Classmate Marty Drummond Close sent us the following e-mail to include in our "Down Memory Lane" pages. While we all have
good memories, many of us have memories of tragedies as well. This is one of those "I remember where I was when..." memories.
The history making crash of two airliners over the Grand Canyon 50 years ago prompted changes in the industry that resulted in
improved safety and saving many lives. We present this page as a memorial to one of our classmates that perished in that crash.
good memories, many of us have memories of tragedies as well. This is one of those "I remember where I was when..." memories.
The history making crash of two airliners over the Grand Canyon 50 years ago prompted changes in the industry that resulted in
improved safety and saving many lives. We present this page as a memorial to one of our classmates that perished in that crash.
First of all, let me express my thanks and sincere appreciation for all
the work you and your cohorts have done to provide such an interesting
and extensive website for our pleasure and information.
As you may recall, my dear friend, Janice Haas, perished in the
collision of the two aircraft over the Grand Canyon 50 years ago on
June 30. If I had not stayed in Springfield that summer for summer
school, I would have been with her on the plane.
I am forwarding you an article in the LA Times from yesterday with the
story of the crash and the decisions that were made following it to
improve the safety. Åt that time, I was so devastated by her death
that I didn't realize how much it affected future decisions in the
industry.
Keep up the good work.... and thank you.
Marty Drummond Close
the work you and your cohorts have done to provide such an interesting
and extensive website for our pleasure and information.
As you may recall, my dear friend, Janice Haas, perished in the
collision of the two aircraft over the Grand Canyon 50 years ago on
June 30. If I had not stayed in Springfield that summer for summer
school, I would have been with her on the plane.
I am forwarding you an article in the LA Times from yesterday with the
story of the crash and the decisions that were made following it to
improve the safety. Åt that time, I was so devastated by her death
that I didn't realize how much it affected future decisions in the
industry.
Keep up the good work.... and thank you.
Marty Drummond Close
After asking permission to add her story to
the site we received the following
the site we received the following
You certainly have my permission...I believe that many of our
classmates will be interested and will remember Janice. Many of them
knew of our very close relationship and always mention her to me when
there are class functions. We had become close friends at Jarrett and
that had continued through our junior year at Drury, which we had
completed just prior to the crash. I had stayed out of school for the
first semester of that junior year to be with my terminally ill father
and was going to summer school so that Janice and I could graduate
together and go somewhere to follow our dreams after graduation.
An interesting note: I forwarded it to my 18 year old grandson who,
ironically, was passing his final test for his flight instrument
license just today. He said that he and the instructor had spent an
hour and a half discussing the safety aspects of flying and then he
came home to my message on his computer. It made quite an
impression on him.
classmates will be interested and will remember Janice. Many of them
knew of our very close relationship and always mention her to me when
there are class functions. We had become close friends at Jarrett and
that had continued through our junior year at Drury, which we had
completed just prior to the crash. I had stayed out of school for the
first semester of that junior year to be with my terminally ill father
and was going to summer school so that Janice and I could graduate
together and go somewhere to follow our dreams after graduation.
An interesting note: I forwarded it to my 18 year old grandson who,
ironically, was passing his final test for his flight instrument
license just today. He said that he and the instructor had spent an
hour and a half discussing the safety aspects of flying and then he
came home to my message on his computer. It made quite an
impression on him.
On the following page we present the
article from the Los Angeles Times
recounting that tragic day.
article from the Los Angeles Times
recounting that tragic day.
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