Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-09
BY BILL BECKER
Associated Press Reporter

For the 1913 victims of his
tory's greatest airline catastro-
phe. death came swiftly in the
Grand Canyon of Arizona.
But it will be lingering sor-
row for at least twice that many
kin, including some $50 children
left fatherless. motherless, or
both.
Many of the relatives planned
to attend a mass burial service
today at Flagstaff.
Whether from California. New
Jersey, Ohio or Missouri. most
of the passengers aboard the
colliding Trans World and United
airlines June 80 had growing
families broken aSunder in few
Shattering seconds.
Virtually every married adult,
In keeping with the postwar
trend, had two or more children.
One had six, another five. Sew
eral, TWA Pilot Jack Candy
among them, had four.
To the poignant breaking OF
dozens of homes can be added
the loss of brilliant careers Of
accomplishment, some achieved.
others promised.
Cross Section of Public
The two planes bore a cross
section of the American public:
Industrial tycoonS, a Wall street
broker, a young mathematical
wizard, a scholarship-winning
stewardess, farm agent, serv-
ice station operator. engineers.
lawyers. hucksters. housewives,
and eager children getting the
trip as a summer reward.
For several. children and
adults. it was the first fight.
At least two servicemen were
flying home on emergency leave
to be at the bedside of sick rela-
tives. Other young men were
getting out of the service or re-
turning from special duty on the
West Coast.
One month Howard Mag
was sitting in his mothers lap
aboard the TWA plane. Hugo
Pekruhn, SO, retired widower
aboard the United airliner,
doubtless was thinking Of the
wonderful months he had spent
with one daughter in Redondo
Beach, Calf. Now he was to
spend the summer with another
daughter near his home in
Steubenville. Ohio.
Dennis Phelan, 81. a TWA en-
gineer, was especially anxious to
get home. He had been working
on jet project at San Diego
when he received a telephone
from Kansas City that his wife
Dorothy. 81. was about to give
birth to their second child.
A 6-found, 15-ounce girl was
born the next morning after the
crash.
Speeding to Families
John E. Yaeger. 80. a Tilton-
vile, Ohio, chemist, was speeding
home to his wife and six chill
dren via United, On the other
plane hurting through the
thunderheads sat William H.
Marley, 46, of St. Louis, director
of financial services for the
Catholic Hospital Association.
Both were returning from busi-
ness trips.
Mr.. Markey had five young
sters and probably would have
enjoyed swapping stories with
Mr.. Yaeger. But they never had
a chance.
Sixteen children persisted in
the accidet. At least two fam
lilies were wiped out.
Orphaned are the three chill
dren of Attorney and Mrs. Wal
lace Hatcher of Ventura, Calf.
Mr.. Hatcher, AZ, was going to
Indianapolis for a business
meeting.
Mr., and Mrs. Joseph Kite of
Prairie Village, Kans.. were 60
ing home with their daughters,
Sharon, 10. and Linda 10, 6. who
had realized their dream of see
ing Dlsneyland. The Mag ba-
by's parents, Mr.. and Mrs. John
Mag of Los Angeles. also were
killed.
Changed Places With Wife
Another Los Angeles man,
Richard H. Payne, changed
places with his wife at the last
moment. He was taking 4-year-
old Dick and 9-year-old Monica
for a summer visit on their
aunt's Iowa farm.
A Santa Barbara, Calf, di-
vorcee, Mrs. J. K. Robinson, and
her sons. jeffrey. 9, and David
II we're bound for a Kansas City
visit.
The tragedy was the second