The 21 airmen killed in the tragic Plane Crash of 1946 were remembered Sunday afternoon during a ceremony at the Estevan Regional Airport.
A small crowd gathered near the airport’s tarmac for the service. It came on the 73rd anniversary of the crash, which occurred on Sept. 15, 1946, at the old Estevan Airport site, back when it was south of the city.
Among those in attendance were local veterans, members of the Royal Canadian Air Force 15 Wing base in Moose Jaw, representatives of the local airport and those who wanted to pay tribute to the victims of the crash.
People who were involved with the Forever in the Clouds monument committee organized the ceremony.
Lester Hinzman, who was the MC for the event, said Canadians enjoy their freedoms because of the men and women and women of the Canadian Forces, not only those who served in the past but those who serve today.
He also paid tribute to the victims of the crash.
“These men were on duty and they were still serving … when they were killed,” said Hinzman.
Two people who had family members who died in the crash were also present: Diane Primeau, the niece of William Wiecker, and Art Perry, the great nephew of Bill Perry. Primeau noted that she was five when the crash occurred, but she knew her uncle.
She also pointed out that she had another uncle who died in the Second World War.
The next edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
