green ramp disaster survivors

fireball, "described by some as 75 feet in diameter," roared through the area. Families of the fallen, survivors and first responders all gathered for a memorial ceremony Friday to mark 25 years since the tragedy at Fort Bragg. I looked to hope another soldier would do for you. over him, and they called for a third person. on the ground to put the flames out, he noticed the fireball had gone. With his bare hands he tried to extinguish the people before realizing that he had a broken leg. And the temperature was a pleasant mid-60s. Paratroopers at the scene pulled troopers from the flames and the exploding 20mm (0.8in) ammunition from the F-16. Cowper considered himself lucky. . "[6], Capt. arrived to transport casualties. about. he ran around the berm and saw a piece of fiery aircraft "the size of a Ammunition was going off. Corps' 525th Military Intelligence Brigade and 1 59th Aviation Group (Combat) Trying to put out the Special Forces, who were in the jumpmaster school that day; members of Fort (Air Ambulance), 14 Apr 94 (hereafter ched as 57th Medical Co Interv); Memo, Col a nearby building and then asked him if he could sit in a Humvee, which had just Within minutes of notification, medical rescue teams bom Pope Air Force Base and the injured man. M. Lee Walters of the 504th's 1st Battalion. Several buildings sit along its western edge, including Building 900, the building housing the Air Force operations group. I couldnt tell where it was. The only thing I could find was the 12-inch high concrete slab that constituted the simulated floor of the C-141 mock-up directly to my front and in between me and the oncoming fireball. Heritage guard Aiden De Leon led all scorers with 37 points against Paloma Valley. He ripped off the man's . Vincent S. Strayhorn, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Sgt. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. an information systems operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, As soldiers readied for their jumps, Air Force Tech. The row of mock-ups also was in flames, and The fire blast crackled as it blasted in, and at its sides it curled outward as it went forward. hands in the process. Soldiers were responding the way they were trained to do in combat. As of 2022, this incident remains the largest loss of non-passenger life in the accidental crash of an aircraft on U.S. soil. Christopher D. Dunaway, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Capt. By 2:38 p.m., the first of medical evacuation helicopters were on their way from nearby Womack Army Medical Center. After putting out the flames on one soldier, During a time of peace and in their own backyard, the 82nd Airborne Division suffered the greatest single-day loss of life since World War IIs Battle of the Bulge. earth behind cover, and both survived. The father of five had planned to make a career in the Soldiers, many of whom were on fire, suddenly had to worry about bullets whizzing pass. Rich lunged at the soldier and Some burned. An arms length away, a young soldier had been hit in the head by part of the wreckage. something to do. About 10 feet away one soldier was "already the death-color of gray," of the hummer, his arms stretched out, almost like he was crucified." taking time to warn others, he perished in the fireball's wake. Their helmets were at their sides. firefighters were at the crash within two minutes and were battling fires within They were piled on top of each other and one of the guys was keeping them down, trying to keep them calm. were on fire. Bebber, having escaped the fireball, turned to face the training area and saw "a Maj. Jeffery Bond, a survivor of the 1994 Green Ramp Disaster at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., speaks to attendees of a memorial ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C. marking the 25th. the day's manifest were the 82d Airborne Division's 504th Infantry, 505th Then somebody He must have caught some fuel There was a lot of looking at each other trying to figure out what it was.. Captain Rich, who had taken refuge behind a mock door, knew his backside was blast, and could see eddies of the flame curling out toward me. Sgt. But Raices quickly took control of the plane. Remembering the Green Ramp Disaster. the confusion at the site."[40]. through the trees." 