Every May 6 since 1981, a group has gathered in the memorial park at the Air Force Museum to pay tribute to the memories of those who perished on board “ARIA 328.” The crash of the EC-135N advanced range instrumentation aircraft was the worst aircraft disaster ever associated with Wright-Patterson AFB, and was one of the saddest chapters in the long and proud history of this base.

The crew of the 4950th Test Wing aircraft, tail number 61-0328, departed Wright-Patterson for the last time on the morning of May 6, 1981. The purpose of their mission was to provide training for navigators and primary mission electronic equipment operators. On board were 18 military members, two military wives who were part of a spouse orientation program, and a civilian contractor.

About 45 minutes into the flight, at 10:49 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration lost radar contact with the aircraft. Cruising at 29,000 feet over Frederick County, Md., the aircraft went into a rapid descent. It lost all electrical power and exploded 1,300 feet above the ground. All 21 on board perished in the crash.

Every military member feels a sense of loss when one of our own falls in the line of duty, but these losses seem all the more tragic when they hit so close to home. To the members of the 4950th and the larger Wright-Patterson AFB community, the people we lost on ARIA 328 were more than just fellow airmen — they were close friends and colleagues. For many, they were like part of a family.

Those on board ARIA 328, like all ARIA crews, performed a valuable service to their country. Advanced range instrumentation aircraft were used to obtain telemetry data from satellites and spacecraft, as well as from missile tests. In the years of the Cold War, it was the ARIA and its crews that provided the information necessary for the development of air, land and sea launched cruise missiles, Army Pershing I and Pershing II, and the Navy’s Trident, Poseidon and Polaris ballistic missiles. These contributions in no small part helped keep the peace and ensure our victory in the Cold War.

Sadly, however, these contributions came with a price. The tragedy left parents without sons and daughters, wives without husbands and children without mothers and fathers. But all who knew and loved those lost can take great pride in what they did for their country. The world is a safer place because of the mission they performed. They may be gone, but their legacy of an America at peace continues to this day.

This Sunday will mark the 20th anniversary of the accident. This year’s memorial service will be in the Air Force Museum garden at 10 a.m. I encourage each of you to reflect this weekend on the ultimate sacrifice these dedicated friends and patriots made for the country they loved. Every American owes a debt of gratitude to their memory.

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