Tony Thurmond: “Among the worst situations facing spouses, children, and families of members of the United States Armed Forces, is to be…”

“Among the worst situations facing spouses, children, and families of members of the United States Armed Forces, is to be greeted by an official party, wearing their dress blue uniforms, announcing the grim news that their loved one has been killed or declared missing. On Sunday, September 14, 1997 nine families endured such an experience as the United States Air Force declared one of its C-141 Starlifter cargo planes, en route from Namibia to Ascension Island, was overdue and presumed to have gone down in the Atlantic Ocean. An extensive search was begun, during which only a few airplane seats, a few papers, some debris from the U.S. cargo plane, remnants of the German aircraft, and the body of one victim were recovered. No other remains were recovered, and no survivors were located. On Saturday, September 27, 1997 the search for the crewmen of the Air Force jet ended and all were declared dead. An investigation confirmed everyone's worst fears. In fact, on that fateful day--September 13, 1997--a German Luftwaffe Tupelov TU-154M collided with a U.S. Air Force C-141 Starlifter off the coast of Namibia, Africa. As a result of that mid-air collision nine United States Air Force Service members were killed.”