T-33 Memorial
T-33 Memorial
On November 23, 1963 a Royal Canadian Navy T-33 Jet crashed on Mt. Strachen while on a training flight, killing both pilots, Lieutenants Ogden and Clark. The accident occurred in bad weather. It took three days of intensive searching by sea, air, and land to locate the site.
It was the height of the Cold War; the confrontation between the West and the Soviet Union between 1947 and 1989. Canadian aircrew were training aggressively to be ready for any challenges resulting from the escalating political tension. The severe demands of operations and training resulted in over 1,000 fatalities of Canadian aircrew during this period.
News of the assassination of American President John F. Kennedy the day before overshadowed that of this tragic accident.
Mid-August 2013, Richard (Dick) Dunn hiked to the site and found only a rudimentary aluminum plaque marking the crash site. The Air Force Officers’Association and the Battle of Britain Memorial Fund undertook to erect a commemorative plaque in honour of the two pilots killed in the crash.
Cypress Mountain management and staff provided logistics, and the 192nd Construction Engineering Flight, Royal Canadian Air Force shaped the monument and installed the plaque.
Funding provided by Naval Aviators mobilized by George Plawski, as well as contributions from the Air Force Officers’ Association, Naval Association of Canada - Vancouver Island, Naval Officers' Association of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Veterans Commemorative Association.
On August 28th, 2014, the memorial was unveiled.Thirteen of Lt. Ogden’s family were present, including daughters Dale Lane & Lorrie Fjeldstad, and son, Blair Larson. Unfortunately, we were unable to contact members of Lt. Clark’s family.
Links to media coverage of the ceremony:
CTV: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=427595
North Shore News: http://www.nsnews.com/news/1.1333983
Cypress Mountain: http://cypressmountain.com/t33
Vancouver Sun: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Cypress+Mountain+memorial/10161049/story.html
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Local+Shows/British+Columbia/The+Early+Edition/ID/2500009590/?page=2
CBC Radio Interview Al Horner: http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Local+Shows/British+Columbia/The+Early+Edition/ID/2500009590/?page=2
To T-33 Memorial Synopsis Click here
To T-33 Photos Click here