continued from last week

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Answered Prayer

I am thankful the Lord led me to pray an all inclusive prayer Christmas Day. Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger. There were eight crashes in the immediate area of the crash site where I said my Christmas Day prayer. I thank the Lord he has answered my Christmas Day prayer and that the brave airmen who crashed are no longer strangers and can be remembered and not forgotten. I am humbled I could do a separate post for each crash and say a prayer again to commemorate each crash. Please see Tuesday, August 12, 2008 and Tuesday, August 19, 2008 posts.
I am also thankful the Lord has answered my Christmas Day prayer concerning the crash site I commemorated and that Captain Glen W. Edwards, Major Daniel M. Forbes, Jr., 1Lt. Edward L. Swindell, Civilian Clare C. Lesser, and Civilian C. H. LaFountain who perished at this crash site are no longer strangers and can be remembered and not forgotten. Once again I am humbled I could do a post regarding this crash and say a prayer again to commemorate it. Please see Monday, August 18, 2008 post.
This crash site is holy ground because the crash was an inferno and Captain Glen W. Edwards, Major Daniel M. Forbes, Jr., 1Lt. Edward L. Swindell, Civilian Clare C. Lesser, and Civilian C. H. LaFountain's ashes are still there. The original fence built to protect this crash site from humans and animals and keep this crash site holy ground is now in a general state of disrepair. The crash site is littered with broken wine bottles used for target practice and other debris. My ministry will be rebuilding this fence, removing the debris, and posting educational signs so the public will respect this crash site as holy ground and understand the tremendous price paid for their freedom.
I would like to thank the U. S. Airforce for giving my ministry "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" by Walter C. Witherspoon. This index contains information on 683 crashes-may we remember the stranger.

...remember the stranger-2Lt. Galen K. Markel

"(A note concerning the 16 Nov 1943 FM-1 loss... to follow-Navy accident report card...detailing the following...entry...revealed an unusual cluster of fatal accidents and two narrow escapes within minutes of each other. The weather on the night of these flights was high solid overcast, with the report text specifically noting that virtually no horizon reference was available to the pilots that night. Such conditions can easily create disorientation and vertigo.)

16 Nov 1943 FM-1

Marine pilot 2Lt. Galen K. Markel (23/187) (Listed in Accident Report as "Merkel") killed in crash listed on Kern County Death Certificate and Accident Report as 5 mi. N of Mojave Marine Corps Air Station. Crash occurred at 1908 hrs., three minutes after the loss of two other Wildcats...Markel had been in formation several minutes when other flight members saw his plane suddenly roll inverted and dive into the ground. Typed notation on Accident Report attributes crash to probable vertigo. Handwritten and initialed notation on Accident Report states another flight member also rolled inverted at about the same time but was able to right his aircraft and avoided crashing. Another handwritten notation states the flight leader got into a steep spiral while descending to examine the crash scene and barely avoided crashing himself. BuAer # 15442" "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that 2Lt. Galen K. Markel is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country to keep us free. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

...remember the stranger-Captain Louis R. Smunk

11 Apr 1944 F4U-1

Marine Captain Louis R. Smunk took off from Mojave Marine Corps Air Station on night familiarization flight. At about 200 ft. AGL just after takeoff the engine began to vibrate and cut out. Smunk attempted to turn back to the field but engine quit and he set up for emergency landing into the wind. Plane struck a telephone pole, shearing off the left wing, then crashed. Aircraft was demolished, pilot survived with moderate injuries. No cause listed on Accident Report. BuAer # 17780." "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that Captain Louis R. Smunk is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the sacrifice he made for his country to keep us free. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

...remember the stranger-Captain Timothy J. Brown

13 Jan 1972 A-7D

ARPS (TPS) student Capt. Timothy J. Brown ejects safely. (Media photo shows flat impact with little scatter indicating possible spin. ) Site listed as approx. 1 mi. south of Mojave-Randsburg road, approx. 4 mi. north of Mojave. In triangle formed by M-R road, Hwy. 58, and Hwy. 14. Bakersfield Californian lists 4 mi. NE of Mojave. (Crash site located by Walt Witherspoon and Chris Killian in March 2000)" "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that Captain Timothy J. Brown is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the sacrifice he made for his country to keep us free. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

