HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – This past Tuesday marked the 78th anniversary of the Mt. Tom B17 plane crash, and on Saturday, the anniversary remembrance of the crash took place at the memorial monument.
Holyoke shootout near City Hall leaves one in custody, another at large This ceremony honored the lives lost in this tragic event and the men and women who are currently making the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Saturday’s remembrance commemorated 78 years since 25 young men from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Air Corps, U.S. Public Health Service, and American Red Cross lost their lives returning home to Westover Air Reserve Base from World War II, when their B17 crashed into the side of Mt. Tom in Holyoke.
Since the monument was erected in 1996, when a group of western Mass. men sought to give the B17 men the honor they deserved, families of the lost heroes have gathered with community members to commemorate the men and women in uniform. They’re reminded especially of the 25 who, on July 9th, 1946, were on their way home when tragedy struck. All were in between the ages of 18 to 43, these men left their lives and families behind, never gaining the chance to become veterans.
“For us family members, throughout my life, this was always a place of great tragedy and it was transformed into a place of great love,” expressed Al Stettner, Master of Ceremonies, and the nephew of Alfred L. Warm, “And, so you think here we have one of the greatest losses that a family could bear and yet we come here year after year.”
As the master of ceremony, Stettner was joined by the Westover C.A.P Color Guard, the western Massachusetts community and B17 family members who traveled from Illinois, Florida, and Virginia for Saturday’s event. He welcomed remarks by Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia, State Representative Pat Duffy, and State Senator John Velis, all of whom extended their gratitude to those who go overseas knowing they might not come back.
Those in attendance were moved and fulfilled to have the opportunity to honor these 25 brave men united in their desire to serve our country.
Especially those who traveled from states away, like Sue Miller, the niece of Arthur Miller, from Illinois, “All of these people here have touched my heart. Because I was so far away and I can’t be here to come all the time. I can’t be here to come up and take care of the grounds. To have people actually do this memorial, clear up here and have no relation to it, it’s just overwhelming.”
The B17 Memorial Committee invited the public to join them for the ceremony which took place at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. The memorial is on the southeast side of Mt. Tom approximately 300 feet below the summit.
Organizers did ask that attendees arrive at 8:30 a.m. to allow time to shuttle to the site for the 10:00 a.m. ceremony. Parking at the base of the mountain was accessed by Mt. Park Rd, followed by a right turn to Mt. Tom Ski Road.
Although united in tragedy, the B17 25 will remain united in the hearts of a community who will continue to honor their legacy for generations to come.
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