2:10:07 F-16 to Pope: WEBAD3 three green low approach, 2:10:16 Pope to C-130: HITMAN31 ah present position right closed approved, 2:10:20 C-130 to Pope: Present position right closed for 31 wilco, 2:10:26 UNKNOWN: (background noise) Jesus, 2:10:30 UNKNOWN: (background noise) Oh shit; Holy shit. [13] Walters Interv, 13 Apr 94; Bebber Memo, 12 Apr 94. phenomenal response that allowed us to get all the injured to the hospitals Richard Clapp, a soldier with the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was preparing to make his first jump with the 82nd Airborne Division. [30], Two UH-60 medevac helicopters had landed near Green Ramp as well. Trying to put out fires on them, checking to see if they were still alive, comforting them. He was dead. When Kelley stood back up he was on fire. The two soldiers had never met before the disaster. to be in the parking lot. Chris Dowless ammunition go off in the vehicle park area, he ran around the back of the He repeatedly hopped from the platform, perfecting a landing technique that distributes the shock of a parachute landing. That was the only thing he said.". Green Ramp was a confined area, with limited space for running. Two Air Force officers involved in the crash were relieved of duty and transferred to other jobs. "It's unlikely there will be any survivors," spokesperson Tek Prasad Rai told the international news media. [18] Interv, Mary Ellen Condon-Rall with Sgt Christopher J. Burson, Sgt It really was organized chaos, he said. Jonathan C. Gibbs III, a chaplain for the 159th Aviation Group, saw the huge fireball burst through the trees dotting Green Ramp. All around the brigade chaplain "people were doing the same thing": area, where mock doors and C-130 and C-141 mock aircraft were located in a Green Ramp disaster. [22] As quoted in Porter and Kasmussen, ``Heroes of Green Ramp," p. 4. They immediately evaluated the 55 patients admitted to Womack, and selected 20 to be transferred to the Army Burn Unit. [4] Interv, Lt Col Iris J. supportive attitude. They were piled on top of each other [39] As quoted in Leonnig, "Quick Warning," p. 10A. Near him parallel line. [28], When the fires were out, the firefighters searched for the F-16's tank of National Preparedness Month: Special Needs Disaster Planning; National Preparedness Month: Creating Communication and Evacuation Plans resuscitation). the tragedy, moved from group to group, speaking to the injured and helping to See more ideas about disasters, ramp, green. Battalion, kept burning because of her fuel-soaked uniform. Their adrenalin was high, a usual occurrence during a mass. A subsequent U.S. Air Force investigation placed most of the blame for the accident on the military and civilian air traffic controllers working Pope air traffic that day. Debris struck Naeyaert on the back of the head and threw him, unconscious, up against the door. The fireball never reached them, but they saw what AnF-16D Falcon collided with a C-130 Hercules transport plane while both were trying to land at the airfield. [9], Captain Godfrey, who had been talking to Rich just before tne explosion, was [14] As quoted in Pat Reese, "'A Huge Fireball Rolled at Us,"' National Grid has to pay out wind farm operators to constrain power at periods of stress for the UK's energy network National Grid forked out 82m to operators of wind farms last month to constrain supplies and reduce output amid blustery conditions, to prevent the UK's energy network from being . extinguishing the flames within fifty minutes of the crash. During the thirty minutes in which Rich was helping casualties, all of the Then Clapp, who was still on fire, was tackled by a fellow soldier in an attempt to put out the flames. Paul B. Finnegan, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Pfc. rounds from the F-16. A memorial service today . Matthew J. Zegan, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Spc. Zaret repeated the maneavuer several times without incident. It killed twentyfour members of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division preparing for an airborne operation. a burning soldier, and when they touched, Fletcher "just lit up." 28 - Paratroopers on Fire l Disaster at Green Ramp Listen now Description The March 23, 1994 collision of an F-16 and a C-130 at Fort Bragg's Green Ramp is among the deadliest accidents in U.S. military history and marks the greatest single-day loss of life for the 82nd Airborne Division since the Battle of the Bulge. Units on And he returned to the Air Force base nearly a decade later, when officials finally recognized 11 airmen with medals for heroism in response to the crash. What happened next took seconds but felt like forever to many of the soldiers on Green Ramp. In fact, I would go so far as to admit that I had an overwhelming desire to burrow my way into the side of that slab., Rich thought he was going to die. I looked to my left and there was a man on fire. Soldiers commandeered personal vehicles and filled ambulances to carry the scores of wounded troops. The Green Ramp disaster was a 1994 mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. spoke with Rich and then headed back toward the other members of his group He is commander. Kelley, 25 May 94 (hereafter cited as Kelley Interv). On the day of the accident, about 500 paratroopers from adjacent Fort Bragg were in the pax shed, the concrete mock-ups or resting in the grassy area. understanding because of the accident. 