Tragic Death of Governor Commemorated

On January 25, 1962 a Montana Air National Guard C-47 aircraft was hit by a hurricane force wind that sheared off its right wing. The airplane which was flying to Cut Bank crashed into the Wolf Creek area killing all members on the plane. Among the dead were executive secretary Dennis Gordon, Montana National Guard Majors Joseph Devine and Clifford Hanson, Crew Chief Charles Ballard, the state agriculture commissioner Edward Wren, and the Governor of Montana Donald G. Nutter.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the plane crash tragedy, a commemoration ceremony will be held tomorrow, January 25, 2012 in the Governor's Reception Room at the Montana Capitol building in Helena. The event will be held at 1:00 P.M. and is open to the public. Tim Babcock, who was Lieutenant Governor at the time of the tragedy will be in attendance along with former First Lady Betty Babcock, current Governor Schweitzer, as well as members of the Montana Air National Guard.