President Elect Michael Roberts seamlessly stepped into run this week’s meeting opening with the Rotary theme: “Serve to Change Lives.” Our club theme is: “Reconnecting - Back Together Again.” R.I. President is Shekhar Mehta. Greeter, Barry Toby, led the flag salute and then shared his thought of the day – “Wish and hope for the best for the people of Ukraine, and appreciate the lives we are able to lead in this country”. He then gave us a very brief bio – he is a Past President of the club serving in 2013/2014, he retired a few years ago after being an attorney for 40+ years, and he and lovely wife Cindy have three kids and five grandkids.
Welcome guest – presenter and San Ramon Councilmember, Mark Armstrong.
PE Roberts led our “mindful moment” segment by sharing a letter from RI regarding their response and efforts to help the victims and refugees from Ukraine. RI is uniquely positioned to ensure the necessary relief items are gathered and then, most importantly, are distributed efficiently. To read more about the efforts and RI Disaster Relief Fund, you can follow the link below. Please consider contributing whatever you are able.
ANNOUNCEMENTS/UPCOMING EVENTS
- Patti Hennigan announced she’s going to be a grandmother again. The baby is due in November.
- Chris Gayler announced the breaking news that the baseball strike is over.
- April 18-22: Each One Bring One Campaign
- 6-Club Dinner (We are HOSTS!) – Most likely on April 19
- March 20 – Rise Against Hunger
- May 7 – Spring Assembly in Fairfield
- Beer Booth at Art & Wind – Memorial Day weekend
- Smoke Alarm Project – more info to follow
PROGRAM – THE GANDER TRAGEDY
Mark Armstrong is a current San Ramon City Councilmember and an 18-year resident of San Ramon.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point in 1981 where he studied Civil Engineering. He is graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College and earned Masters degrees in Military Arts and Sciences, and Strategic Studies.
He retired from the United States Army following a 30-year career as an Infantry Officer serving in a variety of Army, multi-service, and interagency command and staff assignments in the U.S., Europe, Middle East, Indo-Pacific and Caribbean.
He later continued his public service with FEMA Region IX based in Oakland, serving in various senior leader positions supporting disaster response and recovery for many States, Territories and Tribes across the country. In 2018, Mark retired again after nearly 41 years of combined uniformed and civilian federal service.
He is currently writing a book about this deployment experience titled The Gander Tragedy.
Mark started the presentation by describing this deployment and sharing the history leading up to this peace keeping mission in the Sinai Peninsula from July – December 1985. He shared many personal photos from that time and described how the soldiers on the mission led their daily lives and carried out their duties. This gave a very personal touch to the story.
Flight 1285 was returning 248 soldiers home from their peacekeeping deployment mission. The journey was aboard a chartered DC-8 plane operated by Arrow Airlines. It departed from Cairo-West airport, refueled in Cologne, Germany, and refueled again in Gander, Newfoundland. The next, and final, destination was “home” for the soldiers in Fort Campbell, KY. Many of the soldier’s family members had organized a celebratory return party at the airport to greet them.
During takeoff from Gander, on that last leg of the flight journey on December 12, 1985, the plane took off. It was pre-dawn and the weather was light freezing drizzle. The flight crashed one minute after take-off. All 248 soldiers and eight crew members perished.
There were investigations by both the Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB) and the US National Transportation Safety Board. Three years later there was a split opinion on the cause of the crash:
• Majority report: Icing, overweight
• Minority report: internal explosion, in-flight fire, catastrophic failure
”Black boxes” not helpful, old, damaged, non-functional. Other theories and conspiracy reports; Islamic Jihad, Iran-Contra. There was no official finding from U.S.
In the immediate aftermath, the communities in and around Fort Campbell rallied together. There was some uncertainly on who was aboard this flight since there had been many last minute changes. Identifying the bodies proved challenging. The memorial was attended by President Reagan and Nancy Reagan.
Mark shared more personal photos and discussed the memorials that were held by the soldiers who were still deployed. Some were meant to be on that flight. Others that were not meant to be on the flight got the “lucky ticket” to return early. Specialist Mike Rahr’s wife was expecting a baby in a week, so it was decided he would take back this flight earlier than planned. First Sergeant Rex Smith, was another soldier who was assigned this earlier flight.
In January 1986 the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster tragically killed all seven astronauts aboard. The Challenger tragedy overshadowed the Gander tragedy. It is Mark’s mission to share the story of Flight 1285.
Raffle – Ed Duarte won the $20 greeter gift, and Michael Roberts pulled THE white marble taking home the $300 prize money.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie McKinney, Scribe
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