Suwanee in Gwinnett County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Aviation Tragedy
Photographed by David Seibert, May 3, 2006
1. Aviation Tragedy Marker
In the evening hours of December 6, 1953 four F-84D jet aircraft of 128th Fighter Bomber Squadron of the Georgia Air National Guard crashed near this site. They were returning from a routine weekend training flight from the Miami area when they encountered unexpected weather and altitude awareness problems as they prepared to land at Dobbins AFB near Marietta, Georgia. All of the pilots perished. No one on the ground was injured although the impact destroyed the home of the Ernest Brooks family that by chance were not at home. After the accident the United States Air Force changed the design of the altimeter, the instrument used to measure altitude, making it easier to read. This change probably saved many lives in the future.
The Pilots were Captain Idon M. Hodge, Jr., 1st Lieutenant Samuel P. Dixon Jr., 1st Lieutenant Elwood C. Kent, and 2nd Lieutenant William A. Tennent.
Erected 2003.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is December 6, 1953.
Location. 34° 0.385′ N, 84° 3.668′ W. Marker is in Suwanee, Georgia, in Gwinnett County. It is at the intersection of Old Peachtree Road and Northlake Drive, on the right when traveling east on Old Peachtree Road
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Piedmont and in Metro Atlanta. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Suwanee, Georgia 9/11 Memorial (approx. 3½ miles away); Peachtree Road (approx. 4.3 miles away); Home of Alice Harrell Strickland - Georgia's First Woman Mayor (approx. 4½ miles away); Richard Dickinson Winn (approx. 5 miles away); Chesser-Williams House (approx. 5.1 miles away); Lynching in America / Lynching of Charles Hale (approx. 5.3 miles away); In Tribute to Ezzard Charles (approx. 5.3 miles away); Buggy Steps (approx. 5.4 miles away).
Another marker is no longer nearby. Confederate Veterans of Gwinnett County, Georgia (was approx. 5.4 miles away but has been permanently removed).
Also see . . . Book recounts 1953 Suwanee plane crash. Gwinnett Daily Post website entry:
The book "Four Down on Peachtree Road" was written by Ben Cole, a local (Suwanee, GA) aviation enthusiast and amateur historian. Along with this book, Cole raised $2,000 needed to erect this marker on Old Peachtree Road in time for the crashs 50th anniversary in December 2003. (Submitted on March 25, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, June 24, 2015
2. Wide view of Aviation Tragedy Marker
Northlake Drive can be seen in the distance.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 29, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2008, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. This page has been viewed 5,826 times since then and 114 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 27, 2008, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. 2. submitted on June 28, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
