Gander Wall Memorializes 248 Soldiers Killed in Crash

Somewhere above, Walter and Ann Wright believe their son Ricky may be proudly smiling at what they've done for him at their home in Daleville, Alabama.
In the memory of Cpl. John Richard (Ricky) Wright, who died with 247 fellow soldiers in the crash of a DC-9 airliner in Gander, Newfoundland, Dec. 12, 1985, the Wrights dedicated their memorial, the Gander Wall, on the seventh anniversary of the tragedy.
"I think he would have been awfully proud if he could be looking down and know what's going on," Mrs. Wright said.
Corporal Wright was a member of the Screaming Eagles of the Task Force, 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
He graduated from Daleville High School in 1982 and was a member of the school's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. He was 23.
The soldiers were on their way home for Christmas after completing a peacekeeping mission in the Sinai Peninsula.
The Camaro Corporal Wright left with his mother while stationed at Fort Campbell has been converted into a "rolling memorial."
the name of every crew member and soldier who died in the crash is listed on the Gander Wall, which cost the Wrights almost $6,000 to build.
A plaque that hangs at the entrance of the sidewalk leading to the wall reads: "Erected in the memory of Cpl. John R. (Ricky) Wright and 247 of his fellow service members plus a crew of eight. 'The day the Eagles cried,' Dec. 12, 1985."
A fountain sits directly in front of the wall. Behind it are various flags - American, Canadian, Alabama, Newfoundland, Gander - and the flag of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division.
The parents of two other soldiers, including one from Pike County, were among those attending the Dec. 12 ceremony at the Wright home. The Wrights didn't know he was in the Pike County High School JROTC until they met Spec. Carl Simmons' mother, Mary Frances Simmons, of Banks, at the ceremony.
The memorial is open to the public. Guests should call Mrs. Wright at 598-3332 or knock on the carport door if they wish to see the Gander Wall.
Members of the Daleville JROTC color guard presented the colors at the ceremony and two songs were played for those in attendance - "Going Home for Christmas" by The Inspirations and "A Sad Day in Gander."
The latter song was written by a man named Eric Waterman. He talked with many of the soldiers in the airport before the fateful takeoff. He wrote the song and sent it to Mrs. Wright after the crash. He later wrote another song about the memorial to the soldiers in Gander.
Among the speakers at the ceremony were Lt. Col. Jimmy R. Duhaime, commander of the Daleville JROTC, and Frank Moore, superintendent of Daleville City Schools. The memorial was unveiled by Jason and Adam Barody, two of the Wrights' grandchildren, as The Inspirations' song played.
Although the dedication service naturally brought on some painful memories, it was part of the "healing process" for the Wrights.
Wright said he "felt emotional for a few minutes."
"Then, you feel better," his wife added, "because you know you're doing something. They're not just forgotten. We don't want them forgotten."
"I said I would build my own," Wright said. "It's within 20 to 30 feet of the first fort Ricky every built anyway. We have a picture of him and his brother Billy building the fort when they were 8 and 9 years old."