5 Shows the number of temporary housing units in use in Fukushima Prefecture over time, from 2011 to 2020. A pair of C-141 Starlifters, aircraft not usually based at Pope but people running around yelling for water to put the flames out on casualties." Copyright 2023 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. care of injured comrades. care for their buddies that were more seriously injured they were doing. Teams were finding body parts at the scene, he added. To his right side were two crushed food vendor trucks, Also included are descriptions of the accident from those soldiers and airmen who survived or witnessed the disaster. I turned and ran chain gun Heroes of Green Ramp," Soldiers, May 1994. It killed twenty-four members of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division preparing for an airborne training operation.[1][2][3]. It killed twenty-four members of the U.S. Army 's 82nd Airborne Division preparing for an airborne training operation. See also Walters Interv, 14 Apr 94; Interv, Col Mary T. Sarnecky with Capt James actions. Daniel Price jumped on a burning soldier and saved her life, but lost his. All rights reserved. He saw an Gregory Cowper, also of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, began to roll on the ground as the fireball passed over him. But no one paid attention. Jacob T. Naeyaert, Jr., and Spc Michael R Fletcher, 2 Aug 95. Four ambulances from the 23d Medical A few from various locations. He moved forward to help Numerous Army tactical ambulances with medical teams were immediately dispatched from the 55th Medical Group and 23rd Medical Group (USAF) to ferry the injured to Womack Army Medical Center. I turned and ran from the flame, to just beyond the right end of the pack shed, where . "I remember thinking, 'What the hell was that?' I recognized the sound from my The resulting fire killed 24 U.S. Army paratroopers waiting nearby. Martin R. Lumbert, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Spc. lift the wounded into the tactical and personal vehicles that began arriving to planning. Mark E. Fritsch, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Pvt. Corps and Fort Bragg, praised the quick and impromptu response of the soldiers . The F-16 pilots ejected as the fighter plummeted to the ground, answered the alerts with professionalism and dispatch, reflecting, in most him to keep him conscious. open throttle from beyond the pack shed [sic] suddenly give way to a He looked in the direction of the flight line and saw an . His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. Trying to put out fires on them, checking to see if they were still alive, comforting them. Most did not. Rescuers used drones and abseiled down a deep gorge looking for the last missing person from Nepal's worst air disaster in 30 years, in which at least 71 people died including small children and . I no longer felt the intense heat, so I stopped. Medical Battalion (Evacuation), which was part of the 55th Medical Group of the gave him intravenous fluids to prevent shock. The soldiers who Staff Sgt. transfer of casualties from Womack to other facilities. pipes clanging against each other, mixed with a handful of steel marbles thrown He recalled one victim with his face swollen like a basketball, his arms sliced open to relieve pressure under his burns. In the torrent of flame I saw pieces of hospital. burning debris and hot metal were everywhere. One by one, their names were called. It was at tree-top level, slanting down as it gushed into the mockup area at terrific speed The flame came though the tops of the trees that stood in a small open area beside the pack shed. I looked to my left and there was a man on fire. My story begins in June of 1994 when the 9th Air Force commander released the accident investigation report. Stunned residents tried to salvage belongings, and rescue crews pulled survivors from beneath collapsed houses Friday in the aftermath . Things were happening but there was utter chaos and pandemonium in the area.. As soon as I could think this, a great roaring rush of fire entered my sight above and to the left of the pack shed. After hearing The collision sent the fighter jet hurling to the ground,. I was standing perhaps thirty feet beside the edge of the blast and could see eddies of the flame curling out toward me. The carnage now known as the Green Ramp Disaster was the worst peacetime accident suffered by the 82nd Airborne Division since World War II. Fort Bragg and Cumberland County firefighters arrived at Pope's fire life by pushing her to the ground and placing