The Trees

The Trees. Gander Memorial. Canadian Janice Johnston Nikkel was only 15 when she heard the tragic news of the crash at Gander. The teenager from Oakville, Ontario, wanted to reach out to the Families of the fallen Fort Campbell Soldiers. She wrote to the Toronto Star newspaper that she planned to donate her babysitting money to buy trees to plant as a living memorial to the Soldiers who died in her country. Word of the memorial idea and Janice's $20 donation to the cause spread globally. World leaders and celebrities commended the teen's efforts with phone calls, telegrams, letters, and $1,700 in donations. On Sept. 20, 1986, Janice's dream for a living memorial became a reality. The 16-year-old and her family traveled from Canada to Fort Campbell to formally dedicate the grove of Canadian sugar maple saplings during a special memorial ceremony. Dedicated were 256 trees representing the 248 Soldiers and eight crew members who died at Gander. This grove of trees was located between Normandy and Screaming Eagle Boulevards. It was replaced by the current grove of trees in 2019. The dedication plaque reads: , 'Donated by the People of Canada to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in memory of the 248 courageous Soldiers who died in Gander, Newfoundland, December 12, 1985. Each tree stands as a living memorial. The forest testifies to their united commitment to global peacekeeping. Blessed are the peacemakers. St. Matthew 5, verse 9.' , Janice and her family visited the mature grove in the summer of 2010, nearly 25 years after the crash. "To the Families who lost a loved one 25 years ago, my hope was that this Memorial Park would be like a living memorial testifying to the sacrifice your loved ones made in service for your country, she said. 'We wanted you to know that as Canadians, we cared. They are not forgotten.' , -Michele Vowell, "Fort Campbell Courier," August 9, 2012.