Published: May 11, 2008 01:07 am            

Past and presents

I wrote a story last weekend about the Dawson plane crash and inadvertently left out a number of people that would have been swell to talk to before I wrote it, had I only known.

There are probably dozens I didn’t hear from, as well.

My apologies for the many, many omissions. In my defense, I was four years old when it happened (yes, get out your calculators), and had to rely on the reports printed at the time, as well as the interviews with people who were there.

However, I will mention a few people who contacted me this week. Dr. James Price of Corsicana was one of the people in the Dawson gym, identifying the remains of the 85 people killed in the crash of May 3, 1968.

Prior to moving to Corsicana, he’d worked in the Air Force, and when the crash happened he got the call from Braniff asking for his services again.

“I identified 83 people by their dental records, because that’s what I did in the Air Force,” Price said. The conditions were bad, he recalled.

I won’t share with you the gory details, but they’re stuck in my mind forever.

The other omission was pointed out by Geral Nichols, who said it was local soldiers who secured the wreck site and recovered the bodies, himself included. He said that the initial group of soldiers out there were locals, although he admitted some might have been brought in later from Fort Hood, in keeping with what the interviewees told me last week.

J.D. Chastain, 83, who now lives in Waco, was with the Department of Public Safety crime lab, and he was also involved in identifying remains. He said the one intact body was not a soldier from Vietnam, but was an elderly woman, which makes that part of the story much less poignant. He wouldn’t tell me her name, so I couldn’t confirm it, but Nichols also remembered it being a woman. Maybe somebody can enlighten me on that? He also didn’t remember any soldiers at the scene at all, from Fort Hood or otherwise, so Nichols and Chastain disagreed on that point.

I’m grateful for everyone who shared their memories with me about the crash. Since the article printed, I’ve talked to a lot of people who remembered it, and wanted to talk about it. That’s one of the cool things about having a local newspaper — it starts conversations and creates community.

***

On a completely different subject, it’s in my columnist’s contract that I may talk about my mom and dad on their days.

My mother, JoAnn, is not only the woman who bore me and raised me (surely, no walk in the park), but she’s also been a lifelong support to me in all my ups and downs. She’s funny, charming and kind, and I would beg her to be my friend if we weren’t already related.

She can also be practical. No candles or perfumes for her today. Nope, she’s getting an automatic chicken-waterer from her daughters. (Hey, don’t judge, it’s what she asked for.) It’s the gift that keeps on giving — automatically.

I’d also like to raise a glass of orange juice to my step-mom, Bobbie. Caring and generous, she’s been one of those blessings to our family that is like the sun coming up. You don’t know what’s missing until dawn surrounds you with warmth and light.

To both these amazing women, thank you.

Dear reader, please remember to give due gratitude to your own mother on this day. And if you decide to get her an automatic chicken-waterer, pretend it’s your idea.

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Janet Jacobs is a Daily Sun staff writer. Her column appears on Sundays. She may be reached by e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com.

        

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