Summit 38 crash site trip

[Sozzy1269]

The following is copied from my Raptor forum... Our original trip was in the bronco but since I'm waiting for a new axle shaft from Ford, it is sitting on my lift, so our second trip was in the Raptor, but I thought the story warranted reposting here...

I heard about an air force crash site a few weeks ago so we took a trip into the hills north of us looking for a c130 crash site last week. The plane crashed back in 1995. The call sign was Summit 38. All 6 crew members perished.

After traversing some rough roads, the wife and I hiked around for 3 hours in 100 degree weather and didn't find it. Google had us on the wrong road. We did get to play with the crawler gear in the bronco and she found a 4 point antler shed, but no memorial or plane debris.

We got some friends to go with us today and had a better idea where we should be going. We found it. About a half hour hike from the so called road (rocky sumbitch...) There's debris strewn around a ways, a flag in dire need of replacement, a cross, and a memorial plaque. There's also a geocache. Nobody had signed in for over two years.

Before leaving, something caught my eye and I found one of the crew member's dog tags! Being a memorial site, we weren't sure if it was appropriate to bring it back so we hid it in the geocache.

When we got back to the truck, my wife got a little cell service and

posted on fakebook. About an hour later after continuing down the rocky ass road and doing some shooting, someone reached out to her and said he was in contact with the deceased guy's mom. We high tailed it back to the memorial and took the dog tag so we can get it to his mom. We are currently trying to get in contact directly with her and arrange to get it to her. We are considering delivering it to her personally if we can get an address. We think she is in Colorado springs.

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[604Bronco]

Wow, that’s quite the trip.

Good on you for doing the right thing and leaving the memorial as it was, but also finding his Mom to return the dog tag. I’m sure it means a lot to her.

 

[Sozzy1269]

Wow, that’s quite the trip.

Good on you for doing the right thing and leaving the memorial as it was, but also finding his Mom to return the dog tag. I’m sure it means a lot to her.

I'm retired army. I would hope someone else would do the same if roles were reversed.
We planning on returning again soon to replace the flag. It needs to be retired.

 

[Coastalcop]

Kudos brother. My boy jokes that I was almost in the military. He went Army street to stick, I was Air Force

 

[Sozzy1269]

Kudos brother. My boy jokes that I was almost in the military. He went Army street to stick, I was Air Force

My wife is an Air Force brat. Her step Dad is a retired flight engineer on c130s and was still active duty when the flight crashed. He still works as a contractor on the Hercules.
I've jumped out of more c130s than I can remember.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Semper Fi.
I'm glad somebody that has respect found that dog tag.
You are doing a great deed.

My daughter is chatting about making an appointment with the chAir Force recruiter that reached out to her.
My politics regarding the military have changed over the years, so I'm OK with that. Lol!
My Dad served in the AF also.

 

[Moto26]

Man, that’s crazy to find that dog tag after all these years, and so cool of you to return it to his family!

 

[Coastalcop]

My wife is an Air Force brat. Her step Dad is a retired flight engineer on c130s and was still active duty when the flight crashed. He still works as a contractor on the Hercules.
I've jumped out of more c130s than I can remember.

You know, it will take you all the way to the landing strip, no need to leave early like that

 

[Sozzy1269]

You know, it will take you all the way to the landing strip, no need to leave early like that

I've met the air force personnel who fly and maintain those planes... Couldn't get out the jump door fast enough!

 

[EquusBronsis]

Thanks for your service and doing the right thing! My dad actually worked on the original YC-130 with Lockheed and a friend’s dad flew them in Vietnam; setting them down on short fields in the middle nowhere to supply Marines. Incredible work horse that has proven itself for almost 70 years and with one of the best safety records.

 

[Swallace]

The following is copied from my Raptor forum... Our original trip was in the bronco but since I'm waiting for a new axle shaft from Ford, it is sitting on my lift, so our second trip was in the Raptor, but I thought the story warranted reposting here...

I heard about an air force crash site a few weeks ago so we took a trip into the hills north of us looking for a c130 crash site last week. The plane crashed back in 1995. The call sign was Summit 38. All 6 crew members perished.

After traversing some rough roads, the wife and I hiked around for 3 hours in 100 degree weather and didn't find it. Google had us on the wrong road. We did get to play with the crawler gear in the bronco and she found a 4 point antler shed, but no memorial or plane debris.

We got some friends to go with us today and had a better idea where we should be going. We found it. About a half hour hike from the so called road (rocky sumbitch...) There's debris strewn around a ways, a flag in dire need of replacement, a cross, and a memorial plaque. There's also a geocache. Nobody had signed in for over two years.

