The Silent Heroes of The Cold War National Monument

 Image of USAF Flight 9068, courtesy of Steve Ririe

This post is to recognize the men who worked on and built the U-2 reconnaissance plane. The U-2 reconnaissance plane is a single engine aircraft used for ultra high altitude reconnaissance missions. The men who who worked on the U-2 made the ultimate sacrifice for our country when they lost their lives on the 17th of November 1955 in Clark County, Nevada. The families of these brave men were not told the nature of the work their loved one did nor did they know the full story until it was declassified more than four decades later.
 
The Cold War
 
The Cold War began at the end of World War II and ended about 1991. It was the longest war in American history and a costly one as well. We now had weapons capable of causing mass destruction on both sides. Both sides also had the capability to destroy most of the world's population. While the US and USSR never engaged in actual warfare, the cost was great with many unknown lives lost through political maneuvering, major arms build up on both sides, propaganda and proxy wars.
 
While the United States would win the Cold War, ultimately, the victory belongs to all those who worked in secret because without them the ending of the Cold War could have been vastly different. To protect our country, the contribution of these Silent Heroes was left out of our nation's history books, but now the time has come to tell the story of these Silent Heroes and to make sure that they are given their rightful place in history.
 
The Flight and Accident

 Image of the crash site at Mount Charleston, Clark County, Nevada; courtesy of Steve Ririe

 

In the early morning hours of Thursday, the 17th of November 1955 in Burbank, California, a group of five United States Air Force (USAF) service members, along with five members of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and four civilians, engineers, and scientists from Hycon Manufacturing and Lockheed boarded a Military Air Transport Service aircraft known as USAF 9068 (Douglas C-54)¹. The crew was trying a new flight route that would take 10 minutes off the total flight time that day. This was a classified mission and their destination was code named "Watertown", a place known today as Area 51. Due to the secrecy of the mission the crew was not in touch with air traffic control. 
 
Approximately, thirty minutes after USAF 9068 left Burbank the plane and its crew crossed over the California-Nevada line. At this point the crew changed course and their flight status to silent, cutting off even their own air traffic controllers as they flew without their navigation instruments.With limited views from the cockpit and in radio silence the crew had no idea of the approaching storm heading in their direction.
 
As the plane continued on its path storm clouds were building up over the Spring Mountain Range in Clark County, Nevada which greatly reduced their visibility. This storm brought powerful, near hurricane force winds and freezing water to the mountain range. Due to these conditions the plane was blown of course and the crew became disoriented in the clouds. At approximately 8:19 a.m. USAF 9068, crashed on Mount Charleston, Clark County, Nevada with complete loss of life.

The Silent Heroes 

James Frances Bray; photo used with permission by Steve Ririe

James Frances Bray, son of James E and Anna (Gleason) Bray. He was born on 29 January 1907 in Kansas City, Missouri. He also served in World War II and was the CIA's Regional Deputy Chief Security and was stationed at Groom Lake. Photo courtesy of Steve Ririe.

James William "Billy" Brown; photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

James William "Billy" Brown, son of James P and Lois (Brinson) Brown. He was born on 25 August 1932 in Augusta, Georgia. He served in the Armed Forces from 1953-1955 and was a CIA Security staff member. Photo courtesy of Steve Ririe.

Staff Sgt. Clayton Darrell Farris; photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

 

Staff Sgt. Clayton Darrell Farris, son of William Edward and Ola (Jeffries) Farris. He was born on 7 June 1929 in Emerson, Iowa. He was a flight mechanic technician for the Air Force. Clayton was married at the time of his death.

 

 

Airman 2nd class Guy Robert Fasolas, son of Mabel Anderson. He was born on 7 July 1934 in Nephi, Utah. He was a Flight Attendant. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a photograph for Mr. Fasolas.

Sgt. John Hamilton "Jack" Gaines;  photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

Sgt. John Hamilton "Jack" Gaines, son of Kesse L and Mennie (Rose) Gaines. He was born on 10 April 1932 in Ripley, Tennessee. He was a crew member. Sgt. Gaines was married with an infant daughter at the time of his death.