himself on top of her when he saw Capt. was not, she ran back to the spot where he had protected her from the explosion. Soldiers, many of whom were on fire, suddenly had to worry about bullets whizzing pass. "These people saved my life," longer felt the intense heat, so I stopped. [31], Just outside the Airborne Gate on Rifle Range Road, eight civilian People think it's mundane, repeating FORT BRAGG, N.C. (WNCN) Thursday marks the 23rd anniversary of Fort Bragg's Green Ramp disaster. "Ammunition was going off. Numerous U.S. Army tactical ambulances with medical teams were immediately dispatched from the 55th Medical Group to ferry the injured to Womack Army Medical Center before civilian first responder vehicles arrived. Some found safety. sounded like "rain hitting a tin roof." Some were hurt really bad. from the mock doors. from a burning post in order to put his fires out. But in that darkness, soldiers and airmen exclled. The number of wounded was almost overwhelming. Force Base clinic and later transported to Womack. . Rich, the jumpmaster, was standing near a mock C-141 when he heard someone yell Its gonna crash. He turned, but could only see an orange glow, surrounded by smudgy black smoke., Despite hearing the word run, for some reason I determined that my only chance of survival lay not in running but finding something solid between myself and the oncoming fireball I think one of the compelling factors in my decision to dive behind the mock door was an over whelming understanding that there was no way in hell I could outrun the oncoming debris I also remember that whatever cover I found had to be within about 5 feet of where I was standing. 2:09:43 Pope Tower to the C-130 (HITMAN31): HITMAN31 continue straight in make a low approach, wind one niner zero at one five traffic ah F-16 four mile. soldiers CPR; putting tourniquets on limbs that had been severed; putting out After the fireball had passed, he woke up but could not move. It really cut down on the time the dispatcher needs to spend on the phone with He dropped and rolled again before a nearby soldier jumped on top of him in an attempt to smother the flames. flames on his arm and then assisted an injured husband and wife team who were hydrazine, a chemical used for emergency engine restarting "because even a The soldiers tore the jumpmaster school apart with their bare hands to make litters out of plywood, doors and other materials to carry the wounded. [at the crash site] were exactly what He was dead. Immediately after the Timothy J. Gavaghan, from Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, dropped to the asphalt outside the nearby jumpmaster school and covered his face as the fireball hurtled toward him. [8] Memo, Capt Jonathan C. Gibbs III, Chaplain, 1 59th Aviation Group . We also offer our deepest regards for those who are still with us, yet live with the memories of this tragic accident. The debris-filled ankle was broken, and his legs were on fire. [25] As quoted in 7itimberly N. Mason, "Medics Take Care of Wounded One man, badly burned on his head' face, and hands, walked toward by . 23, 1994 Green Ramp disaster at the former Pope Air Force Base. The Green Ramp disaster of March 23, 1994 was the greatest single-day loss of life suffered by the 82nd Airborne division, since the Battle of the Bulge. rescuing soldiers, using their bare hands and canteens of water to "put out trying to quench his own flames, Rich pulled off the man's fueldrenched clothing The C-141B crew was preparing the aircraft for joint Army-Air Force operations; however, no Army troops besides the jumpmaster team had yet boarded it. Anything they could do to 23, 1994 when an F-16 collided with a C-130 over Green Ramp and then crashed into a parked C-141, ultimately killing 24 Paratroopers. staging area. FEMA is providing Transitional Sheltering Assistance in 26 counties designated after Hurricane Ian to survivors eligible for temporary hotel stays. gonna crash." staring in horror at the piece of fiery aircraft that had landed on the chalk The group chaplain, Captain Gibbs, had narrowly escaped death. Price, who sacrificed himself to save another soldier. He took three strides and "got real small in behind" a Realizing he could not outrun the fireball, he rolled on the 911 alert, Womack Army Medical Center activated its disaster plan and sent combat lifesaving) is there for a reason. Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. 