September 26, 1955 - December 12, 1985
From Clarksville, Tennessee

On Thursday, December 12, 1985, the chartered DC-8 plane carrying 248 members of the 101st Airborne Division of Fort Campbell, Kentucky and 8 crew members returning home for Christmas from peace keeping duties in the Middle East, crashed during takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland. The following Monday, December 16, 1985, President and Mrs. Reagan visited Fort Campbell for a memorial service honoring those soldiers.

FROM "ARMY CID - MEMORIAL - DIRK MILLER"
(http://cfs.vrhome.com/cid/dirkmill.htm)

The unit moved to its current home in Aug of 1982. The building was named Miller Hall in August, 1986, in memory of Special Agent (CW2) Dirk A. MILLER. CW2 MILLER died (in the line of duty) 12 Dec 1985, while returning from duty with the Multinational Forces and Observers in Sinai, Egypt. He served in the US Army for thirteen years, 8 months, and was stationed at Fort Campbell 10 Nov 1983.

CW2 Miller distinguished himself as the sole USACIDC representative, and advisor to the MFO Provost Marshall on criminal matters. He provided expert guidance and criminal investigative support to Task Force 3-502.

He and 248 other task force soldiers were killed shortly after take-off from Gander, Newfoundland.

FROM "GANDER - THE UNTOLD STORY"
(http://www.sandford.org/gandercrash/main/index.shtml)

This memorial was built at the Gander crash site in honor of the members of the 101st Airborne Division who died in the Gander crash. The children are each holding olive branches, representing the peacekeeping mission in the Sinai that the 101st Airborne Division was returning from when the crash occurred.

© Fred Earle

© Lloyd's Photography

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