On the morning of May 6, 1981, the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft, ARIA 61-0328, lifted off from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. ARIA 61-0328 was never to be heard from again; all aboard perished in a fatal crash while on a training mission over Walkersville, Maryland.
A bronze plaque along with 21 flowering crab apple trees were placed in the memorial garden at the National Museum of the Air Force Fairborn, Ohio, each tree representing a crew member or passenger.
Our desire is to construct a Walkersville Memorial to pay tribute to our lost ARIA family and to pay tribute to the first responders, the Walkersville Fire Department, and others that searched for our ARIA family on that day.
The Town of Walkersville has welcomed the ARIA family with open arms and has approved the construction of the ARIA 328 Walkersville Memorial. The Town of Walkersville has generously donated land at Heritage Farm Park for the ARIA 328 Memorial. Now we need to direct our attention to raising the funds for construction.
Tina Pickrell (Leiker)
Born 3 October 1955 - Aged 25 Years
Salina, Kansas
ARIA 328
ARIA 328 Memorial Foundation
Freedom Is Never Free
On the morning of May 6, 1981, the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft, ARIA 61-0328, lifted off from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. ARIA 61-0328 was never to be heard from again; all aboard perished in a fatal crash while on a training mission over Walkersville, Maryland.
A bronze plaque along with 21 flowering crab apple trees were placed in the memorial garden at the National Museum of the Air Force Fairborn, Ohio, each tree representing a crew member or passenger.
Our desire is to construct a Walkersville Memorial to pay tribute to our lost ARIA family and to pay tribute to the first responders, the Walkersville Fire Department, and others that searched for our ARIA family on that day.
The Town of Walkersville has welcomed the ARIA family with open arms and has approved the construction of the ARIA 328 Walkersville Memorial. The Town of Walkersville has generously donated land at Heritage Farm Park for the ARIA 328 Memorial. Now we need to direct our attention to raising the funds for construction.
Meg Luce (Pivonka)
Rest in peace, Sir. Thank you for your selfless service to protect my freedom. Meg
Bruce Theel (Theel)
Rest in peace brother.
Brenda Hunt (Avery)
Rest in peace Mike.