Flight 191 Memorial - Des Plaines, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 42° 00.582 W 087° 53.688
16T E 425905 N 4651240
At just after 3 p.m. on May 25, 1979, an American Airlines DC-10 crashed shortly after takeoff from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport killing all 271 on board and two on the ground. Now, 32 years later, there is a memorial to the victims.
Waymark Code: WMCX2R
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 10/21/2011
Views: 10
The memorial is a low brick wall with the names of all of those who perished in the crash, plus a commemorative plaque. Planted flowers rest behind the names and fresh cut flowers remain today from the dedication ceremony this past weekend.
The plaque reads:
"WE REMEMBER FLIGHT 191
Let us not forget the victims of May 25, 1979, who
helped assure the safety of all who have boarded
an airliner since that tragic event.
'When someone you love becomes a memory
the memory becomes a treasure.' ~Author Unknown
A special thanks to all who helped make this memorial
possible, especially: Decatur Classical School, Chicago
Public Schools; US Representative Jan Schakowsky;
IL Senator Dan Kotowski; the Des Plaines Park
District; American Airlines; Project Citizen; Thomas
A. Demetrio; Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago;
Center for Civic Education; and Nilco, Inc."
Here's the 10/15/2011 news story about the memorial dedication ceremony from the Chicago Tribune (
visit link) The placement of this memorial seems to have brought considerable closure to many of the victims' families.
More information about the people who worked so hard to accomplish this memorial at (
visit link)
More about the disaster: The left engine fell off Flight 191 on takeoff severing critical control lines and a section of the left wing making a successful return to the airport nearly impossible. The aircraft rolled over on its back before crashing into an open field just short of a trailer park about 4,600 feet northwest of the departure end of runway 32R at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, Illinois. See more details at the waymark for the nearby crash location at (
visit link)