DENVER – When asked, many Coloradans have never heard of one of the state’s darkest days back in 1955.
The crash of United Flight 629 in the early evening hours of November 1, 1955 killed 44 people in what would become the first plane bombing over U.S. soil.
The state-of-the-art airliner in 1955 — was loaded with 44 people and their luggage, including one bag packed with 25 sticks of dynamite planted by a Denver man who wanted to murder his own mother to collect life insurance money.
The 44 victims of United Flight 629 would include mothers, grandmothers, children. All collateral damage in his evil plan.
Denver7 has been on a mission to raise awareness of the tragedy and help the United Flight 629 Memorial Committee raise funds to build a permanent memorial in honor of the victims, family members and community that responded that night.
You can donate to the Denver7 Gives campaign at this link or in the secure form below with all funds going directly to the memorial committee.
There has never been a permanent marker created.
Denver7 Gives is helping to support the Flight 629 Memorial Committee in its efforts to build a permanent memorial to honor the 44 victims of the first-ever plane bombing on United Flight 629 in 1955. Watch our special half-hour presentation in the video player below.
United Flight 629 bombing: A push to build a permanent memorial
As the community works to mark the 70th year since the bombing, there are several efforts underway to commemorate what happened and raise awareness.
History Colorado recently launched a new Flight 629 exhibit which will run for one year.
Denver7 recently featured the exhibit which showcases personal artifacts from the passengers, including items from Marion Pierce Hobgood. His watch, cufflinks, and military camera from World War II will be displayed to "humanize these names that often only appear on a list," said Jeremy Morton, an exhibition developer and historian at History Colorado. "In a way, those belongings will represent all of the victims of Flight 629," Morton said. "These were people with complicated, nuanced lives and dreams that were cut too short."
- Watch Denver7's preview of the exhibit in the player below.
The items were donated by Marion’s daughter, Marian Poeppelmeyer, who wrote a book about healing from the tragedy and has been working to raise awareness on the need for a memorial.
- In the video player below, watch Denver7’s special report: Ball of fire over Colorado | Doomed United Flight 629
The bombing of United Airlines 629 and a journey to forgiveness
According to History Colorado, the exhibit aims to explore “the enduring legacy of this tragic event while serving as a tribute to all who were lost.”
“United 629 reshaped the way law enforcement, media, and the travel industry operate. The seventieth anniversary offers a moment for reflection on the lasting impact of the tragic event and a time to honor the victims whose lives were cut short,” the website reads.
As the 70th commemoration approaches, the Denver Police Museum is leading an effort to build a memorial marker at the base of FlyteCo Tower – the former Stapleton International Airport control tower – from where United Flight 629 took off all those years ago.
They are selling $30 challenge coins to help fund the memorial, which you can find at this link.
The Denver Police Museum is also working to host families of the victims at a ceremony later this year marking 70 years.
The United Flight 629 Memorial Committee has been hard at work envisioning the permanent memorial in Weld County where the plane crashed just minutes after taking off from Denver.
You can follow their efforts on their social channel and donate to the Denver7 Gives campaign in the form below by selecting ‘Help build United Flight 629 Memorial’ from the dropdown menu.
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