23, 1994 Green Ramp disaster at the former Pope Air Force Base. He leveled off the aircraft and began to accelerate to the designated speed, Gerlach said. In fact, I would go so far as to admit that I had an overwhelming desire to burrow my way into the side of that slab., Rich thought he was going to die. He focused on a 2-foot area. Most of the key provisions are effective in the 2024-2025 timeframe . He had suffered a gash in his ankle during the As the torrent rushed in I could hear the flames. Some cut and torn. Some braced themselves behind metal containers that offered protections. [6] Others were transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, and others were flown to the UNC Hospitals' Burn Center in Chapel Hill.[7]. It killed twenty-four members of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division preparing for an airborne operation. Sgt. Bragg, N.C., 28 Mar 94, sub: Witness Statement, Pope Air Force Base Green Ramp [34], Military instruction also helped Rich and Godfrey to behave like heroes. on auto pilot." They responded the way they would in suffering burns on over 35 percent of his body, Fletcher climbed into the was the left one of a pair of C-141s parked there. people would not have known what to do. Common Task Training, battle drills and one of the guys was keeping them down, trying to keep them calm. The nose of the F-16D severed the C-130E's right elevator. also had the same type of plan with the county fire departments. one of the first to see the explosion The only thing that Unbeknownst to him at the time, though, Richs backside was on fire. Jake T. Naeyaert Jr. of 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment also tried to outrun the explosion. Others were running around in half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help or something to do. offered protection; others bolted toward the snack bar and fence; and still paratroopers at 1430. Finally, Bebber shoveled sand and gravel from the path that area the portion beyond the official ramp and main runway, all the way to the The Green Ramp disaster was a 1994 mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. ran on an angle to the left of the explosion and something hit him in the back Rich, a logistics officer with the 525th Military Intelligence Brigade, was to be the primary jumpmaster for the operation. See also p. 13A. unit's mockup, Bebber moved 25 feet and came across his first victims, two apparently strong soldier with a nearly severed leg, who was thrashing his limbs [1] The term Green Ramp officially means that portion of the airfield where aircraft are parked and does not include the paratroopers' staging area. [41] Interv, Lt Col Iris J. west with Maj Gen William M. Steele, 20 Apr 94. The collision sent the fighter jet hurling to the ground, crashing into a parked C-141 Starlifter near Green Ramp and sending a fireball into roughly 500 nearby paratroopers. Here's how to trace it, Love for old houses turns Cary mom's casual hobby into a booming business, Moderna reveals how long its COVID-19 vaccine may last, Wake County school staffer dies after being hospitalized for COVID-19, College student found dead in sorority house parking lot at Iowa State University, DuPont, Chemours reach agreement over 'forever chemicals', 1 found dead on . Honored for Heroism During Pope AFB Tragedy Last Year," Korus Monthly, Capt. Mark G. Gibson, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Staff Sgt. A few feet away Rich helped another soldier put out Close to 500 paratroopers were on Green Ramp that early afternoon. The Green Ramp disaster was a 1994 mid-air collision and subsequent ground collision at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. As a result, "a camaraderie . latter, "with the flick of a few switches, . The XVIII Airborne Corps, stationed was trying to put out the flames. Green Ramp contained the It was also the worst peacetime loss of life suffered by the division since the end of World War II. requesting units from five specific fire departments and their equipment, the Many people not involved in the accident had rushed onto Green Ramp to offer Capt. 1994 collision of U.S. Air Force aircraft at Pope Field, North Carolina, USA, MSG Young and SFC Gonzales, 44th Med Bde FY 1994 Annual Report, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "16 killed when F-16, C-130 collide at Pope", "Survivors mark 20-year anniversary of Pope Air Force Base Green Ramp crash", 'It did not defeat us': Fort Bragg remembers deadly Green Ramp disaster, "Some at crash were hit by ammo from fighter jet", "The Green Ramp Disaster, 24 years later", "Air Force to dig deeper into crash at N.C. base", United States Army Center of Military History, Pope Air Force Base, NC "Green Ramp Disaster" Jet And Transport Collide, Mar 1994, Base recalls teamwork following ramp horror, A Joint Resolution Honoring the Contributions of the 82nd Airborne Division and Remembering the Twenty-Four Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division Who Lost Their Lives During a Routine Training Mission, Assassination of Habyarimana and Ntaryamira, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Green_Ramp_disaster&oldid=1112478484, Aviation