Marshall’s Student Government Association has honored the 75 victims of the 1970 Marshall University plane crash, including football players, coaches, staff and supporters, along with the crew of five..

The annual memorial service was held today at noon on the Memorial Student Center plaza.

The crash on Saturday, Nov. 14, 1970 occurred at about 7:47 p.m. when a DC-9 jetliner, returning Marshall home from its football game at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., clipped some treetops just short of Tri-State Airport and went down.

The service concluded with the traditional placing of memorial wreaths at the Memorial Fountain. Snyder, Elmore, the Thundering Herd football captains and the Ceredo Fire Department Honor Guard participated in the ceremony. The fountain was then turned off until spring.

Today’s speakers included SGA President Dominique Elmore, Marshall football Coach Mark Snyder, President Stephen J. Kopp and Parker Ward, whose father died in the crash.

“The SGA is honored to continue the important tradition of publicly remembering those who lost their lives in the crash,” Elmore said. “Even though it has been 37 years, the families of the victims and many, many people in the Marshall community still hurt, and still wonder why this happened. As we have said numerous times, we will never, ever forget those who were taken from us far too early in this tragic event

CLICK ON LINK TO SEE ENTIRE MEMORIAL SERVICE