Airplanes in the River

The tale of the ill fated B-25 bomber that crashed in the Monongahela River in Jan 1956 is well known in sothwestern PA lore.Discussions of its removal from the river the night of the crash and the alleged government cover up have been hashed over in the taverns of Pittsburgh and the surrounding area all too many times.Untill recently,I,too, was one of the believers the plane was towed out during the night and carted off on awaiting flat bed trucks.However,I'm not so sure.
Within the last year,I've learned of another twin engine bomber that crashed in the muddy Mon within 3 months of the B-25.This plane crashed near Grey's Landing PA.Details are here:

http://www3.gendisasters.com/pennsylvania/11921/masontown-pa-navy-bomber-crash-mar-1956

So..what dose this have to do with the B-25,you ask? Well..after learning of the second plane crash,I couldn't help but wonder how many people have the two crashes confused.I mean,c'mon..two similar military aircraft,crashing in the same river..about 60-70 miles apart within three months!? I can't help but wonder how many witnesses to the B-25 removal,were actually at Greys Landing.
Recently I talked with my Uncle Biff,who was a fresh riverboat Capitain when the second plane crashed into the Mon just south of my hometown.He was there for the removal of the second aircraft which took an extended ammount of time.The bardges the planes was loaded onto were guarded 24/7 during the whole operation.The recovery was done during daylight hours and was anything but stealth.Keep in mind,they knew where this plane came to rest,unlike the B-25.
So,this makes one even more skeptical of the "overnight removal" of the B-25.Anyone who is familar with the Monongahela River in winter knows it moves...fast.During the flood of 1985,I watched full coal bardges fly downstream at lightning speed.So,imagine how fast an airplane (or parts thereof) would disappear.
So,as I type this,I must offically state my position as a believer that that the B-25 bomber is still in the Mon.I just don't see the logic of a plane being removed in the dead of night...in the winter,covertly.Even if there was mystery cargo..why dig up the whole plane?
I doubt any positive proof will ever be found either way.The Freedom of Information Act should have declassified any documentation to its removal.As far as I know,the "official"stance on this per the government is the plane was never recovered.Its been over 50 years,so the chance of any plane parts being recovered are probably nil.So I guess all thats left to do now is calculate the odds of two planes crashing in the same river,three months apart!Let the conspiricy theories begin!! Remember,you heard it here first!!

The Updates are comming..the updates are comming..!

Due to family demands,I haven't been able to present any recent posts of interest.I,however,have not forgotten my brothers and sisters in blog land.I've been following up on some stories and targeting new terrain to explore.Cooler weather will help with the latter.Less chance of encounters with snakes and critters always improves on a a tromp through the brush!
I still have to convert Grandad's home movies.I have discovered this will be far easier to take then to a local store for professional conversion,than my original plan...so all you river/local history buffs hang tight!
I also have some more info on the famous B-25 Bomber in Monongahela...well,new theories anyway.The more I try to convince myself its not there,the more the evidence seems to point the other direction...more on that later.
Also,I plan on revisiting the Debbie Makel case.This,by far is the story I get the most feedback on and have a few friends who have expressed interest on helping me shed more light on the still unsolved murder...
So stay tuned my friends as I promise some good stuff comming your way,soon! In the mean time,drop me a line and throw some ideas my way of what you would like to see covered in the blog!!I'm always happy to hear from ya!

Grandad's Home Movies

My Grandfather was a tech geek.I suppose thats where I get it from.CB's,cameras,electronics,airplanes,boats...he loved any and all gadgets.He even has an original Pong game...the first home video game!If he were still with us...he'd be online,no doubt.Fortunatley, he was quite the amatuer cameraman.I recently decided to started to go through his home movies.The older ones are 16mm and there are some more recent 8mm films.I want to preserve these films for the obvious sentimental reasons...but theres alot of folks who are gonna be stoked to see what he has.For example...how about footage of riverboats going through Lock 6 in Rices Landing!? I'm talkin the big paddlewheel suckers!!The Mon River buffs are gonna shit when these on Youtube!!My Dad estimates its from the 50s!I can only imagine what else is on these reels.
I will be posting bits and pieces as soon as I can,so stay tuned!!

How'd I miss these? Rices Landing , PA coal mines

  

I grew up in Rices Landing and thought I knew all of the cool stuff...but I guess not.In my younger days I remember some of the older kids talking about caves in Pumpkin Run and it wasn't until recently that I've heard then described as mines.
This makes much more sense,knowing how small mines were common in the old days for coal supplies for homes and such.The Underwood mine on my Dad's property is one such mine.Also,learning the homes and mills that were once located in what is now the park,it only stands to reason there would be a mine there,too.
I mentioned my quest for the mines on my Facebook page and the former River Rats rose to the occasion and directed me right to them.I went down today and found them.(actually,I think its two entrances to the same mine).The one opening was all but covered (much like the Underwood mine).The other,however,not so much.It was covered,partially,but was far more accesable than the others I've seen.Judging from the beer cans,people much braver/dumber/drunker than I, have been in there...recently.
I was flying solo today,as usual,so there was NO CHANCE of me crawling down in there.But....I want to...kind of..anyone with common sense knows how uber-dangerous entering an abandoned mine is.But,from what I hear...many people have.In my younger,far more adventerous (stupid)days...I'd have been the first one in.I just can't figure out how I never did...There will be more on this as I get more info.
I cannot post this in good conscious without saying...If you know where the mine is and are thinking about checking it out...don't.I'd feel pretty bad if someone got hurt.I've been in email contact with guys who do this kind of stuff (with tons of training and experience) who I might get on the case...as for now,lets settle for the pix I took.(I was having camera issues,pardon the crappy quality)

Mystery Gas Station, Carmichaels, PA, Greene county.

Whats cool about winter is that you see things you don't normally notice.I noticed something recently I've driven right past thousands of times and never saw.Now that snow is on the ground and the leaves are down...I noticed an old gas pump in the weeds,in Carmicheals,right off Rt.88,below Visnesky's garage.So,I called Ang.She says she remembers the pump and that there was an old station there years ago...closed long before we were around.So,if you know anthing about the old gas station (or have pictures) lemme know.I think its wild that a solitary pump still stands and I actually caught it in the corner of my eye.Wonder how much a fill-up ws back then!?

More PID!

A few more pix from the Pittsburgh International Dragway.These are circa 1964-65. More here!

Pittsburgh International Dragway

These shots are from Pittsburgh International Dragway.The drag strip was a former airfeild located near Bridgevile,Pa.My father (pictured here in the red car)and my uncle raced there in 1964-65.I have more and will post them as soon as I get more info to go along with them.The strip still exists in poor shape.Ths spring,I'm gonna track it down.Word is Waynesburg will have drag races again at the Greene Couny airport this summer.COOL!! I'll be there! (Do they have a van class?) More here!

The Crucible Ferry

(Post edited 1/1/11 due to clarification)
These photos show the Nekoda,the former cable ferry that ran between Greene and Fayette counties near the Crucible Mine.The photo taken from the water was from 1982,showing the ferry where it sat for many years after service stopped.Many people believe the ferry was moved downstream toward the mine pier during the 85 flood.However,the other photos were taken from shore while the pool of the river was dropped due to bardges clogging the Maxwell Lock gates open.The pool was dropped after the flood,so these photos show it was still there post flooding.As a member of the RLVFD,our dive team would dive at the old launch as practice.I remember tagging along and swimming out to stand on the ferry.This would have been early 90's.So...when did it move?Was it scrapped or taken to a museum..or is it still laying in the Mon?