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Memorial '70 honors those affected by the 1970 plane crash in Colorado that claimed the lives of 31 people. This year's observance will be held at Cessna Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2.Courtesy photo

Wichita State to hold annual Memorial '70 observance at Cessna Stadium

Sept. 30, 2020
By WSU Strategic Communications

Memorial '70

In an annual ceremony of remembrance, a wreath is placed at Wichita State's Memorial '70 at 9 a.m. each Oct. 2. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators and supporters who died in a plane crash October 2, 1970.

This year's ceremony will take place at Cessna Stadium.

In one of the worst tragedies of college sports history, the WSU "Gold" plane, a Martin 404 carrying 34 passengers and a crew of four, crashed at approximately 3 p.m. on a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado, while en route to Logan, Utah, for a game with Utah State University.

Twenty-nine persons died at the scene, while two others died later after receiving medical attention for their injuries.

This time of remembrance is to acknowledge the changes that the plane crash made in the lives of the victims, their families, their friends and the university.

The annual ceremony of remembrance for those who died in the 1970 Wichita State University plane crash will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at Cessna Stadium.

There will be a reception immediately following the remembrance on the Cessna Stadium concourse. The audience will be seated on the west side of the stadium.

Enhancements have been made to Memorial ’70, located near the 18th Street and Hillside entrance to the university. Those additions to Memorial ’70 will officially be revealed on Oct. 2.

The ceremony is open to the public. Attendees may visit the memorial near 18th and Hillside at their leisure.

The ceremony will honor the 31 people - WSU football players, administrators, supporters and flight crew - who died in the crash in the Rocky Mountains.

For those who cannot attend in person, the ceremony will be available by livestream at www.Wichita.edu/memorial70 and later on demand on the Wichita State University YouTube channel.

Face coverings are required, and social distancing, when possible, is expected. Please note: Face coverings must properly be worn over your nose and mouth when in public spaces, or outdoor settings on campus when six feet of physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Those interested in making a tax-deductible contribution in memory of the crash victims can give to the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship, the only endowed scholarship at WSU dedicated in collective memory to those who died in the tragedy.

The scholarship is awarded each year to a student of any major with at least a 3.0 GPA who demonstrates financial need.

Contributions can be made through the WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260-0002, for the Football '70 Memorial Scholarship.

Contributions also may be made online. 

Each year, more first-hand accounts and stories about this fateful day come to light:

Wichita State athletic trainer Tom Reeves ignored his injuries to assist others on Oct. 2, 1970. 

Read the story here

Visits to the crash site in Colorado help survivors, teammates and family honor those who died.

Read the story here

Shocker teammates worked to complete the story of survivors at Memorial '70.

Read the story here

Former linebacker Bill Burch prepared a toast to his 1970 teammates.

Read the story here

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