Best Hikes In El Paso: The Franklin Mountains B-36 Crash Site

Thanks for your efforts and story. Your expressions for those guys who in an instant were gone for ever was well done. I've been to a similiar site and you just aren't prepared for the emotion you were about to meet.

This is a very interisting read and some very good pictures but you made one slight mistake. The caption of the turbine remains indicated that it powered the propellers. The propellers were powered by reciprocation piston engines and not jet engines. The B-36 did have four jet engines but they were outboard of the propellers. The B-36 had a total of six piston engines and four jet engines.

Very interestiing information we have long wondered about. This was a much-talked about event in the 1950's and we are so admiring of you to take the time and effort to do all this research and then to publish it. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

I am the child of Maj. Douglas Miner and I was six years old when my Dad and the others were killed in that plane. I am now nearly sixty-four and I remember clearly the news of his death and the impact it had on our family and friends. Believe me, they have not been forgotten. My younger son who serves in the U.S. Coast Guard recently visited Ft. Sam Houston and went to the grave of his Grandfather. It was a sobering moment for him and for me. He took pictures of his grave and honored my Dad. Thank… Read more »

Hello,

My family and I were out at the crash site today and there was plaque mounted on a large rock. It listed the names of the men who were killed and the date. We hiked down from the Wyler Tramway, so perhaps it is only noticeable when coming from that direction, or it is new. Just wanted you all to know that there is permanent memorial at the site.

I have heard stories of this crash as my grandfather was 1 of the 9 Dewey Taliaferro, as I read this the story becomes so real, with no words to describe your feels, My mom has want to visit the site your a while now, I think with all this info, it is time to plan the trip. Thank you Dobbs for all your hard work and time you have put in to remember The Lost 9.

Andrea I am glad you found the information to be useful. If you need any help planning your trip feel free to ask.

Dear Kathy, I was stationed at Biggs when the b 36 crashed. My twin brother and I were in the air police and we climbed up the mountain in order to reach the sight. I had just turned 17 and the memory of that day will live for ever in my mind. we had to recover the bodies the next day. I never cried so hard that day in all my life. Troy Howard 108 Shiloh Victoria, Texas 77904. tlwh@suddenlink.net. Commander Korean war cid 223.

Dobbs — your site and photos are superb in every way. Thanks for sharing. In Oct 1957 I began a long career at White Sands Proving Ground, just before the first Sputnik orbited, and the Mesilla Valley became home. While a student at NM A&MA (now NM State Univ, Las Cruces) weekend trips to Juarez were the norm. Bottles of Bacardi were about $1.50, same price as a good filet mignon dinner south-of-the-border. WSPG workers had access to the otherwise-private Ft Bliss-WSPG ‘back highway.’ Col Bob Pate, a B-36 pilot until he retired the military to engineer rockets at Aerojet,… Read more »

My name is Stanley “Bill” Haines and my wife and I arrived at Bigg’s AFB in Sept. 1953. I was a newly assigned Navigator to the 95th Bomb Wing which was converting over to B-36 Aircraft. I currently am recording my service history for my Family and in searching for the date of this crash came upon this vivid Article. We both often recall that fateful day. The day was raining and even snowing at times and in the background you could hear the drone sound of the B-36 engines and then there was a bright flash and in a… Read more »

Thanks for commenting. I took the pictures from this article in late December of 2009 and yes it was a beautiful day for going out and taking pictures.

Very interesting reading and touching stories from family of crew members and recovery personnel. I have hiked to the site many times in the last thirty five years and each time have felt a great sense of respect and gratitude for the lost airmen. I am an avid airplane modeler and member of a local model club in El Paso and for some time have been planning a commorative B-36 model including a base with a placard listing the crew. My club has a Veterens Day display at a local mall and I think the B-36 model would be quite… Read more »

I would be happy to, once the project is completed. At present, the B-36 model is in the concept phase of the modeling process. Although I will use a scale plastic kit, the construction process can (and in my case will) take many hours spread over several months to complete. I’d love to have it finished by this Veterans Day but it’s not always easy to dedicate the time needed.

Thank you for taking an interest in the project. Corresponding with you has made this more personal and meaningful.