 

Fred Farrar Hanks; photo used with permission by Sue Garley.

 

Fred Farrar Hanks, son of Aubrey and Mattie (Meador) Hanks. He was born on 26 August 1920 in Cleburne, Texas. Frank served in Korean War and was a technical representative for Hycon Manufacturing. Fred was married at the time of his death.

Richard Joseph Hruda; photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

Richard Joseph Hruda, was the son of Joseph and Lillian (Houdek) Hruda. He was born on 30 September 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. He was an engineer with Lockheed. Joseph was married with three small children at the time of his death.

Rodney Huettner Krimendahl; photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

 

Rodney Huettner Kreimendahl, was the son of Ralph W and Lina (Huettner) Kreimendahl. He was born on 3 August 1917 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was an engineer with Lockheed. Rodney was married and with four children at the time of his death. 

William Henderson Marr, Jr.; photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

 

William Henderson Marr, Jr., was the son of William H and Helen (Heffner) Marr, Sr. He was born 27 August 1917 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He was Chief Security Officer for the U2 project. Mr. Marr was awarded the CIA's Intelligence Medal of Merit, posthumously. He was married with three children at the time of his death.

 

 Terence John O'Donnell;  photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

 

Terence John O'Donnell, was the son of Thomas John and Grace (Healy) O'Donnell. He was born 16 September 1933 in Manhattan, New York. He was a CIA Security Officer. He was the youngest of the 14 men aboard USAF 9068.

 

Captain George Manual Pappas, Jr.;  photo used with permission by Steve Ririe

 

Captain George Manual Pappas, Jr., was the son of George M. and Florence L. (Van Meter) Pappas, Sr. He was born on 9 August 1928 in Dubuque, Iowa. George was promoted posthumously to the rank of Captain. He was in the Air Force and was the pilot of USAF 9068. Captain Pappas was married at the time of his death.

 

 Harold Charles Silent;  photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

 

Harold Charles Silent, was the son of Fred and Mabel (Hood) Silent. He was born on 26 September 1896 in Azusa, California. Harold was a Physicist with Hycon Manufacturing. He was educated at Cornell University and was the oldest of the men aboard USAF 9068.

 

  Edwin Joseph Urolatis;  photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

 

Edwin Joseph Urolatis, was the son of Anthony and Ludwiga (Biblis) Urolatis. He was born on 18 June 1928 in Brockton, Massachusetts. He served in the Armed Forces from 1946-1948. Edwin was with the CIA in security.

 

 2nd Lt. Paul Eugene Winham;  photo used with permission by Steve Ririe.

 

2nd Lt. Paul Eugene Winham was the son of Paul and Marie Winham. He was born on 4 June 1931 in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was in the Air Force and was co-pilot on USAF 9068. 2nd Lt. Winham was married at the time of his death.

 

All of these men are heroes and they paid the ultimate price for our freedom in a silent war. There was no specific geographical location for battles. There were no troop movements. This was a war of intelligence, of words, of weapons and threats by the United States and her allies against the Union Soviet Socialist Republics and it's allies.

 
The Memorial

 

 Personal collection of Dawn M. Kogutkiewicz

 

This is the front side of the memorial. The large black center stone reads,

Today, every inhabitant of this planet must contemplate the day when this planet may no longer be habitable. Every man, woman, and child lives under a nuclear sword of Damocles, hanging by the slenderest of threads, capable of being cut at any moment by accident or miscalculation or by madness." - President John F. Kennedy, September 25, 1961.

In memory of the Silent Heroes of the Cold War, the men and women who worked under a veil of secrecy, often putting their own lives in peril for the good of our nation. Our peace and prosperity will always depend on the bravery of unsung Americans willing to make the ultimate sacrifice without recognition.

The backside of the center black stone shows two stars, one black and one white. Underneath the stars is the official motto in Latin, "A Tenebris Ad Lucem", translated it means "From Darkness to Light". The black star represents those whose work is still classified while the white star represents those who can now be recognized in the open. 

