This week, Senator Thom Tillis introduced legislation to relocate a memorial honoring nine Air Force crew members who died in a crash during a training mission on August 31, 1982. The crash occurred in the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests.
Senator Tillis stated, “The nine Air Force crew members who perished in the 1982 C-141 crash made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.” He emphasized the importance of having a memorial that reflects their sacrifice and offers a place for reflection.
Representative Chuck Edwards introduced similar legislation in the House. He remarked, “Western North Carolina will never forget the tragedy that occurred in 1982, when nine Air Force crew members lost their lives in our district.” Edwards noted that families and supporters have requested moving the memorial closer to the actual site for public access.
The crash involved a C-141 aircraft departing from Charleston AFB on a training mission. In memory of those lost, families and airmen placed a granite marker on private land within Nantahala National Forest along Cherohala Skyway. The current location is several miles from where the crash happened.
The proposed bill would permit relocating the memorial to Stanton Ridge Rest Area along Cherohala Skyway, near where most wreckage was found. No taxpayer funds will be used for this relocation or maintenance of the memorial.
