Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska — Northwest (North America)

Yukla 27 Memorial

In Memory of the Crew of Yukla 27

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

1. Yukla 27 Memorial

Inscription.

Yukla 27 Memorial. In Memory of the Crew of Yukla 27. , On Elmendorf AFB, September 22, 1995 at 0747 hours a Boeing E-3B Sentry AWACS from the 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron crashed shortly after takeoff for a routine surveillance training sortie., This memorial is dedicated in memory of the 24 brave American and Canadian airmen who lost their lives in the defense of freedom that morning. We honor their service and sacrifice and maintain the highest resolve that the cause for which they died shall live on., 1Lt Carlos A. Arriaga, USAF . Weapons Director . Winter Park, FL , TSgt Mark A. Bramer, USAF . Flight Engineer . Momence, IL , SSgt Scott A. Bresson, USAF . Airborne Radar Technician . Warrenton, VA , TSgt Mark A. Collins, USAF . Communications Systems Operator . Lynn, MA , SrA Lawrence E. DeFrancisco, USAF . Communications Systems Operator . St. Petersburg, FL , TSgt Bart L. Holmes, Sr., USAF . Flight Engineer . Milpitas, CA , Lt Col Richard G. Leary, USAF . Navigator . Windsor, CT , MCpl Joseph J. P. Legault, CF . Communications Technician . Pointe-aux-Trémbles, Quebec , Capt Robert J. Long, USAF . Senior Weapons Director . Lakewood, CO , MSgt Stephen C. O'Connell, USAF . Advanced Airborne Surveillance Technician . Hilo, HI , Capt Bradley W. Paakola, USAF . Co-pilot . Zion, IL , TSgt Ernest R. Parrish, USAF . Area Specialist . Land O'Lakes, FL , SGT David L. Pitcher, CF . Battle Director Technician . St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia , Capt Glenn "Skip" Rogers, Jr., USAF . Aircraft Commander . Lake Charles, LA , Amn Jeshua C. Smith, USAF . Airborne Surveillance Technician . Colorado Springs, CO , SSgt Raymond O. Spencer, Jr., USAF . Airborne Surveillance Technician . DeFuniak Springs, FL , Maj Richard P. Stewart II, USAF . Mission Crew Commander . St. Petersburg, FL , TSgt Charles D. Sweet, Jr., USAF . Airborne Radar Technician . Norwalk, OH , Maj Marlon R. Thomas, USAF . Mission Crew Commander . Charleston, SC , TSgt Timothy B. Thomas, USAF . Computer Display Maintenance Technician . Coos Bay, OR , Maj Steven A. Tuttle, USAF . Airborne Surveillance Officer . West Monroe, NY , TSgt Brian K. Van Leer, USAF . Advanced Airborne Surveillance Technician . North Highlands, CA , Amn Darien F. Watson, USAF . Airborne Surveillance Technician . Chicago, IL , SrA Joshua N. Weter, USAF . Computer Display Maintenance Technician . Rapid City, SD ,

On Elmendorf AFB, September 22, 1995 at 0747 hours a Boeing E-3B Sentry AWACS from the 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron crashed shortly after takeoff for a routine surveillance training sortie.

This memorial is dedicated in memory of the 24 brave American and Canadian airmen who lost their lives in the defense of freedom that morning. We honor their service and sacrifice and maintain the highest resolve that the cause for which they died shall live on.

1Lt Carlos A. Arriaga, USAF • Weapons Director • Winter Park, FL
TSgt Mark A. Bramer, USAF • Flight Engineer • Momence, IL
SSgt Scott A. Bresson, USAF • Airborne Radar Technician • Warrenton, VA
TSgt Mark A. Collins, USAF • Communications Systems Operator • Lynn, MA
SrA Lawrence E. DeFrancisco, USAF • Communications Systems Operator • St. Petersburg, FL
TSgt Bart L. Holmes, Sr., USAF • Flight Engineer • Milpitas, CA
Lt Col Richard G. Leary, USAF • Navigator • Windsor, CT
MCpl Joseph J. P. Legault, CF • Communications Technician • Pointe-aux-Trémbles, Quebec
Capt Robert J. Long, USAF • Senior Weapons Director • Lakewood, CO
MSgt Stephen C. O'Connell,

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USAF • Advanced Airborne Surveillance Technician • Hilo, HI
Capt Bradley W. Paakola, USAF • Co-pilot • Zion, IL
TSgt Ernest R. Parrish, USAF • Area Specialist • Land O'Lakes, FL
SGT David L. Pitcher, CF • Battle Director Technician • St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia
Capt Glenn "Skip" Rogers, Jr., USAF • Aircraft Commander • Lake Charles, LA
Amn Jeshua C. Smith, USAF • Airborne Surveillance Technician • Colorado Springs, CO
SSgt Raymond O. Spencer, Jr., USAF • Airborne Surveillance Technician • DeFuniak Springs, FL
Maj Richard P. Stewart II, USAF • Mission Crew Commander • St. Petersburg, FL
TSgt Charles D. Sweet, Jr., USAF • Airborne Radar Technician • Norwalk, OH
Maj Marlon R. Thomas, USAF • Mission Crew Commander • Charleston, SC
TSgt Timothy B. Thomas, USAF • Computer Display Maintenance Technician • Coos Bay, OR
Maj Steven A. Tuttle, USAF • Airborne Surveillance Officer • West Monroe, NY
TSgt Brian K. Van Leer, USAF • Advanced Airborne Surveillance Technician • North Highlands, CA
Amn Darien F. Watson, USAF • Airborne Surveillance Technician • Chicago, IL
SrA Joshua N. Weter, USAF • Computer Display Maintenance Technician

Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

2. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

• Rapid City, SD

Erected by Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Disasters • Patriots & Patriotism • War, Cold. A significant historical date for this entry is September 22, 1995.

Location. 61° 14.868′ N, 149° 48.022′ W. Marker is in Anchorage, Alaska. It is in Elmendorf Air Force Base. It is on Sijan Avenue north of 32nd Street, on the right when traveling north. Memorial is in Yukla Memorial Park, near the 3rd Wing Headquarters. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11550 Slammer Ave, JBER AK 99506, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker and memorial is in the Alaska Railroad Corridor,

in the Athabascan Region,

in the Prince William Sound,

and in Southcentral Alaska.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Russian Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

3. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

walking distance of this marker: Yukla Memorial Park (a few steps from this marker); McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Gen Hoyt Vandenberg (about 300 feet away); Lt Col Horace Hickam (about 300 feet away); Maj Paul "Pappy" Gunn (about 300 feet away); Gen Nathan Twining (about 300 feet away); Capt John Walmsley (about 300 feet away); Brig Gen Jimmy Doolittle (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Anchorage.

More about this marker. Must have an acceptable ID to enter this active military base.

Also see . . . Military Boeing 707 Strikes Birds After Liftoff (Flight Safety Foundation, 1996). (Submitted on August 16, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

4. Yukla 27 Memorial

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

5. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

6. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

7. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

8. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

9. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

10. Yukla 27 Memorial Honored Dead

Yukla 27 Memorial Detail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

11. Yukla 27 Memorial Detail

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 12, 2024

12. Yukla 27 Memorial

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,028 times since then and 110 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. submitted on August 16, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.