Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is Colorado's Morning News. Marty lends Gina Gande good morning.
It's known as the first ever plane bombing over US soil.
Forty four people killed when the United six twenty ninth
flight exploded over fields in Weld County after a suspect
placed dynamite in a checked bag.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, the Denver Police Museum is working to raise money
to create a permanent marker to preserve the tragic history
of this flight. Joining us now on the KWA Common
Spirit Health Hotline is Mike Hess with the United Flight
six twenty nine memorial.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Mike, thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Well, good morning, Gina and Marty. I really appreciate the
opportunity to come on and talk and share with the
public about this largely forgotten tragedy.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, let's talk a little bit more about it, Mike,
tell us what you know, a little bit more information
about it, because this is something that happened in the
fifties that a lot of people now nowadays may not
even remember or recall.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I don't think most Coloradans even know it happened. This
year will be the seventieth anniversary. November first, nineteen fifty five.
It was the first act of domestic terrorism using a
civilian aircraft. And you know, it took off out of
the old Stapleton Airport United Flights and it blew up
(01:13):
about eight miles east of Longmont. It was a lake
Wood man. This is this is what it'll get you.
A Lakewood man who put a bomb in his mother's
suitcase to collect the insurance killed forty four people. So
you know, it's a clearer example that crazy is not
a new phenomenon.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
I was going to say when I when I hear
that story, it sounds like it could be something out
of today. But to think it was that long ago,
it must have been. I don't want to say that
we're jaded with certain events like this, but it must
have been unbelievably startling in such a shock.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Back then, absolutely and even today. You know, when you
see what happened in the National Airport, which was an accident,
you know the whole nation really gets behind it. But
this was a deliberate, deliberate, active murder. So it really,
you know, it breaks your heart. And so interestingly enough,
(02:07):
there was because it was something that hadn't happened before.
There was no federal law about blowing up Asian aircraft,
so we had to try that, you know, they had
to have the trial locally. The Denver District Attorney's office
did it, and the Police Museum because they submitted parts
of the aircraft as evidence, acquired part of the plane.
(02:29):
So that's how we became aware of it and why
we're very active today in making sure that it's not forgotten.
And one of the things we've done with our volunteers.
You know, there were forty four victims and there were
also several people who like FBI agents and the DA etc.
So you know, they've all passed unfortunately, but we've gone
(02:52):
through ancestry and we found all of the forty four.
We've found the sendance for all forty four families and
some of the key folks. So we're planning on November first,
in October the thirty first of this year for the
seventieth anniversary to actually place a memorial out at the
old Staplestar because there is no memorial for these folks,
(03:16):
you know, unlike Columbine or Aurora Theater, there's nothing to
remember these folks by, and we're very committed to make
sure that the folks are known. You know, we're collecting
more information with the assistants or their families, so they're
not just known for being on a you know, an
(03:37):
aircraft at the wrong time.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Mike, Why now for the memorial, why is it so
important to remember it in today's day and age?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Well, I think again, you know, it being the seventieth anniversary.
You know, as Marty was saying, these type of events
have occurred over and over, and you know what, as
I've talked to the families as we you know, found them,
they're so appreciative of the fact that somebody, you know,
(04:07):
is acknowledging their family's loss.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And Michael, Well, and I was going to ask, what
what is what changed in the aftermath of this when
it came to travel, because it was a checked bag
as I mean, imagine screening and all those protocols changed
in many ways.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Well, in the old days you could just walk up
to the counter, but for bag there was no screening.
So it was really the beginning of TSA. Uh you know, uh.
President Eisenhower and Senator out from Colorado pushed through a
bill obviously to make it uh illegal, uh a federal
crime in order if you did something like this with
(04:47):
the aircraft. You know, I think it changed our whole perspective.
And as like you said earlier, it really was sent
a shockwave and uh, you know throughout the entire world actually,
because again in the United States, nobody had ever done
anything like this, and like.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You mentioned, oh I'm sorry, Mike.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Like you mentioned as well, the forensics of it had
really changed the way that we look into these situations too.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
With the little time we have left.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
We collected all the parts of the plane and brought
them back to the airport and dedicated a hangar and
recreated the aircraft to officially determine, you know, what had happened.
And of course they smelled dynamite at the time, so
they were very suspicious. But you know, this was long
before the days of computers, and you know, it's like
(05:37):
a giant you know. Un all that they had to reassemble,
and we sent officers i know, up to that area
to protect the area and also to help collect items. Unfortunately,
you know, I talked to an officer who had originally
responded and when the word got out on this thing,
you know, they had a bunch of looters show up
(05:59):
and try to steal item, you know, crazy stuff unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
And Mike, how can people help and support this initiative
of yours.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So we are We've designed a special challenge coin that
honors the memory of the victims. That our whole effort
is volunteer driven, so any money that's donated, we're asking
for thirty dollars donation and you can get that on
our website. One of the things I want to be
(06:32):
able to tell the families when they come to Denver,
you know, is that the money's going to be used
for the memorial, and that this memorial came, you know,
from everyday Colorados and that their loved one and their
family sacrifice really hasn't been forgotten. So you can get
it at the Denver Police Museum website, which is www.
(06:53):
Denver Police Museum dot org. And you know, again, I
just can't thank you guys enough for allowing us the
opportun unity to share the story, because again, most Coloradoms
don't need to know it. I would also mention History
Colorado has a special display that they've put up with
some of the artifacts, stories about some of the victims,
(07:14):
and actually some of the victims' actual items in the display,
and it's available between now and the end of the year,
and so i'd encourage people if you have a few
moments to go by again.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You can find more information at Denver Police Museum dot
org and donate to the memorial there as well. Mike
has with the United Slates six point twenty nine memorial.
Thank you so much for your time this morning.
