>> 10 9, 8, 7,
>> Remember it bears and on Jacksonville’s Westside Lynyrd Skynyrd
we’re also remembering the
plane crash October 20th 1977
that killed 3 members of the
group.
>> They’re road manager the
pilot the copilot and injured
20 other people. Skinner fans
for across this country we
gathered on this October 20th
near the scene of the crash to
witness an event that made rock
and roll history.
>> As many of you know news 4
Jax anchor Tom wills was the
only local reporter
who went to the crash site in a
forest in galesburg
Mississippi. Back in 77 and Tom
just came home from a return
trip to galesburg
recovered a memorial ceremony
not far from where the plane
went down.
>> Marin County I never ever
thought that I would go back to
the scene of this tragedy back
to those words were I went one
day after the crash.
But the channel 4 photographer
more than 4 decades ago to
report on this air disaster
that was the big story
worldwide. What was an even
bigger story here in our city.
On this trip I uncovered stories from back then that have never been told on
television before.
>> Judy Van zandt’s lead singer Ronnie Van Zant widow leading this unveiling of a 7 ton
granite monument to those who
died. Those who
were injured and to those who
rescued the survivors of the
crash. The crowd of devoted
fans turned out to witness this
tribute to Jacksonville’s own
rock superstars.
♪
Millions know their names are hometown boys the Southern rock bands that wound up a Southern
rock tragedy.
>> You can see in this rare
home video they were flying
high 42 years ago traveling
from city to city playing
concert
♪
concert ♪ >> after concert.
>> Or
>> Or 20th 1977. >> The group’s chartered plane
crashed into Mississippi, swap
while flying to Baton Rouge for
a concert and LSU. Ronnie
Van Zant.
>> That are Steve Gaines his
sister’s singer Cassie Gaines
assistant tour manager Dean
Kilpatrick.
>> And the pilot and copilot
were killed the 20 other people
were badly injured, including 2
of the band’s other founding
members guitarist Alan Collins
and Gary rossington
despite having broken ribs
drummer Artemis pile managed to
walk out of the woods and go
for help. A day after the
crash. I went to the scene with
the channel 4 photographer and
reported on what
I saw.
>> They can’t even realize
seeing one of these things on
television exactly what a crash
of this magnitude looks like.
But they’re sitting against the
tree. There’s a piece of an
airplane wing torn away from
the rest of the airplane lying
down there at the base of the
tree is the engine and that
back there that twisted metal
back there is the fuselage of
the plane. Turned around the
corner.
>> The other day a local guide drove me off the road through a field of goldenrod
and back into those same Woods
up your yeah, OK.
>> Bobby mcdaniel was one of the rescuers 42 years ago. And he walked me through a dry
Creek bed and led me to the
scene of the crash.
The plane came right down
through those trees and hit
here.
>> And broke apart. It’s eerie
being back here. After 42 years
in the same spot. Where that
plane broke apart.
I’ll tell you what touched me
the most that day where the
personal belongings of the
people on the plane both those
who died in.
And those who survive scattered
all over the woods here there
was a there was a teddy bear on
the ground.
It’s clear this tragedy has not
been forgotten by so many
people. I have not forgotten
that.
I don’t believe I ever will and
I don’t believe this tragedy,
we’ll be forgotten.
>> Mcdaniels memories of that night are also still vivid. He was 22 years old and had
civil air patrol training in
first aid and rescue. He
reached the woods about an hour
and a half after the crash.
And the rescue effort.
>> Was not going well could get
back here. Tractors ripple in
the Emirates is out the
creek they have in the process
create and I was just trying to
find another way to come and I
brought the
damage is and on the South way
but they could not get to the
site site.
Them just turned around and
went back and I bailed out and
went to the crash site without
ambulances at the scene he and
the other rescuers had to use
their pickup trucks to
transport the injured.
>> What they found in the
wreckage was carnage and chaos
all of the seats. They worse
buckled into a broken lives.
From the back of
the plane. And of course the
couches in the nicer chairs was
in the front.
>> Where the by an was sitting.
But all of this stuff. Their
luggage. You know the Saints.
