On a standard week, The Parthenon’s sports staff would be honoring a current Marshall athlete for his or her performance from the previous week. 

But on this week every November, it is not an ordinary week. It is a week of mourning, celebration and remembrance. 

On Saturday, it will have been 50 years since the tragic Marshall football plane crash that claimed the lives of 75 members of the Marshall community. Not only did it take players and coaches from this world but also parents, spouses, sons, daughters and integral members of the Huntington community. 

The plane crash did not simply shake a football program; it struck a town and a university to their core. 

Although the 50-year anniversary is no different from any other year in terms of significance, the 50th represents a cultural milestone that allows us and others to stress the memory of “The 75” to an even greater extent.

Thus, it would be a disservice to everyone to not use this opportunity to recognize those 75 lives that were lost 50 years ago.

In memory of:

Capt. Frank Abbott

James Adams

Mark Andrews

Charles Arnold

Rachel Arnold

Mike Blake

Dennis Blevins

Willie Bluford

Donald Booth

Deke Brackett

Larry Brown

Tom Brown

Al Carelli Jr.

Dr. Joseph Chambers

Margaret Chambers

Roger Childers

Stuart Cottrell

Rick Dardinger

David DeBord

Danny Deese

Gary George

Kevin Gilmore

Dave Griffith

Dr. Ray Hagley

Shirley Hagley

Art Harris

Art Harris Jr.

Bob Harris

E. O. Heath

Elaine Heath

Bob Hill

Joe Hood

Tom Howard

James Jarrell

Cynthia Jarrell

Ken Jones

Charles Kautz

Marcelo Lajterman

Richard Lech

Frank Loria

Gene Morehouse

Jim Moss

Barry Nash

Jeff Nathan

Pat Norrell

Dr. Brian O’Connor

James Patterson

Charlene Poat

Michael Prestera

Dr. Glenn Preston

Phyllis Preston

Dr. H. D. Proctor

Courtney Proctor

Murrill Ralsten

Helen Ralsten

Scotty Reese

Jack Repasy

Larry Sanders

Al Saylor

Jim Schroer

Art Shannon

Ted Shoebridge

Allen Skeens

Jerry Smith

Jerry Stainback

Donald Tackett

Rick Tolley

Bob Van Horn

Roger Vanover

Patricia Vaught

Parker Ward

Norman Whisman

Fred Wilson

John Young

Tom Zborill