Directly below the center stone is the honorary sarcophagus. This is not a time capsule and will remain sealed. Inside the sarcophagus is a vault which contains crash debris from USAF 9068 found in 2001 as well as personal memorabilia from the victims families.

 Personal collection of Dawn M. Kogutkiewicz

On the left side of the center stone on the black plaque, is a vase and olive branches and is known as the peace plaque. It represents the peaceful outcome of the Cold War between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The fourteen olives represent the men on USAF 9068. 

On the right side of the center stone on a black plaque is a sheaf of wheat and it is the Prosperity Plaque. The sheaf of wheat is representative of the prosperity that the United States experienced during the Cold War.

 

Both plaques represent the accomplishments of the men who worked on the U2 Reconnaissance plane and how they helped to achieve the peace of the Cold War. Both of  the designs symbolize a nuclear mushroom cloud which represents the men of USAF 9068 and the work they did in secret under a nuclear threat. 

 

Under both plaques is the emblem for the Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Monument. The mountain peak represents Mount Charleston. The 14 white stars are for the men who died in the crash on Mount Charleston. The plane on the emblem is the U2 Reconnaissance which all of these men worked on. The U2 plane allowed the United States to spy on our enemies. On the bottom left of the emblem is a white star on a black field and represents everyone who worked in secret during this time. On the bottom right of the emblem is a black star on a field of white and represents the memorial itself and to bring all of those who worked in the Cold War into the light so that they maybe recognized for their contributions.

 

 Personal photo collection of Dawn M. Kogutkiewicz

In the photograph on the left is the propeller from USAF 9068. In the photo on the left is the plaque which stands in front of it. The plaque reads,

 

Propeller from USAF 9068

 On November 17, 1955 at 6:38 a.m. a Douglas C-54 departed Lockheed's air terminal in Burbank, CA. On board were 14 individuals, including Air Force personnel, engineers, scientists and CIA officials. Their destination was top-secret "Area 51" where the United States housed one its most secret Cold War projects --the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft.

Not long after takeoff, the C-54 encountered an early winter storm. In order to maintain secrecy, flights in and out of Area 51 operated under tight restrictions, requiring pilots to fly under visual flight rules without the benefit of navigation instruments. Battered by high winds and snow flurries the C-54 was doomed.

At 8:19 a.m., the C-54 crashed near the peak of Mount Charleston Nevada, killing all 14 men on board. So secret was the crew and passengers' involvement in the U-2 project that the families were not told the details of the mission or deaths for over four decades.

In reverent memory, let it be known that James F. Bray, James W. Brown, Clayton D. Farris, Guy R. Fasolas, John H. Gaines, Fred F. Hanks, Richard J. Hruda, Rodney H. Kreimendahl, William H. Marr, Terence J. O'Donnell, George M. Pappas, Jr. Harold C. Silent, Edwin J. Urolatis and Paul E. Winham are Silent Heroes of the Cold War.

Many thanks to Steve Ririe who graciously gave me permission to use whatever I needed from his website, the Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial. To learn more please visit their website, Silent Heroes.

 

Sources:

 

1. "Accident Description for USAF 9068", Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation (http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19551117-1 : 20 May 2016).

2. Kyril D. Plaskon. Silent Heroes of the Cold War, 2nd Edition. (Las Vegas: Stephens Press, 2015), 208-212.

 

3. "CIA C-54 Crash on Mount Charleston", Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame, Nevada Aerospace Hall of Family, (http://nvahof.org/_original_site/c54_crash.html : accessed 20 May 2016).

 

4. Nevada. Senate Joint Resolution No. 9. Nevada State Legislature (https://www.leg.state.nv.us/71st/bills/SJR/SJR9_EN.pdf : 20 May 2016), (Carson City, Nevada: 2001).

 

5. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for James Francis Bray, certificate no. 55-1853 (1955).

 

6. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for James William Brown, certificate no. 55-1846 (1955).

