On the rainy, foggy evening of November 14, 1970, seventy-five people lost their lives in the jet plane that was carrying them to their final approach at the Tri-State Airport in Wayne County, West Virginia. The precise cause of the disaster was never determined. The campus, city, state, and country were stunned.
The following day seven thousand people assembled in the field house to attend a memorial service. Present on the stage was Nathaniel Ruffin (the surviving co-captain of the Marshall team who had not been able to travel to the game because of an injury), Dr. Leo Jenkins (President of East Carolina University), Acting President Donald Dedmon, Mike Grant (President of the Student Body), and Governor Arch Moore, Jr. Governor Moore referred to the deceased as "beautiful people." Portions of the memorial service were televised nationally on the "Today Show." A period of mourning was observed in the community. Classes were dismissed for two days. All city and county offices were closed.
Families proceeded to bury their loved ones from New Jersey to Alabama. Six of the players who could not be positively identified were laid to rest in a common grave in Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington.
The following are the men and women who died in the "most catastrophic airplane accident in the history of American athletics":
1970 Football Team Members
Adams, James Michael
Andrews, Mark Raebum
Blake, Michael Francis
Blevins, Dennis Michael
Bluford, Willie Jr.
Brown, Larry
Brown, Thomas Wayne
Childers, Roger Keith
Cottrell, Stuart Spence
Dardinger, Richard Lee
DeBord, David Grant
Gilmore, Kevin Francis
Griffith, David Dearing, Jr.
Harris, Arthur W.
Harris, Robert Anthony
Hill, Bobby Wayne
Hood, Joe Lee
Howard, James Thomas Jr.
Lajterman, Marcello H.
Lech, Richard Adam
Nash, Barry Winston
Norrell, Patrick Jay
Patterson, James Robert
Reese, Scottie Lee
Repasy, John AntonJr.
Sanders, Larry
Saylor, Charles Alan
Shannon, Arthur Kirk
Showbridge, Lionel Ted
Skeens, Allen Gene
Stainback, Jerry Dodson
Tackett, Donald Jr.
VanHom, Robert James
Vanover, Roger Amie
Wilson, Freddie Clay
Young, John Patton
Zborill, Thomas Jonathan
Coaches
Tolley, Rickey D. -Head Coach
Brackett, Herbert B.
Carelli, Albert C. Jr.
Loria, Frank
Moss, James M.
Staff
Kautz, Charles E. - Director of Athletics
Morehouse, Eugene J. - Sports Information Dir.
O'Connor, Brian R. - Director of Admissions
George, Gary Wilson - Asst. Sports Information
Nathan, Jeffrey P. - Sports Writer-School Paper
Schroer, James Joseph - Trainer
Booth, Donald - Team Photographer
Supporters
Arnold, Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Chambers, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph
Hagley, Dr. and Mrs. Ray
Harris, Arthur L.
Heath, Mr. and Mrs. E.O.
Jarrell, Mr. and Mrs. James
Jones, Kenneth
Prestera, Michael
Preston, Dr. and Mrs. Glenn
Proctor, Dr. and Mrs. H.D.
Ralsten, Mr. and Mrs. Murrill
Ward, Parker
Weichmann, Norman
Crew of DC-9
Captain Frank Abbott
Jerry R. Smith, First Officer
Charlene Post, Stewardess
Pat Vaught, Stewardess
Danny M. Deese, Charter Coordinator