It is Colorado's Morning News. Marty lends Gina Gande good morning.
It's known as the first ever plane bombing over US soil.
Forty four people killed when the United six twenty ninth
flight exploded over fields in Weld County after a suspect
placed dynamite in a checked bag.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, the Denver Police Museum is working to raise money
to create a permanent marker to preserve the tragic history
of this flight. Joining us now on the KWA Common
Spirit Health Hotline is Mike Hess with the United Flight
six twenty nine memorial.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Mike, thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Well, good morning, Gina and Marty. I really appreciate the
opportunity to come on and talk and share with the
public about this largely forgotten tragedy.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, let's talk a little bit more about it, Mike,
tell us what you know, a little bit more information
about it, because this is something that happened in the
fifties that a lot of people now nowadays may not
even remember or recall.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I don't think most Coloradans even know it happened. This
year will be the seventieth anniversary. November first, nineteen fifty five.
It was the first act of domestic terrorism using a
civilian aircraft. And you know, it took off out of
the old Stapleton Airport United Flights and it blew up
(01:13):
about eight miles east of Longmont. It was a lake
Wood man. This is this is what it'll get you.
A Lakewood man who put a bomb in his mother's
suitcase to collect the insurance killed forty four people. So
you know, it's a clearer example that crazy is not
a new phenomenon.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
I was going to say when I when I hear
that story, it sounds like it could be something out
of today. But to think it was that long ago,
it must have been. I don't want to say that
we're jaded with certain events like this, but it must
have been unbelievably startling in such a shock.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Back then, absolutely and even today. You know, when you
see what happened in the National Airport, which was an accident,
you know the whole nation really gets behind it. But
this was a deliberate, deliberate, active murder. So it really,
you know, it breaks your heart. And so interestingly enough,
(02:07):
there was because it was something that hadn't happened before.
There was no federal law about blowing up Asian aircraft,
so we had to try that, you know, they had
to have the trial locally. The Denver District Attorney's office
did it, and the Police Museum because they submitted parts
of the aircraft as evidence, acquired part of the plane.
(02:29):
So that's how we became aware of it and why
we're very active today in making sure that it's not forgotten.
And one of the things we've done with our volunteers.
You know, there were forty four victims and there were
also several people who like FBI agents and the DA etc.
So you know, they've all passed unfortunately, but we've gone
(02:52):
through ancestry and we found all of the forty four.
We've found the sendance for all forty four families and
some of the key folks. So we're planning on November first,
in October the thirty first of this year for the
seventieth anniversary to actually place a memorial out at the
old Staplestar because there is no memorial for these folks,
(03:16):
you know, unlike Columbine or Aurora Theater, there's nothing to
remember these folks by, and we're very committed to make
sure that the folks are known. You know, we're collecting
more information with the assistants or their families, so they're
not just known for being on a you know, an
(03:37):
aircraft at the wrong time.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Mike, Why now for the memorial, why is it so
important to remember it in today's day and age?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Well, I think again, you know, it being the seventieth anniversary.
You know, as Marty was saying, these type of events
have occurred over and over, and you know what, as
I've talked to the families as we you know, found them,
they're so appreciative of the fact that somebody, you know,
(04:07):
is acknowledging their family's loss.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And Michael, Well, and I was going to ask, what
what is what changed in the aftermath of this when
it came to travel, because it was a checked bag
as I mean, imagine screening and all those protocols changed
in many ways.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Well, in the old days you could just walk up
to the counter, but for bag there was no screening.
So it was really the beginning of TSA. Uh you know, uh.
President Eisenhower and Senator out from Colorado pushed through a
bill obviously to make it uh illegal, uh a federal
crime in order if you did something like this with
(04:47):
the aircraft. You know, I think it changed our whole perspective.
And as like you said earlier, it really was sent
a shockwave and uh, you know throughout the entire world actually,
because again in the United States, nobody had ever done
anything like this, and like.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You mentioned, oh I'm sorry, Mike.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Like you mentioned as well, the forensics of it had
really changed the way that we look into these situations too.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
With the little time we have left.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
We collected all the parts of the plane and brought
them back to the airport and dedicated a hangar and
recreated the aircraft to officially determine, you know, what had happened.
And of course they smelled dynamite at the time, so
they were very suspicious. But you know, this was long
before the days of computers, and you know, it's like
(05:37):
a giant you know. Un all that they had to reassemble,
and we sent officers i know, up to that area
to protect the area and also to help collect items. Unfortunately,
you know, I talked to an officer who had originally
responded and when the word got out on this thing,
you know, they had a bunch of looters show up
(05:59):
and try to steal item, you know, crazy stuff unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
And Mike, how can people help and support this initiative
of yours.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So we are We've designed a special challenge coin that
honors the memory of the victims. That our whole effort
is volunteer driven, so any money that's donated, we're asking
for thirty dollars donation and you can get that on
our website. One of the things I want to be
(06:32):
able to tell the families when they come to Denver,
you know, is that the money's going to be used
for the memorial, and that this memorial came, you know,
from everyday Colorados and that their loved one and their
family sacrifice really hasn't been forgotten. So you can get
it at the Denver Police Museum website, which is www.
(06:53):
Denver Police Museum dot org. And you know, again, I
just can't thank you guys enough for allowing us the
opportun unity to share the story, because again, most Coloradoms
don't need to know it. I would also mention History
Colorado has a special display that they've put up with
some of the artifacts, stories about some of the victims,
(07:14):
and actually some of the victims' actual items in the display,
and it's available between now and the end of the year,
and so i'd encourage people if you have a few
moments to go by again.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You can find more information at Denver Police Museum dot
org and donate to the memorial there as well. Mike
has with the United Slates six point twenty nine memorial.
Thank you so much for your time this morning.
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