"It was such a disastrous day."

[WuDrWu]

Really proud of all the student athletes that attended. I realize it might not mean a lot to them, but it damn sure does to many in this board, and a lot of alumni.


Thank you.

[SubGod22]

It's about that time again.

Go Shockers - Memorial '70 Set for Oct. 2

At 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 2, Wichita State will host the 53rd Observance of Memorial '70. The ceremony will honor the 31 WSU football players, administrators and supporters who died in a 1970 plane crash in the Rocky Mountains. It will take place at the Memorial near 18th and Hillside.

A wreath will be placed at the base of Memorial '70, and there will be a time of remembrance to acknowledge the changes that the plane crash made in the lives of the victims, their families, their friends and the university.

Those interested in making a tax-deductible contribution in memory of the crash victims can give to the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship, the only endowed scholarship at WSU dedicated in collective memory to those who died in the tragedy.

The scholarship is awarded each year to a student of any major with at least a 3.0 GPA who demonstrates financial need.

Contributions can be made through the WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260-0002, for the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship.

Contributions also may be made online. Request to direct your gift to the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship at www.wichita.edu/give.

[SubGod22]

WSU - Memorial '70 families receive piece of Cessna Stadium as tribute to WSU's football history

Cessna Stadium opened in 1969 as a place meant to propel Wichita State football into a new era.

A crowd of 28,245 watched the Shockers defeat Utah State 17-7 on Sept. 13 of that year. The stadium featured stands that expanded the capacity to 31,500 from 12,500. A year-long fund-raising effort for $1.5 million resulted in “lush, green synthetic grass” known as Poly-Turf, a two-level press box with private boxes, covered seating for the 220 Turf Club members and a new running track.

“It was so cool – I was from back East and the stadiums held maybe 3-4,000 people,” said Ed Plopa, a freshman defensive back in 1969. “When we played Utah State, that place was going nuts.”

This Monday, as part of the Memorial ’70 ceremony, football players, friends and families from those years received a piece of Cessna Stadium seating.

Memorial ’70 is the annual remembrance held on Oct. 2 to honor the 31 people — WSU football players, administrators, supporters and flight crew — who died in a plane crash in Colorado in 1970.

Over the summer, the east stands of Cessna Stadium were demolished as part of a multi-year project that will remake the stadium. Former WSU Foundation Vice President Mike Lamb proposed the idea to preserve some of the stadium and share it with the Memorial ’70 group.

WSU’s Building Trades staff at the Gaddis Physical Plant retrieved the seating and cut the metal into 10-inch-by 9-inch sections. Students at the Innovation Hub etched the dates of Veterans Field (1946-1968) and Cessna Stadium (1969-2023) on 70 of seats. They also designed, stained and attached oak end pieces.

[Onegreatracer]

Go Shockers - Memorial '70 Set for Oct. 2



Not going to lie. This was well before I was born but I've been taking in everything I can for years. Stories about the crash, both local and not. Hearing from the survivors, the rescuers and those left behind... You didn't have to live through the experience to feel it. Not saying it's on the same level and I openly admit I've always been more sensitive to the pain of others than the average person. But every year, for at least 25 years now, I've absorbed everything I can in the days/weeks leading up to this and it still hits me pretty good, so I can only imagine what it's like for those who were around and effected at the time. But I will always share what I can find when the time comes.

I'm sure there were other threads on this I probably could have dug up, but this one called to me so here we are. I hope that any on this board who were around and impacted by this have found some measure of healing and peace.

How I feel as well. Excellent post.

[SubGod22]

Go Shockers - Memorial '70 Set for Oct. 2

At 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, Wichita State will host the 54th Observance of Memorial '70. The ceremony will honor the 31 WSU football players, administrators and supporters who died in a 1970 plane crash in the Rocky Mountains. It will take place at the Memorial near 18th and Hillside.

A wreath will be placed at the base of Memorial '70, and there will be a time of remembrance to acknowledge the changes that the plane crash made in the lives of the victims, their families, their friends and the university.

Those interested in making a tax-deductible contribution in memory of the crash victims can give to the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship, the only endowed scholarship at WSU dedicated in collective memory to those who died in the tragedy.

The scholarship is awarded each year to a student of any major with at least a 3.0 GPA who demonstrates financial need.

Contributions can be made through the WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260-0002, for the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship.

Contributions also may be made online. Request to direct your gift to the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship at www.wichita.edu/give.

TRIBUTE LOCATIONS ON CAMPUS
A reception will be held immediately following the ceremony in the lobby of Duerksen Fine Arts Center across from the memorial. The Shocker '70 Room in 202 Rhatigan Student Center will be open for anyone who would like to drop in.

The Memorial 70 display case on the Koch Arena concourse has pictures of the deceased and the certificate for the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame.

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS
Please visit www.Wichita.edu/maps to explore the campus or download driving directions as needed.

The Tragedy

In one of the worst tragedies of college sports history, a plane carrying WSU football players, athletic staff members and team boosters crashed at approximately 3 p.m., Oct. 2, 1970, on a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado, while en route to Logan, Utah, for a game against Utah State University.

The "Gold" plane, a Martin 404, carried 36 passengers and a crew of four. Twenty-nine persons died at the scene. Trainer Tom Reeves and player John Taylor died later in the hospital after receiving medical attention for their injuries.

Survivors of the crash were players Mike Bruce, John Hoheisel, Randy Jackson, Glenn Kostal, Dave Lewis, Keith Morrison, Bob Renner, Rick Stephens and co-pilot Ronald Skipper.

Football players and coaches on the "Black" plane were told of the crash by Bob Seaman, assistant coach, shortly after arrival in Logan, Utah. The game with Utah State was cancelled. WSU players spent the night in Logan and returned to Wichita by commercial plane Saturday.

A plane was made available by Governor Docking to take university officials and family of the survivors to Denver. Classes were cancelled Monday, October 5, and a memorial service was held Monday evening at Cessna Stadium.

The Utah State football team held a brief memorial service at the stadium where the game was to be played Saturday and placed a black and yellow wreath on the 50-yard line.

The future of the 1970 football season was in doubt, with the decision lying in the hands of the football players, university officials and eligibility rules. The NCAA had no objection of using freshman in the remaining games; neither did the Missouri Valley Conference.

The football players decided to continue the season, which was later designated as the "Second Season." The first game following the air tragedy was Sat., Oct. 24 with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in Little Rock at the War Memorial Stadium.

[WstateU]

I've posted this several times in the past. If you haven't watched it, it's worth your time.

Documentaries | Black and Gold Remembering WSU 2020 Promo | PBS

Also, take the time to read some of the comments...

[WuDrWu]

It's absolutely awesome.