Fort Campbell in Montgomery County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

The Trees

Gander Memorial

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, May 4, 2024

1. The Trees Marker

Inscription. 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

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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.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places.

Location. 36° 38.35′ N, 87° 27.388′ W. Marker is in Fort Campbell, Tennessee, in Montgomery County. It is on Tennessee Avenue north of Screaming Eagle Blvd, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5702 Tennessee Ave, Fort Campbell KY 42223, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee

and in the Highland Rim.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, May 4, 2024

2. The Trees Marker

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ceremonies and Honors (here, next to this marker); The Crash (here, next to this marker); In Memory of 248 soldiers of Task Force 3-502, Multinational Force and Observers, 101st Airborne Div (here, next to this marker); Blessed are the Peacemakers (a few steps from this marker); Task Force 3-502nd (a few steps from this marker); Multinational Force and Observers (a few steps from this marker); Camp David Accords (a few steps from this marker); Arab-Israeli War (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Campbell.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 15, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 11, 2024, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 167 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 12, 2024, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.