USAG Rheinland-Pfalz honors victims of 1982 Chinook Helicopter crash in Mannheim

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, the City of Mannheim and surviving friends and family honored the 46 victims of the 1982 Chinook helicopter crash at the Memorial Stele in Mannheim, Germany, Sept. 11.

Col. Jerry L. Wood, Jr., USAG Rheinland-Pfalz commander, attended the annual memorial ceremony alongside retired German Bundeswehr Soldiers, the French National Union of Parachutists (Union Nationale des Parachutistes), organizers, surviving friends and family and officials from the City of Mannheim. With a wreath-laying ceremony and a moment of silence, the attendees remembered the French, British, German and American servicemembers and civilians who lost their lives 44 years ago in one of the deadliest military aviation accidents in Europe since the conclusion of World War II.

On Sept. 11, 1982, during an air show for the 375th anniversary of the city of Mannheim, parachutists from Mannheim and its sister cities Toulon, France, and Swansea, Great Britain, set out to do a formation jump from a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Following a mechanical failure shortly after takeoff, the rotor blades of the helicopter separated mid-flight, causing the helicopter to crash. All 46 people aboard lost their lives: 23 French, nine British, six German and eight American crew members and passengers.

Chris Rihm, Mannheim city councilman, spoke at the ceremony, reflecting on the lasting impact of the accident on the lives of those who witnessed it and emphasizing the deep bonds that have grown out of the tragedy.

"Forty-four years is a long time," said Rihm. "And yet, here we are again, in the same place, on the same day in September. That says more about this place than any speech ever could."

"What happened afterward is remarkable," the councilman noted. "This day did not create distance, but rather a closeness that endures to this day. Our connection with our American partners remains steadfast."

Sept. 11, 2027 will mark the 45th anniversary of the tragedy.

U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz sets, serves, and secures the total force community, enabling power projection for the European Theater.

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