The people. All fellow pole top
of the. People in the front of
the plane. So when they would
move to move a suitcase or
there was a person. They would
get it out of that to move
another save her. You know
whatever guitar another person.
And they were handing them out through the crack in the plane and
that’s where I was trying to
lay a mountain. The doctor was
going to try on edge trying to
trying to make him comfortable.
And of course you know we with
that’s the safest that we were
put over. Another
the area.
>> Did you know who you are
rescued, did not know who was
in the plane. It did not even
know the size of the plane.
>> May I thought I was looking
for a Cessna.
48 passenger. Playing it was built for Eastern airlines with 26 people aboard.
Yes, the plane had been
reconfigured into a tour
playing the couches and such as
that. But at 26 people on board
and it to me I got there and
found the way it did. Analysts
found that men are found the
fuselage.
Where you Leonard Skynyrd fan,
you were 22 years yes and I
have been 3 concerts and you’ve
seen them in concert, I have
seen him in concert. And now
you’re
seeing them.
>> At the worst moment of their
lives, some of them are nearly
dead one with 3 of them are.
>> I was saying long haired
young people that looked a lot
like me on the ground. And I
said these may be a rock’n’roll
band Ohm I heard I did
my stuff and as hours while can
die out. I was.
Told it was Lynyrd Skynyrd
part.
>> Was there any moment.
When you work horrified.
You remember 4.
>> And that’s a horrifying
hours. I was I was only in.
I want my jobless. And that’s
all I was
concentrating on I had seen
some tragedy before. I’m
probably prepared me for.
entail I walked out
of here and I would tell it was
a winner Skinner playing and I
got can away from the site.
That’s when it really kind of
hit me which are and for the
night out while found out over
the 20th. It was
15 years. Before step
foot back assets these was a long been a mecca for Skinner fans who have come here on
their own.
>> To pay their own personal
tributes. These roses, we’re
just place here today
and fans continue to find
pieces of the wrecked plane.
These pieces were just found
here today. And I’m going to
put them back where they were
found.
>> The roses were brought by
Christina Anderson, a fan who
lives in Liberty Mississippi
about 14 miles away. She’s done
this before.
>> You’ve been bringing flowers
every month so long that every
month.
The tragedy really touched your
heart it did.
There’s a very great band.
To make you feel good. It makes
me feel very good.
>> 42 years and gone by. Why now with the memorial. >> A bus to come back here.
At your 10 years. Now for the
last 8 or 10 years. And
we would come back here
October, the 20th and.
Reminisce a little bit. Most of
them most of us
were rescuers. And last year.
We were sitting around October,
the 20th.
So you know, I know all these
people are no worse ideas.
Whatever we need to put a road
sign out there.
The road cent turned into a
bigger.
And we put a go fund me page
out to help us Rice the money
and the scattered science just.
Came alive,
the current by an
contributed very whale.
Local people contribute to the
next thing you know we’ve got a
monument.
>> On the back of the monument
is an image of the band and
they’re happier times behind
them is an image of the plane
that wound up carrying them to
tragedy.
>> I think that question about still being remembered has been more than answered adding it.
So many others there in
Mississippi rescuers like Bobby
mcdaniel also shared their
vivid vivid memories with me.
But most gripping are the
memories of survivors of the
crash. Man whose names are not
well known, who endured
injuries both physical and
emotional that are still with
them. 42 years later.
Ken and Mary we’re going to put
all of those interviews
together in a one hour special,
which we’re going to broadcast
at a later date.
There are some of the most
powerful stories that I’ve ever
been told in my entire career,
it’s just chilling that all
this came together and I
understand that you’ve heard
from members of the band about
the monument.
>> But I got back from
galesburg I
I Ricky Medlock first and talk
to him and Ricky told me he
does have plans to go and see
this monument. But I also
talked to lead singer Ronnie
Van Zant a to Johnny, the hands
that who told me that it’s too
painful for him still
because of the death of his
brother and that he’s not going
to go and see it
and when I interview Judy Van
Zandt Ronnie’s widow right
after that ceremony. She
still grieves she told me
she cannot remember Ronnie’s
voice other than when she hears
it on video. And she doesn’t
remember his touch. 42 years
after his death.
That that is part of the
tragedy. So that way what
a tribute. Talk to you for