On September, 15, 1944, at approximately 3:20 a.m. a nighttime navigation training mission went terribly awry. The crew of 8 were flying from Bakersfield, CA to Kirtland Field, NM when the B-24 bomber (affectionately referred to as the "flying coffin" by it's aircrews during WWII) went off course. In the dark it struck the western slope of the San Francisco Peaks at an elevation of almost 12,000 feet. All 8 crew members lost their lives in the tragedy. Evidence in the debris shows that they did try to pull out of the impact in the last couple of seconds.

Most likely because of the location of the crash in the high altitude, steep and feral terrain, must of the structural debris, including the wings, engine parts, propeller parts and even landing gear remain. It is a haunting place to be even these many years later. We've hiked to it several times, but this was Lochlan's first time. It's a really hard hike, but well worth it.

When I look over the remains, lying so high on the side of the mountain, I cannot help but believe that there are few more formidable or magnificent resting places. The gravity of the loss of those lives, and the families they left behind never escapes me when I am there. It was a devastating accident for an already war weary country and I am thankful it has not been forgotten.