I was attending a SATS class(standard army training system) at FTCC when it happened. Didnt get to help in any way, but always wished I did. I remember watching the Memorial Service on TV. I dont think there was a dry eye in our 3 shop that day. Injured PARATROOPERS were there (walked, crutched, wheeled), and if I remember correctly even brought in on stretchers. They still attended the service. Bragg lost a lot of fine Paratroopers that day.

YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBERED!!!!!!

Al Asad, Iraq

Bringing good medicine to bad places!!!!!

RIP

http://www.af.mil/photos/index.asp?galleryID=22&page=1

If you haven't read about this tragic accident, by all means go to the link that Reagantrooper has listed.  I have the printed copy of the report.  One thing you will read about is that no matter what happens, AIRBORNE does not panick, but reacts as we have been trained for anything unexpected.  There were many heroes that terrible day.  Some succumbed saving their fellow troopers.

Airborne All The Way!

GR

John 3:16

I thought I should also tell you all that the Crash caused another whole set of things to happen.  The chain of command from 82nd commander on down started getting orders for new assignments.  I was in the Army for eight years and I have never seen anything like it.  About a month after the orders started coming down.  NCOs and Officers seemed to be getting orders like crazy.  MG (at the time) Steele all the way down to our Company 1SG.    I thought it was strange, but I think that the Army was trying to get people to move on with their lives.  I know some of the orders were already supposed to happen, but you can not tell me that the Army was not looking to keep people busy.  Even I was moved from 4th platoon (lost three soldiers) to 5th platoon.  I think my move had alot to do with me in a squad leaders position not treating the incoming, or newbies, like replacements for the privates that died.  It was hard for me not to do think of the new soldiers, that came to the company, as replacements for the ones we had lost that day.  At the time just before the crash our platoon was working like a well oiled machine.  When the new privates came to us it was a chore not to compare them to the privates that we had just squared away in the previous months.

These new orders made it hard to keep up with the leaders as they were scattered around.  I wonder to this day what ever happened to General Steele.  I was a new private the first time I met him in Baumholder, Germany.  He was the Post Commander and the first General I had ever met.  When I got to Bragg he was the Commander of the 82nd it was good to see a leader I was familiar with.  I bumped into one of his daughters at a local pub on night (nothing happend, I swear!). We were talking about Germany and she brought up Baumholder.  After I found out who her father was I told her about the time I met her father as a new private just two days into my first duty station. The one thing I miss about the Army was bumping into people years later and finding out what they were doing.  If any of you know what ever happened to Gen. Steele please post it.  It is always interesting to keep tabs on people like that.  Sometimes the world would seem so small when you would run into someone out of the blue.

SPC Fletcher has been sent a link to this site.  I think he would like to meet some of you.  He is still a bad shot on the range, but goes shooting almost once a week to try and improve his BRM.  He has finally figured out which end of the rifle is dangerous. Being a civilian has not changed him a bit.

I remember the accident .......and I have heard a totally different story on how and why that crash happened........I have to call BS on what the AF said based on people I talked to around Fayetteville at that time......it was bad air........you can't fly a FAST mover next to a "C" jet .....the displaced air can be hell on the MUCH smaller jet.......they lost control........the F series tried to regain, but could not.....there was commo  between the F and the control tower........the alert sirens come on.......the AF pack shed guys were yelling to run.....but the guys on that hill ready to load up were all rigged up.....the AF guys took off......the Army guys were stuck......the NCO's and Officers (Jump Masters doing JMPI) had no time to undo the harnesses.....they pulled boot knives and starting cutting.....no one knew why they were in such a rush but they knew something bad was going on........you'll notice by looking at the names of the dead that the NCO's and Officers were alot of that list......they were the last ones out.....trying to make sure all of thier guys got away............my CP room was REAL close to all that......right there on Gorham road next to the last stop sign......about 3-4 blocks away from the gate at Green Ramp (as far as I remember). We heard the sirens but did not think much of it......then BOOOM!......we heard it......some guys took off to go see.......we only had 1 Hummer.....we did not see them till the next day.......they were speachless......one guy, I can't remember his name but I can see his face, went to go pick up a guy that was still alive to throw him in the back of the Hum-V.......the guy could feel no pain.......his flesh came right off............he told us about the smell.........about making trip after trip to get everyone out......the Gut Truck on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PACK SHED was blown over....it was on its side!

Then.....about 6 mo later......my wife and I were at the mall.....she wanted to go buy something (some things never change) and I just wanted to play a new video game that was there at the game room...........(right up front....Street FIghter 2 with the big screen).......it was a quiet day........so as I was playing I was suprised to hear someone come behind me and ask if they could play......I said "sure" and never looked over........after I finished defeating the bad guy....I looked over to say HI to my new opponent.......them BLAM!

He had no ears......smaller than normal nose.....and no hair.....while this is normal not to have hair at Bragg.......this guy had no hair NO WHERE!.......it shocked me....I was not expecting it......I looked down at his hands....and he was wearing those odd black, latex like gloves.....for second skin......I tried to look back at the game....I had just embarresed myself......I got hot all over........I could not concentrate......I started to cry..........not sobbing.......just staring into the game while standing next to a guy that I just looked at like he was a monster.........I felt like I hated myself..........a lesson in humiliation......he never said anything......and I had to go after the game.........I talked to guys that said that the administration was told NOT TO PUT F series jets with C series and that time and time again that it was not safe........but under Clinton, the emphasis was on cutting the military down to nothing........first a foremost CUT BACK....AND NOW! That wing of F's....so I was told back then was from Germany....and they had no other place to put them.......................and if my source was wrong.........where did they go then?

I was told the whole thing could have been avoided.........go look up who was at fault.......an AF E-4.......yeah RIGHT!

I'll never forget.........

"The ones that run are VC......the ones that just stand there are well disciplined VC." 

- Door Gunner / Full Metal Jacket       Familyman411@yahoo.com

I was there when that happened. I was in the field at camp McCall. Our platoon leader was informed over the net what had happened. Our battalion lost a few guys (313th MI) and one of our company platoon leaders who was at greenramp helped stack bodies onto the backs of deuce & halfs. It was horrible. What was not mentioned in the artice was that the F-16 was fully armed when the collision occurred...drop tanks and live 20mm rounds...everything cooked off. It was really bad It was a sad day for the division.                Anyhow, I'm new to the website, hello to all...good to see some familiar attitudes. Take care.

"Do you know against what type of men you'll have to fight? We who dine on sharpened swords and drink down blazing tourches as our wine. Then for dessert they bring us broken Cretan darts and splintered pike shafts. Our pillows are shields and breastplates and beside our feet  lie bows and slings. We crown ourselves with catapult wreaths."  - Mnesimachus, Macedonian playwrite- 350 BC.