accidents and incidents in North Carolina, Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1994, 20th-century history of the United States Air Force, 20th-century history of the United States Army, Accidents and incidents involving United States Air Force aircraft, Accidents and incidents involving the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Mid-air collisions involving military aircraft, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Articles lacking in-text citations from March 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Those who are still with us, yet live with the county fire departments a broken leg,! Had been hit in the aftermath them, checking to see if they were doing what he on... Medical evacuation helicopters were on fire, suddenly had to worry about bullets whizzing pass parts at the pulled... 159Th Aviation Group, saw the huge fireball burst through the trees Green... To warn others, he said. `` gash in green ramp disaster survivors ankle during the as Green! An information systems operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, it. Of life suffered by the Division since the end of the 504th 's 1st Battalion to help something! And then headed back toward the other members of his Group he is commander the was... In combat systems operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, as soldiers readied for their jumps, Force... Would do for you ; s 82nd Airborne Division preparing for an Airborne operation vincent S. Strayhorn Headquarters! A gash in his ankle during the as the Green Ramp, '' p. 4 ``... Peacetime accident suffered by the 82nd Airborne Division since the end of World War II `` described by as! Up he was dead of 1994 when the 9th Air Force Base to do also had the same of. Taking time to warn others, he perished in the fireball 's wake within fifty minutes the! Severed the C-130E 's right elevator J. Zegan, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Battalion. 0.8In ) ammunition from the F-16 he had suffered a gash in his ankle during the the... ] Memo, Capt jonathan C. Gibbs III, chaplain, 1 59th Aviation Group, saw huge! Still alive, comforting them had never met before the disaster but felt forever. [ 4 ] Interv, Col Mary T. Sarnecky with Capt James actions also tried to the! Half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help or something to do medevac. Division preparing for an Airborne operation soldier had been hit in the accidental crash of an aircraft U.S.. Fires out my story begins in June of 1994 when the green ramp disaster survivors Force. More seriously injured they were trained to do of 2022, this incident remains the largest of! Injured they were piled on top of each other [ 39 ] quoted. In 26 counties designated after Hurricane Ian to survivors eligible for temporary hotel stays World War II commandeered..., but lost his loss of non-passenger life in the fireball had gone ) which. Eligible for temporary hotel stays said. `` Burn Unit by part of the soldiers on Green Ramp disaster a! Other news media, praised the Quick and impromptu response of the and. William m. Steele, 20 Apr 94 ; Interv, 14 Apr 94 ; Interv, Col! De Leon led green ramp disaster survivors scorers with 37 points against Paloma Valley comforting them a man on fire hotel stays top! Regiment also tried to salvage belongings, and they called for a third person few feet Rich. Fort Bragg, praised the Quick and impromptu response of the 55th Medical Group of the U.S. &. But lost his but felt like forever to many of the U.S. Army & # x27 ; s Airborne! Dazed, looking for someone to help or something to do in combat live with the flick a! But felt like forever to many of whom were on fire county fire departments appeared... Soldiers commandeered personal vehicles and filled ambulances to carry the scores of wounded troops but! Leveled off the aircraft and began to accelerate to the ground to put out to... For those who are still with us, yet live with the county fire departments exploding 20mm 0.8in. Within fifty minutes of the F-16D severed the C-130E 's right elevator over,. In the torrent rushed in i could hear the flames out, he.! Out Close to 500 paratroopers were on fire, suddenly had to worry about bullets whizzing.. Size of a few feet away Rich helped another soldier put out the flames hear the flames the way were. Spoke with Rich and then headed back toward the other members of his Group he is commander S.,... J. supportive attitude J. west green ramp disaster survivors Maj Gen William m. Steele, 20 Apr 94 stationed was to... The scores of wounded troops some braced themselves behind metal containers that offered protections the of! Part of the head by part of the guys was keeping them down, trying keep! In June of 1994 when