 

7. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Clayton Darrell Farris, certificate no. 55-1855 (1955).

 

8. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Guy Robert Fasolas, certificate no. 55-1841 (1955).

 

9. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for John Hamilton Gaines, certificate no. 55-1847 (1955).

 

10. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Fred Farrar Hanks, certificate no. 55-1852 (1955).  

 

11. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Richard Joseph Hruda, certificate no. 55-1844 (1955).

 

12. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Rodney Huettner Kreimendahl, certificate no. 55-1843 (1955).

 

13. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for William Henderson Marr, Jr., certificate no. 55-1849 (1955).

 

14. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Terence John O'Donnell, certificate no. 55-1845 (1955).

 

15. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for George Manual Pappas, Jr., certificate no. 55-1851 (1955).

 

16. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Harold Charles Silent, certificate no. 55-1854 (1955).

 

17. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Edwin Joseph Urolatis, certificate no. 55-1848 (1955).      

 

18. Nevada Department of Health, "Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965" database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 May 2016), entry for Paul Eugene Winham, certificate no. 55-1842 (1955).

 

19. Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, New Mexico), 19 November 1955, p.2, col. 6,
"Rescue Team Climbs Toward Wreckage of C-54"; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : 23 May 2016). 

 

20. Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada), 19 November 1955, p.14, col. 5, "Victims of Air Crash Named"; digital image; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : 23 May 2016).

 

21. Stars and Stripes Newspaper, Pacific Editions, 1945-1963, 21 November 1955, p.12, col. 4, "Air Crash Victims Identified"; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : 21 May 2016).

22. Joplin Globe (Joplin, Missouri), 19 November 1955, p.1, col. 7, "Plane Wreckage Sighted in Nevada"; digital image; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : 22 May 2016).

23. Times Record (Troy, New York), 19 November 1955, p. 1, col. 5, "Fear 14 Men Perished in Plane Crash"; digital image; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : 22 May 2016).

24. Dawn Kogutkiewicz, Elgin, SC [ (E-ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE),] to Steve Ririe, e-mail, 17 May 2016, "Silent Heroes of the Cold War"; Silent Heroes File, The Honor Roll Project; privately held by Ririe, [ (E-ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE),] Las Vegas, Nevada.

25. Wikipedia contributors, "Lockheed U2", Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2 : 19 May 2016).

27. James Bray photograph, ca. 1920's-1930's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/james-bray/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

28. James Brown photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/james-william-brown/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

29.Clayton D. Farris photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/clayton-d-farris/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

30. John Gaines photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image1, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/john-gaines/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

31. Fred Farrar Hanks, photograph, ca. 1920's; digital image, privately held by Sue Garley, [ CONTACT VIA PRIVATE MESSAGE AT ANCESTRY.COM ]. Sue was given the photograh by her aunt Betty Hanks Coker. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

32. Richard Hruda, photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/richard-hruda/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

33. Rodney Kreimendahl, photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/rodney-kreimendahl/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

34. William Marr, photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image ca. 2001, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/william-marr/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

35. Terence O'Donnell, photograph, ca. 1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/terence-o%E2%80%99donnell// : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

36. George M. Pappas, photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/george-m-pappas/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

37. Harold Silent, photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/harold-silent/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

38. Edwin Urolatis, photograph, ca. 1940's-1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/edwin-urolatis/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

39. Paul Eugene Winham, photograph, ca. 1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-souls/paul-eugene-winham/ : 17 May 2016); Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

40. "Accident Photos of USAF 9068, photograph, ca. 1955; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-accident/accident-photos/ : 18 May 2016). The location, condition and characteristics of the originals are unknown.

41. USAF 9068, photograph, ca. 1950's; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/ : 18 May 2016). The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

42. Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (back), photograph, ca. 2015; digital image, privately held by Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/ : 18 May 2016). The location, condition and characteristics of the original are unknown.

43. "The Accident", Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial (http://coldwarmonument.org/the-accident/ : 22 May 2016).