U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards has reintroduced the Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act, which aims to relocate a memorial dedicated to nine Air Force crew members who died in a 1982 training mission. The memorial is currently on private land, and the bill proposes moving it to public land for better accessibility.
The legislation is bipartisan, with Congressman Don Davis as the co-lead and Senator Thom Tillis spearheading the Senate companion bill. Congressman Edwards stated that “Western North Carolina will never forget the tragedy that occurred in 1982 when nine Air Force crew members lost their lives in our district.” He added that the families of these service members have requested relocating the memorial to a more prominent location closer to the crash site for public visitation.
Congressman Davis emphasized that relocating the marker would provide a true place of reflection for families. He said, “Relocating the memorial marker for the nine heroic U.S. Air Force crew members who lost their lives on Mt. Johns Knob in 1982 to a site closer to the crash site is essential for honoring their memory.”
Senator Tillis highlighted the importance of honoring these crew members at an appropriate location: “Their bravery deserves to be honored at a location that truly reflects the gravity of their loss and provides a meaningful place for reflection.”
The incident occurred on August 31, 1982, when a C-141 aircraft crashed into Mt. Johns Knob near the North Carolina-Tennessee border after departing from Charleston Air Force Base. The granite marker currently resides six miles from this site on private property.
The proposal suggests moving it from Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests to Stratton Ridge rest area in Graham County, North Carolina, which would bring it closer to where the crash occurred. The families and supporters have committed to moving the monument themselves without federal funding if given authorization by this bill.