Hi Dobbs, I’d really like to share a photo of the completed B-36 model project. The model kit I’ll use is quite large and considering the degree of detail I like to put into a model, the project will take a considerable amount of time to complete. The interest shown on this site might have moved the B-36 up several notches on the build list, however. I’d like to represent the aircraft as accurately as possible and am researching but any information from readers would be helpful. The crew, along with many other veterans were in my thought this Memorial… Read more »

For the record, I must share what I discovered about the night of the crash. I posted a comment about a year ago, and after talking to my mother, discovered that I was wrong in my belief that my dad’s friend, Doug Evans, was suppose to be on that flight. Because it was a “ferry” flight, it had less that the full crew. Doug Evans was part of that crew, but not suppose to be on that flight. My mother is 83 years old, and when I told her about finding this web site, she told me all about what… Read more »

I am from El Paso. Married, Grandather of eight beautiful grandkids. When I was 7 years old (1954) I went on a hike toward Ranger Peak (Then it was the KTSM TV Tower). It was a Boy Scout badge requirement climb that my father was taking the (My brother, myself and the other boy scouts and Parents) Boy scouts through. We by passed the area the author was talking about. There is a plaque out there stating the names of the airman. It was a very somber moment for all of us, when reached the site. We said a prayer… Read more »

My wife’s father flew on this plane we think. He told the story of being apart of a B-36 flight crew as a radar tail gunner about this time frame. He talked about being on duty in the barracks while the rest of the crew went on a training flight and crashed in the mountains. I’m almost sure this is that B-36. He also told the story of how the Captain would call for sandwiches and coffee and he would have to prepare them and slide down the man tube to the flight deck. Midway through the pilot would put… Read more »

This is the first time I’ve seen the picture of my Dad’s plane just before it crashed. I can’t begin to tell you how shocking it is…..gut wrenching, in fact.

Kelli,
Would you please give your neighbor, Mr. Morford my kindest regards? I am the daughter of Doug Miner, crew member and navigator on the plane that crashed in the Franklin Mountains. I was 5 years old at the time and do remember some things about my dad. Since he was just 3, his memories may be vague. In any case, I think of all the people we lost that day..it makes no difference if I knew them, their names or families…they are not forgotten.
Kathy Miner Peterson

Oh, this makes me cry. We were an Air Force family; we lived about 1 very near E.P. Municipal (airport). B-36s were hugely impressive, and at age 9 (almost) I watched everything that flew; from our house we could easily see approaches into both Municipal and Biggs. We could hear the -36 flying around, flying around, but we couldn’t see it because of cloudiness. Suddenly we could not longer hear it. I do not remember any sounds of explosion or impact – too far away for that – but the sudden silence was so silent, so sudden, that it seemed…weird.… Read more »

I was born and raised in El Paso. I was 15 years old at the time of the crash. I recall the day being cloudy. The tops of Mt Franklin were in the clouds. The B-36 was on a GCA approach from the Southwest to the North East on the West side of the mountain. About 6 months after the crash my father,twin brother and I climbed up to the crash sight. I recovered several blades from the jet engines.

Brenda, I’ve just read your comments and was glad to see them. I do very much wish you and your mom had been to the dedication this past Saturday. It was extraordinary in it’s simplicity, compassion and kindness. I met the other families who had lost their dads, sons, and husbands and each and every one of them were so sweet and generous with their words. Everyone I talked to asked how old I was when the accident happened (I was 6) and every one said, “I am so sorry’. The plaque that was erected is beautiful and I, like… Read more »

Thank you so much for this information. M/Sgt. Royal Freeman was my brother and I never knew until reading this what actually happened. Why the shroud of secrecy?
Thank you again.
Ronald Freeman

Dobbs, you’d asked who put the granite plaque at the site up. I was responsible, am on the committee which put together the Dec. 14, 2013 dedication ceremony for the roadside metal historical marker and would be glad to take Brenda Morrison or anyone to the crash site. Contact me at kirkpul@yahoo.com if you’re interested.

Thanks for your nice comment, Dobbs, and for setting up this very informative blog. There had been a concrete base with apparent metal plaques from decades prior at a location maybe 200 yards north of the main wreckage. I felt there should again be some kind of marker so with the help of a couple of others with a proper drill and bit (my borrowed cordless drill and bit wasn’t up to getting through the hard rock at the site), installed the granite plaque with stainless washers and lag screws a few years ago. Then the committee was formed to… Read more »

Wonderful article, about what would have been a long forgotten incident. In fact, i am sure that the Air Force HAS forgotten about it, thus no real memorial. The turbine engines did not power the propellers. The B-36 had six 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360 ‘Wasp Major’ radial engines. Piston engines, similar to the B-17, B-24, and B29… Just a LOT bigger. Beginning with the B-36D, Convair added a pair of General Electric J47-19 jet engines suspended near the end of each wing; these were also retrofitted to all extant B-36Bs. So, those turbine assemblies that you saw came off… Read more »

Thank you for than important and interesting information about this sad moment on December 11, 1953, I was search n Facebook, but I don’t find information about this terrible success n El Paso, Texas. This 9 airmen rest n peace( RIP). And their families resignation for lost loved one. I was looking and thinking about El Paso, Texas will keep and care every piece the debris intact ,Because is part the history of El Paso, Texas. USA. Military field. I will pray this beautiful prayer: Jesus, console those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Let them be… Read more »