mean to be free??? Hmmmm . . . . maybe you should have listened to your history teachers a little closer and you might now! Seriouly, I believe that most Americans know what freedoms we have that many countires don't, plus most have an understanding of the sacrifices that were made by many members of our family and community to make sure we don't lose these freedoms.

There are so many members of our family who served their nations call - some by choice, others were called by Uncle Sam. They proudly served their country and protected her and their family from many evils of the world. This is an ongoing battle as we all know, and we should be thankful for the continued protection of these brave men and women. Many of our Veterans participated in wars that were/are controversal in the fact that many felt the US should not be involved. regardless of those beliefs from many, we need to thank these men and women for what they did to help ensure our lives continued as we know it! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and are so thankful for all you did.

There are two members of our family who were part of the millions of men and women who participated in WWII - our fathers, Clyde Austin HArdin and Elmer J (Buck) Layne. We know the sacrifices they made, some about what they went through (they never talked much about their experience), and how much they loved their country and family! We love them and are so proud to be the children of such fine and brave Veterans. Were they still here today, we would give them a hug, love, and tell them how proud we are of them!

Bill’s father was a member of the 10th Armored Division. Clyde was part of the “Battle of the Bulge.” December 22-26, 1944 was a very scary time for Clyde and the men he was with – they were surrounded by the Germans and had no idea if they were going to get out alive. Not only did they have to deal with the being the enemy, but they also had to deal with the elements of the weather and the lack of food supplies.

Pappaw Clyde and a little buddy! We think this was a picture of Clyde at his home place - notice the fence in the background - looks like a WV fence! :)


Pappaw Clyde and some of his Army buddies! Clyde is the one sitting in the middle.
On June 6, 2009, I thought about Dad. It wasn’t until 1999 that he told us the boat he was on was to have been one of the first ones to land on Normandy Beach June 6, 1944. For some reason, the boat he was on got out of line (some said due to mechanical problems). Dad and the 2nd Armored Division landed along Omaha Blue sector of Normandy beaches. Had Dad landed the day he was scheduled to – history for the Layne family would be a lot different than it is today! He did tell us that by the time he got ashore, the beaches had been cleaned up. This knowledge that Dad could have been one of those soldiers who landed first is one of the reasons I haven't seen the movie "Saving Private Ryan." My dad could have been one who didn't come home alive!

Dad and his buddy - Cecil - entered the service at the same time, went through boot camp together, but were not together when they went overseas!
Dad (in the middle) and some of his buddies in a "fox hole."

Most of the WW II veterans did not share everything they went through during the war. It was something they only shared with their comrades. Only those men and women who were part of this war to ensure that their family and friends would be living in a country that was free knew what is was like to be part of this event in our country's history. WW II veterans were proud to do their part for their country. Sadly, we are losing these veterans every day.

We do know that these “old soldiers” are now in a far better place. They are rejoicing with one another and our heavenly Father. I pray they know how much they are loved and will be missed. I also pray they know how much we appreciate their sacrifices to ensure the freedoms we all have today. I also hope that future generations understand what they did for them as well.
To all veterans and active members of the Armed Forces - thank you!!!!!