Crash Site Memorial, Simon's Town, South Africa
S 34° 11.578 E 018° 25.991
34H E 263467 N 6213468
This solemn memorial is on the waterfront at the town square in Simon's Town, South Africa.
Waymark Code: WMJ90B
Location: Western Cape, South Africa
Date Posted: 10/12/2013
Views: 8
The text on the memorial explains why it is here in Simon's Town:
"In Memoriam
On 13 September 1997 the members of the German Navy Sailing Team lost their lives to an air accident over the Atlantic Ocean off Namibia. They were in route to Cape Town to take part in the Dewel Inter-navies sailing regatta in Simon's Town, which was part of the 75th anniversary Celebrations of the South African Navy. Aircraft of the German Air Force and the United States Air Force were involved. This memorial is erected in honour of that tragic accident.
German Navy Sailing Team
Fregattenkaritan Uew Gerhart
Fregattenkaritan Bernd Graichen
Kapitanleutnant Dietmar Eisenberg
Kapitanleutnant Werner Illg
Kapitanleutnant Thomas Scheinder
Oberleutnant Zur See Gerhard Bedmotat
Oberleutnant Zur See Detlef Kernchen
Leutnant Zur See Gunnar Winterboer
Oberstabsbootsmann Karl Hermann Marquardt
Stabsbootsman Siegfried Kaiser
Stabsbootsman Franz-Bernd Kimphove-Eiting
Stabsbootsman Wolfgang Schreck
German Air Force
Oberleutnant Klaus Ehrlichmann
Oberleutnant Ralph Reinhold
Hauptmann Lutz Fisher
Hauptmann Thomas Kahne
Hauptmann Peer Lenz
Hauptmann Paul roth
Hauptmann Fred Semrau
Hauptfeldwebel Jorg Krieger
Frau Kerstin Fischer
Frau Sabine Roth
Frau Saskia Neumeyer
Herr Uwe Katzel
United States Air Force
Captain Peter C Vallejo
Captain Gregory M Cindrich
Captain Jason S. Ramsey
Staff Sergeant Robert K Evans
Staff Sergeant Scott N Roberts
Staff Sergeant Stacy D Bryant
Senior Airman Gary Bucknam
Senior Airman Frankie L Walker
Airman Justin R Drager"
"For them, the wave, the melancholy,
Chant of the wind that tells no lies
the breakers roll thier funeral volley
to which, the thundering cliff replies.
The Black cape-hens in decent crepe
will mourn them till the last event;
the roaring headlands of the cape
are lions on their monument."
(From "One Transport Lost" by the South African Poet Roy Campbell).
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
September 13 - German Air Force Tupolev 154M collided with a US Air Force C-141B Starlifter about 120 km (75 miles) west of the coast of Namibia over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 24 aboard.
http://plane.spottingworld.com/List_of_notable_incidents_and_accidents_involving_military_aircraft
It was suspected that errors made by one of the pilots as well as poor air traffic control in the area and the lack of collision avoidance systems that are standard on commercial airliners, was to blame for the disaster.
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An extensive report regarding this incident can be found below:
www.c141heaven.info/dotcom/65/pic_65_9405.php
Disaster Date: 09/13/1997
Memorial Sponsors: Persumeably the governments of the Airmen who were killed
Disaster Type: Technological
Relevant Website: [Web Link]
Date of dedication: Not listed
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
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