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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss -
Pilot wanted to take the players on a scenic route coming out of Denver. Unfortunately the route he chose required a rate of climb his plane could not achieve with the weight it was carrying. The flight was destined to crash even before it left the runway.
Everything seemed fine as the plane entered the open end of a box canyon. It was too narrow to turn the plane around and the mountains at the end on the sides of the canyon were higher than the plane could climb.
Most of my friends on the team were on the other plane. My friends on the doomed plane included one with only minor injuries, one who died, and one who lost probably 90% of the muscle tissue in his legs and the tips of some fingers. The younger sister of my friend that passed away turned out to be one of my better friends at WSU. We never once discussed this subject.
Over the years I've thought about going to the annual memorial to say hi to her, but I always decided I'd rather not see her under those circumstances.The future's so bright - I gotta wear shades.
We like to cut down nets and get sized for championship rings. -
I go almost every year and its a nice time to remember those that passed on that day. Had several fraternity brothers that were on that plane and have had an opportunity to meet some of their families..Its a nice ceremony and I would recommend that you go.Comment
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As I stated last week I was going to finally visit the WSU plane crash site. A friend/fraternity brother put together a group of actual Alpine Rescue Team members to assist us in ascending to the crash site. They served as guides and I would imagine were there to ensure no one got seriously hurt. Got there a day early to try and acclimate to the altitude. Not enough time as I was to find out. I walk a great deal in Wichita and I used to back pack in Colorado 40 years and about 30 pounds ago. I was told the first leg would be straight up the mountain at a 45 degree angle. I took off with two of the Alpine team with the rest to follow at their own pace. We started at about 10,000 and the first leg was to increase that to about 10,900. I used to carry about a 55 pound pack when back packing years ago and the only thing I was carrying extra last week (besides the 30 pounds of relaxed living) was some water. That first leg up the mountain was the MOST physically Challenging of anything I have ever attempted. I'm 74 so maybe I have done something harder but that memory of what it was escapes me at this time. The first leg pretty much takes you as high as you need to go and then it seemed an easy traverse of the mountain around to the crash site. This second leg was actually quite pleasant with nothing but the distant sound of I-70 below and the gentle wind in the pines. At the site itself I know everyone still is amazed at the amount of wreckage that is still there after 53 years. I was told by one of the others that has been there several times that the trees have pretty much grown back hiding the trees that were sheared off by the plane before the crash. There seems to be permanent hush at the site but it's for the best because it is such a sobering sight to see. To see this place where so many young lives were lost is one no one will ever forget. I'm glad I was able to go before age dictated I couldn't and to see the place where so many guys I knew met an untimely end. But it wasn't the end but a beginning and it will always be so as long as people remember them. May they all rest in peach and never be forgotten. Go ShocksComment
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Thanks for posting this. I have always wanted to make this trip but never have. In my dream world we would bring football back to campus and honor these men with a moment of silence before every game.
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The story of John Putt, a 12 year old child that was one of the first volunteers on the crash site, is absolutely heartbreaking . One cannot help but to break down watching him tell the story, and the pain that he still feels today. It's nearly unbearable, every single time I watch it.
As hard as it is to watch, you have to, if you love WSU.Comment
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There are some good videos on youtube from random people that have hiked to the site. One uses Google Earth to describe what happened. They all get things wrong (one guy said we were going to play Utah, among other errors) but they are all interesting.
I don't remember reading this from 10 years ago:
I'm not sure I would utter the words "It's not something I think about all the time." I've never minded talking about it but it doesn't weigh heavily on my mind. "I've never had a bad dream or a bad night since the crash."
Yikes.
Another article:
Can anyone add updates or information to the list of the 9 survivors below and where they are today?
David Lewis passed away in June of 2022.
Randy Jackson passed away July 21, 2009.
Rick Stephens:
I found these 2 things.
I assume this is Mike Bruce:
I think this is Glenn Kostal's Facebook page, but nothing on there since 2018.
Bob Renner, Keith Morrison, John Hoheisel and Ron Skipper are eluding me. John Hoheisel was teaching in the Valley Center school district in 1990 and living in Walton, but that's all I could find.Comment
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I think this is likely the kid that was one of the first on the scene. He seems to have been quite successful.Comment
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Q: Good morning WuOracle.
A: Good morning WuShock Reaper. How can I help you.
Q: Do you know about the Wichita State football team plane crash?
A: Yes, the Wichita State football team plane crash is a tragic event in sports history. On October 2, 1970, a plane carrying the Wichita State University football team crashed into a mountainside in Colorado while en route to a game against Utah State. The crash resulted in the deaths of 31 people, including 14 first-string players, members of the coaching staff, and supporters. There were only nine survivors. It’s a somber reminder of the risks associated with travel and the impact such tragedies can have on a community. If you have any specific questions or need more details, feel free to ask.
Q: Can you create a poem with a title to help us remember those who died.
A. Certainly, here’s a poem to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the Wichita State football team plane crash:
Echoes of the Golden Plains
In the heart of autumn’s gentle breeze,
Where golden fields sway with ease,
We remember those who took to the skies,
Their dreams aloft, their spirits high.
A team united, hearts so bold,
Stories of youth, yet to be told,
In the shadow of the Rockies’ might,
They soared towards the game, into the night.
But fate, with its cruel, unseen hand,
Brought them down upon the land,
A tragic day, etched in sorrow,
A loss that haunts each tomorrow.
Yet in our hearts, they live anew,
In every cheer, in skies so blue,
Their legacy, a beacon bright,
Guiding us through the darkest night.
We honor them with every game,
Their courage, their love, forever the same,
In Wichita’s fields, their spirits remain,
Echoes of the Golden Plains.
I hope this poem serves as a heartfelt tribute to their memory. If there’s anything else you’d like to add or change, please let me know.
Q: its beautiful and thank you
A: You’re very welcome. I’m glad it resonated with you. If there’s anything else you’d like to talk about or need help with, feel free to let me know. I’m here for you.Comment
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Interesting poem… ‘Hal’ from 2001: A Space Odyssey, comes to mind. Guess I’m old school, but having a computer generated poem, isn’t easy for me to process.Originally posted by WuShock Reaper View Post
"You Just Want to Slap The #### Outta Some People"Comment
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