Documenting the American South

Doc South header logo Home
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes banner

Source:  Pope Airmen Memorial, Fort Bragg. Photo by Lee Hattabaugh, April 20, 2011, courtesy of HMdb.org

  • Monument Name

    Pope Airmen Memorial, Fort Bragg

  • Type

    Marker

  • Subjects

    Tragedy

  • City

    Fort Bragg

  • County

    Cumberland

  • Description

    The monument is a tall column of granite commemorating all airmen who have lost their lives performing their duties and specifically those who lost their lives in accidents in 1978 and 1992. One face commemorates those who died in an accident on November 30, 1978, and the other commemorates those who died in an accident on April 28, 1992. The 1978 commemoration bears the inscribed image of an eagle with its wings outspread. The 1992 commemoration bears the inscribed image of C-130 aircraft.

  • Inscription

    Face commemorating the 1978 accident: IN HONOR OF THOSE POPE / AIRMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN / THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR / COUNTRY WHILE PERFORMING / FLYING DUTIES / DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF / THOSE WHO WERE KILLED / IN A C-130 ACCIDENT ON / NOVEMBER 30, 1978 / ROBERT J. CATON -- SAMUEL P. ESKEW / BERNIE C. FINCH III -- MARK D. GREER / DANIEL K. MORRIS -- ROBERT M. VANWINKLE

    Face commemorating the 1992 accident: DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY / OF THE CREW OF "EVEN 91" / WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN A / C-130 ACCIDENT AT / BLEWETT FALLS, NC / ON APRIL 28, 1992 / FLT LT MARK W. REYNOLDS -- LT MICHAEL JONES / CAPT GABRIEL MAGRANE -- LT GREGG F. JOHNSTON / CAPT THOMAS E. ROWE -- LT JOHN G. URBANSKY -- SGT STEPHEN F. SABLONE, JR. / SRA MICHAEL S. CARPENTER / A1C SHELTON M. CLARK. JR.

  • Dedication Date

    April 28, 1993

  • Decade

    1990s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.165350 , -79.003600 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      "9 Killed as Military Cargo Plane Crashes Into North Carolina Lake," nytimes.com, (accessed February 20, 2013) Link

      "Pope Airmen Memorial," HMdb.org, (accessed February 25, 2013) Link

      “Fallen Pope Airmen Remembered,” Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, NC), April 28, 1993, X

  • Public Site

    Unknown

  • Materials & Techniques

    Granite

  • Sponsors

    317 Troop Carrier Veterans' Group

  • Monument Dedication and Unveiling

    Surviving family of the airmen were present at the unveiling, which served as a memorial service dedicated to those faithful soldiers who lost their lives tragically.

  • Subject Notes

    The Monument was dedicated to two groups of “Pope Airmen” who lost their lives in accidents while serving their country. On November 30, 1978 a C-130 crashed approximately 34 miles west of Charleston, S.C. On April 29, 1992, a C-130 crashed into Blewett Falls Lake, N.C. Witnesses said the cargo plane circled the lake for about fifteen minutes before rolling over and plunging into the water. All nine crew were killed.

  • Location

    The monument is located along a walkway next to Reilly Road in Fort Bragg.

  • Landscape

    The marker rests atop a circular stone base within a stone walkway, with woods bordering the site. A number of other memorials, including the Lt. Harley Pope Monument, are located nearby along the walkway. Four retired aircraft are displayed on the other side of Reilly Road.

Icon for reporting missing/incorrect information Know anything else about this monument that isn't mentioned here? If you have additional information on this or any other monument in our collection fill out the form at the Contact Us link in the footer. Thank you.