A colleague was asking about our new place the other day and told me about a plane crash that happened right behind our apartment in 1960. He said up until last year nothing resided at the site of the crash, not even a memorial. I checked it out when I got home that night and sure enough, our backyard is steps away from the site of the crash. Now you’ll find a brand new condo building in its place.
Sterling Place and 7th Avenue on the day of the crash
From about.com on the crash:
On Friday, December 16, 1960, a cold, gray morning, a United Airlines DC-8 originating in Chicago and a TWA Super Constellation, outbound from Columbus, collided above Staten Island. The TWA flight crashed at Miller Field, in the New Dorp section of Staten Island. Fortunately no one on the ground was injured there. The United flight plunged into Park Slope’s Sterling Place, near Seventh Avenue, killing five people on the ground. In all, 135 people perished in what was the worst air disaster of its day.
The United flight narrowly missed the now defunct St. Augustine’s Academy (Sterling Place near Sixth Avenue) which was filled with school children, then hit a brownstone (126 Sterling Pl) before careening into the ironically-named Pillar of Fire church (at 123 Sterling Pl), destroying it completely. Wallace E. Lewis, a 90-year old caretaker was in the church at the time and was one of the five people killed on the ground. According to the New York Times report, the other victims were Charles J. Cooper, who was out shoveling snow, Joseph Colacano and John Opperisano, who were selling Christmas trees on the Sterling Place sidewalk, and Jacob Crooks who was walking his dog.
This was the first I heard about the crash and there seems to be little information about it online. Maybe a memorial wouldn’t be a bad idea?
{ 17 comments }
i love history.interesting post Karen…link to more pictures: http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/ua826/photo.shtml
one more time…it looks like this guy wrote a book about it: http://www.midair-collision-over-newyork.com
Thanks, Nuti! Some of those photos are incredible.
I was 6 at the Time of the Crash. I was however a witness to most of what was going on. My House had a view that encompassed most of the area where the Plane came down on Staten Island. I remember it vividly.
Checked out http://www.midair-collision-over-newyork.com.
AWESOME. great writing
The book “Sterling Place” bought chills down my spine.
I hope the movie “Mayday New York” is as good as the book. I doubt it.
do you know if this school was Sterling Industrial School. back in the late 1800′s a early 1900′s
I found out tonight that Wallace E. Lewis (the 90 year old care-taker of the Pillar of Fire Church) was my great great uncle. He was one of the five that were killed on the ground. (That’s my grandfather’s mother’s brother; or, my paternal grandfather’s maternal uncle)
I find this bit of national and family history very interesting. Thanks for blogging it!
I must find out more.
I remember that day, I was working in Manhattan and it came over on a radio bulletin, I also thought about it today! Dec. 16TH 2008, because a co-worker was on the phone and mentioned Sterling place, to a friend. As i looked out the window it was snowing and gloomy just like it was that day. Isn’t that a wild coincedence?
Charles J Cooper, who was shoveling snow,worked for the Sanitation Dept. When he was killed he left 3 small children, one of them , John, was my best friend. A memorial wouldn’t be too much too ask for.
Uncle wally is what the caretaker went by. He was my great uncle. I thought I would just add this comment he was a very nice man and his Headstone reads faithful unto death. He is buried in Belleview Cemetery Westminster,Co near his sister who also was a missionary for the Pillar of Fire Church and my namesake.
I am glad I came across your blog.
I was born and raised in Park Slope (9th Street betwen 7th and 8th Avenues) and was a seniior in High School when this crash took place…John Jay High School, origanally Manual Training High School. It was a cold winter’s day. Many students from the school including myself ran down 7th Avenue to witness the scene. Many students tried to help but were turned away….
I was born in park slope too. I was 9 yrs old at the time. I was home that day not sure why. But I remember the loud plane engines of the plane that seemed to fly over my house. I lived on degraw street between 4th & 5th ave closer to 5th ave.
I saw that little boy stephen blatz on ground. I never forgot that day I’m 58 yrs old now and can remember if it was yesterday. I still have family on degraw street and walk to the plane site when ever i’m there. I can’t get they day out of my mind.
Anthony
i was born thats block i live in 118 sterling pl i heard alot of storys about this
I was in 4th grade at St. Francis Xavier Elementary School on President St. It was a truly dismal winter day, when out of the sky one could hear the crescendo of the engines' roar until they became deafening. My teacher, Mrs. Dunne, fainted as the fireball passed our window. One didn't even have time to say, “What is that?” before the plane crashed into the street. Only about 9 at the time, I thought the tall flames were coming from the roof tops of the nearby buildings. Just horrifying. Not even 9/11 was as terrifying for me, as this was a plane falling from the sky right into the midst of our city streets.
B. J. Price My name is Milt Sharpe. A year ago I thought Wallace Lewis was my great Uncle but I just foundout He was My Great Grand Father. You and I must be related. Look forward to hearing from you! Milt
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