Yukla 27 Monument

On Wednesday, September 22, 2010, at 0747 hrs, Alaskan Daylight Savings Time, exactly 15 years later, Colonel Malo, Wing Commander of 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base (CFB) North Bay, unveiled a monument dedicated in memory to the crew of the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) E-3 call sign Yukla 27 that went down just outside Elmendorf Air Force Base (AFB), Alaska in 1995.

The new monument, centrally located at 22 Wing/CFB North Bay, is an especially fitting tribute to those who perished on that fateful day given that one of the Canadians, Sergeant David L. Pitcher, an Aerospace Control Operator, served at 22 Wing. The new operations complex, which opened in October 2006, and is home to the Canadian Air Defence Sector (CADS), has been rightly named in his honour.  The four-sided etched black granite houses a replica of the aircraft, (tail number AF770354), mounted on top.  The front side lists the names, ranks, and nationalities of the 24-member crew.  The other three sides display details of the accident, outlines the role of the AWACS, and describes 22 Wing’s ties to North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the AWACS community.

Yukla 27 was airborne for only 40 seconds before the flight ended in tragedy.  Accident investigators officially confirmed that the crash was caused by bird strikes.

[front/devant]
Yukla 27
In memory of/en mémoire de

LtCol Richard G. Leary (USAF)
Maj Richard P. Stewart II (USAF)
Maj Marion R. Thomas (USAF)
Maj Steven A. Tuttle (USAF)
Capt Robert J. Long (USAF)
Capt Bradley W. Paakola (USAF)
Capt Glenn "Skip" Rogers Jr. (USAF)
1st Lt Carlos A. Arriaga (USAF)
MSgt Stephen C. O'Connell (USAF)
Sgt David L. Pitcher (CF)
TSgt Mark A. Bramer (USAF)
TSgt Mark A. Collins (USAF)

TSgt Bart L. Holmes Sr. (USAF)
TSgt Ernest R. Parrish (USAF)
TSgt Charles D. Sweet Jr. (USAF)
TSgt Timothy B. Thomas (USAF)
TSgt Brian K. Van Leer (USAF)
MCpl/cplc Jean-Pierre J. Legault (CF)
SSgt Scott A. Bresson (USAF)
SSgt Raymond O. Spencer Jr. (USAF)
SrA Lawrence E. DeFrancesco (USAF)
SrA Joshua N. Weter (USAF)
Amn Jeshua C. Smith (USAF)
Amn Darien F. Watson (USAF)

[back/arrière]

NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND

AWACS supports the North American Aerospace Defence (NORAD)
Command. 22 Wing is home to NORAD's Canadian Air Defence Sector
(CADS). The CADS and AWACS often work together to exercise
Canada's air sovereignty and protect North America from air threats. Any
one of us could have been a part of that  mission on that day - operators
and technicians, working side-by-side, delivering an operational effect.
We share the same purpose, the same calling, the same profession. Yukla
27 is part of our  heritage - we will remember them.

L'AWACS offre un support au Commandement de la défense aérospatiale de
l'Amérique du Nord (NORAD). La 22e Escadre abrite le Secteur de la défense
aérienne du Canada (SDAC) de NORAD. Le SDAC et l'AWAC travaillent
fréquemment ensemble pour assurer la souveraineté aérienne du Canada et
protéger l'Amérique du Nord des menaces aériennes. N'importe qui d'entre nous
aurait pu faire partie de cette mission ce jour-là; opérateurs et techniciens
travaillant côte-à-côte, produisant un impact opérationnel. Nous répondons au
même appel; partageons un but similaire et une profession semblable. Yukla 27
fait partie de notre patrimoine - nous nous souviendrons d'eux