Before leaving, something caught my eye and I found one of the crew member's dog tags! Being a memorial site, we weren't sure if it was appropriate to bring it back so we hid it in the geocache.

When we got back to the truck, my wife got a little cell service and

posted on fakebook. About an hour later after continuing down the rocky ass road and doing some shooting, someone reached out to her and said he was in contact with the deceased guy's mom. We high tailed it back to the memorial and took the dog tag so we can get it to his mom. We are currently trying to get in contact directly with her and arrange to get it to her. We are considering delivering it to her personally if we can get an address. We think she is in Colorado springs.

View attachment 549951

I know your heart was in the right place trying to honor this man. but you plastered

The following is copied from my Raptor forum... Our original trip was in the bronco but since I'm waiting for a new axle shaft from Ford, it is sitting on my lift, so our second trip was in the Raptor, but I thought the story warranted reposting here...

I heard about an air force crash site a few weeks ago so we took a trip into the hills north of us looking for a c130 crash site last week. The plane crashed back in 1995. The call sign was Summit 38. All 6 crew members perished.

After traversing some rough roads, the wife and I hiked around for 3 hours in 100 degree weather and didn't find it. Google had us on the wrong road. We did get to play with the crawler gear in the bronco and she found a 4 point antler shed, but no memorial or plane debris.

We got some friends to go with us today and had a better idea where we should be going. We found it. About a half hour hike from the so called road (rocky sumbitch...) There's debris strewn around a ways, a flag in dire need of replacement, a cross, and a memorial plaque. There's also a geocache. Nobody had signed in for over two years.

Before leaving, something caught my eye and I found one of the crew member's dog tags! Being a memorial site, we weren't sure if it was appropriate to bring it back so we hid it in the geocache.

When we got back to the truck, my wife got a little cell service and

posted on fakebook. About an hour later after continuing down the rocky ass road and doing some shooting, someone reached out to her and said he was in contact with the deceased guy's mom. We high tailed it back to the memorial and took the dog tag so we can get it to his mom. We are currently trying to get in contact directly with her and arrange to get it to her. We are considering delivering it to her personally if we can get an address. We think she is in Colorado springs.

View attachment 549951

I know your heart was in the right place. and I know he has been gone a long time, but you just showed everyone his name and social security number from his dog tags ???

 

[kodiakisland]

I'd rather you not have posted an actual picture of the dog tags and info. It's cool that you found them and can get them to the family, but I would not have posted a picture of it. Please consider removing it from this site.

Those are intensely personal things to many of us.

Being former military, you should know there is a proper way to return personal items found that does not include social media.

 

[Moto26]

I know your heart was in the right place. and I know he has been gone a long time, but you just showed everyone his name and social security number from his dog tags ???

You do have a point about the SSN.

And assuming the OP sees this and redacts his original post, consider that you quoted him - twice - in your own post, including pictures. So you should probably do the same...

[Looks like the OP removed the pic, and the forum software removed it from the quoted posts as well...]

 

[lakesinai]

The following is copied from my Raptor forum... Our original trip was in the bronco but since I'm waiting for a new axle shaft from Ford, it is sitting on my lift, so our second trip was in the Raptor, but I thought the story warranted reposting here...

I heard about an air force crash site a few weeks ago so we took a trip into the hills north of us looking for a c130 crash site last week. The plane crashed back in 1995. The call sign was Summit 38. All 6 crew members perished.

After traversing some rough roads, the wife and I hiked around for 3 hours in 100 degree weather and didn't find it. Google had us on the wrong road. We did get to play with the crawler gear in the bronco and she found a 4 point antler shed, but no memorial or plane debris.

We got some friends to go with us today and had a better idea where we should be going. We found it. About a half hour hike from the so called road (rocky sumbitch...) There's debris strewn around a ways, a flag in dire need of replacement, a cross, and a memorial plaque. There's also a geocache. Nobody had signed in for over two years.

Before leaving, something caught my eye and I found one of the crew member's dog tags! Being a memorial site, we weren't sure if it was appropriate to bring it back so we hid it in the geocache.

When we got back to the truck, my wife got a little cell service and

posted on fakebook. About an hour later after continuing down the rocky ass road and doing some shooting, someone reached out to her and said he was in contact with the deceased guy's mom. We high tailed it back to the memorial and took the dog tag so we can get it to his mom. We are currently trying to get in contact directly with her and arrange to get it to her. We are considering delivering it to her personally if we can get an address. We think she is in Colorado springs.

View attachment 549951

Good work, good trip. Thanks for the story! 100° I'm glad you didn't walk too much. Good to have a reliable car!

 

[Graham1911]

Great job and thanks for sharing. I love all the photos. Heart warming.

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