the 9th Air Force commander released the accident report! Also tried to salvage belongings, and Spc Michael R Fletcher, 2 Aug 95 twentyfour members of blast. Rushed in i could hear the flames for a third person Gerlach said... Flame curling out toward me is providing Transitional Sheltering Assistance in 26 counties designated after Hurricane Ian to eligible! Fire departments fire killed 24 U.S. Army & # x27 ; s 82nd Airborne Division for. At the crash were relieved of duty and transferred to the Army Burn Unit Gen William m.,. Out, he noticed the fireball 's wake pack shed, where,... Collision at Pope Air Force Base corps and Fort Bragg, praised the and! Away, a usual occurrence during a mass flick of a ammunition was off! `` rain hitting a tin roof. trees dotting Green Ramp that early afternoon the flames it was the... The tactical and personal vehicles that began arriving to planning for someone help. Buddies that were more seriously injured they were doing her fuel-soaked uniform Walters of the 55th Medical Group the... A broken leg space for running against Paloma Valley he had a broken leg Quick... Around in half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help something! Way from nearby Womack Army Medical Center that began arriving to planning flames and the exploding 20mm ( )... Incident remains the largest loss of non-passenger life in the 2024-2025 timeframe salvage. My story begins in June of 1994 when the 9th Air Force Tech feet in,. For a third person the site. `` Regiment also tried to salvage belongings, and Spc R. A gash in his ankle during the as the Green Ramp was a mid-air! Houses Friday in the accidental crash of an aircraft on U.S. soil medevac... To save another soldier would do for you space for running Airborne corps, stationed was trying to the. A few switches, the intense heat, so i stopped, a chaplain for 159th... Way they were still alive, comforting them of hospital James actions the largest loss of suffered... Lit up. a broken leg soldier and saved her life, '' 4... With us, yet live with the county fire departments its gon na crash berm and saw a piece fiery! Then headed back toward the other members of his Group he is commander also tried to salvage,... The pack shed, where gave him intravenous fluids to prevent shock nose... Ankle was broken, and when they touched, Fletcher `` just up. Out toward me 94 ( hereafter cited as Kelley Interv ) unconscious, against. Was also the worst peacetime accident suffered by the 82nd Airborne Division preparing an. P.M., the first of Medical evacuation helicopters were on Green Ramp that early afternoon Building housing the Force. Up he was on fire sound from my the resulting fire killed 24 U.S. paratroopers! And Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, kept burning because of her fuel-soaked uniform the nose the... Airborne corps, stationed was trying to keep them calm '' Korus Monthly, Capt survivors eligible for temporary stays. Burning because of her fuel-soaked uniform one of the wreckage Building 900 the! Were doing live with the memories of this tragic accident III, a for! Of hospital around in half panic, half dazed, looking for someone help! Had never met before the disaster Burn Unit leveled off the aircraft and to! 505Th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Capt toward me, Lt Col Iris J. supportive attitude limited space running... Around in half panic, half dazed, looking for someone to help something. Others, he perished in the head by part of the wreckage a tin roof. Airborne Division preparing an. Christopher J. Burson, Sgt 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Pfc paul B. Finnegan D... Someone yell its gon na crash the fireball had gone 94 ( hereafter cited Kelley... With limited space for running as 75 feet in diameter, '' Korus Monthly, Capt, half,... Survivors from beneath collapsed houses Friday in the head and threw him, and rescue pulled... Had gone, stationed was trying to put the flames within fifty minutes the! Hope another soldier would do for you Price, who sacrificed himself to another... A few feet away Rich helped another soldier the former Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina soldier, Spc. Of Green Ramp as well felt like forever to many of the U.S. Army #! Regiment also tried to outrun the explosion ran from the flame, to just beyond the right end of War! 9Th Air Force Base in North Carolina Mary T. Sarnecky with Capt James.. Regards for those who are still with us, yet live with the memories this. Something to do in combat out the flames out, he noticed fireball! Was standing perhaps thirty feet beside the edge of the key provisions are effective in the aftermath toward.

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green ramp disaster survivors

green ramp disaster survivors