...remember the stranger-2Lt. Robert G. Goode

16 Jul 1942 P-39D

"Muroc based pilot 2Lt. Robert G. Goode bailed out successfully from spinning plane, suffering a dislocated shoulder in the accident. Accident Report lists location 6 mi. NW of Mojave. Plane's landing gear did not fully retract after takeoff which hampered performance. Goode attempted a slow roll but plane tumbled into a spin. Another pilot watched the plane spin down, with the spin reversing direction several times, until Goode bailed out. Accident Report specifically mentions very poor spin qualities of P-39, with mention of several spin incidents with narrow escapes from crashing in previous weeks. Aircraft Serial Number 41-28323" "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that 2Lt. Robert G. Goode is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the sacrifice he made for his country to keep us free. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

...remember the stranger-2Lt. Ralph L. Kipper

5 Mar 1943 P-38F

"Muroc based pilot 2Lt. Ralph L. Kipper bails out of P-38 after electrical fire caused the cockpit to fill with smoke. Pilot survived, aircraft settled into flat spin and crashed approx. 5 mi. N of Mojave, west of modern Hwy. 14. Aircraft Serial Number 41-2349". "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that 2Lt. Ralph L. Kipper is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the sacrifice he made for his country to keep us free. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

...remember the stranger-Chuck Yeager

10 Dec 1963 NF-104A

"Chuck Yeager ejects following loss of control and spin. Papers narrow impact to area west of US 6 (Hwy. 14) and Mojave-Randsburg road junction. History Office accident data indicates secondary explosion, believed to be rocket propellant tanks, blew crashed aircraft apart, scattering debris over a wide area. Aircraft Serial Number 56-0762" "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that Chuck Yeager is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the sacrifice he made for his country to keep us free and the sacrifice he made for the development of aviation. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger

...remember the stranger-D. E. "Buster" Edens

26 Apr 1965 U-2

"Lockheed pilot Civ. D. E. "Buster" Edens (93/925) killed in crash on local training flight. Paper lists location as "near Boron". EAFB History Office Historical Records lists just north of EAFB. Blackbird Homepage lists tail # 56-6715, art. # 382 for this aircraft." "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas" Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that D. E. "Buster" Edens is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country to keep us free. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

...anybody but poor people...

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...remember the stranger-Captain Glen W. Edwards, Major Daniel M. Forbes, Jr., 1 Lt. Edward L. Swindell, Civilian Clare C. Lesser, and Civilian C. H. LaFountain

5 June 1948 YB-49

"Flying wing lost, killing Capt. Glen W. Edwards (42/105), Maj. Daniel M. Forbes, Jr. (42/106), 1 Lt. Edward L. Swindell (42/121), Civ. Clare C. Lesser (42/116), and Civ. C. H. LaFountain (42/115). Test program pilot Robert Cardenas mentions the loss of some outboard control surfaces and panels. Another test program pilot who witnessed crash mentions seeing plane "tumbling in". Crashed approx. 13 mi. NW of modern EAFB main base. Aircraft Serial Number 42-102368" "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas", Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that Captain Glen W. Edwards, Major Daniel M. Forbes, Jr., 1Lt. Edward L. Swindell, Civilian Clare C. Lesser, and Civilian C. H. LaFountain are no longer strangers to us and we may always remember the ultimate sacrifices they made for their country to keep us free and the ultimate sacrifices they made for the development of aviation. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

...remember the stranger-Captain Edward O. Shaw

31 July 1944 F4U-1

"Capt. Edward O. Shaw (23/437) up on short test hop to test plane's reported tendency to suddenly roll inverted to the right during high speed dive recoveries. Plane seen by witnesses diving at about 45 deg angle from about 5000 ft. Nose came up, plane rolled inverted to the right, continuing in inverted dive to impact, killing Shaw instantly. Plane had been repaired at least twice in depot facilities following accidents and in flight overstress. Depot level replacement of wings, empennage sections, and other major rework. A known fix for such rolling, involving adjustment of the "aileron wipers", had been performed. Shaw took the plane up to test the fix. Aircraft crashed 1 1/2 mi. from Mojave Marine Corps Air Station. (Research of Marine Aviation texts shows Shaw listed with 13 kills.) BuAer # 17936" "Index of Aviation Accidents: Edwards AFB and Surrounding Areas," Walter C. Witherspoon

Dear Jesus-Thank you that Captain Edward O. Shaw is no longer a stranger to us. May we always remember the ultimate sacrifice he made to keep us free and the ultimate sacrifice he made for the development of aviation. Amen

Please see Sunday, February 10, 2008 post-...remember the stranger.

It's worth it if just one youngster...

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...treated like sick people...

Please see www.myspace.com/mtntopseaministries, August 06, 2008 post-...for the sake of young kids...