Soviets shoot down plane, give Anchorage publicity
How big a deal is Sarah Palin's VP nomination in Alaska, a state whose residents understandably often feel neglected and/or misunderstood by their countrymen in the Lower 48?
Here is a hint, although granted it's a story 25 years old this week:
When the Soviets shot down a civilian Korean aircraft near Sakhalin Island on Sept. 1, 1983, network TV newscasts covering the event noted that the plane had refueled in Anchorage.
"Anchorage." Not "Anchorage, Alaska."
This prompted an editorial in The Anchorage Times celebrating the fact "Anchorage" sufficed on national TV to identify our town, a sign we had finally arrived as a major city. Sure, 269 people - including a U.S. Congressman - died and the incident led to a diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and the Soviets, but at least Anchorage got plenty of pub!
If anyone finds me a copy of that editorial, he or she will be inducted into the WatchDog Hall of Fame, assuming I start one at some point.
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Comments (3)
Anchorage had plenty of pubs!!
Korean Flight 007 was one of two air incidents that summer that marred Anchorage International Airport that I had some "access" to. I had friends who checked people onto that Korean Flight.
In June I was witness to an old Reeve Aleutian Lockheed Electra come in from Adak missing it's nose gear (wouldn't lower)
and crash land right in front of me on the runway. (worked for an airline, our office was in a hangar on Airport Rd. parallel to the runways..could walk right out the back door to the runway).
Pilot did AN OUTSTANDING job getting it down safely. Emergency crews were on it in a second....and all passengers walked away. Albeit covered in foam.
And like "True Alaskans" they all refused medical treatment and went about their business or went home like nothing happened.
(Mostly fishermen and military)
Here's a picture of the plane:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AA:-1983-Plane-Crash-Photo-Electra-Anchorage-AK_W0QQitemZ370079426763QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20080821?IMSfp=TL08082112100r25215
Nice picture of the Chugach in the background.
Hello, Rod Serling? I was at the airport for the airport shooting pictures for the Anchorage Times when that Reeves plane crash landed. (My pictures weren't published because Alice Puster was there shooting too.) You're right, the pilot did a pretty amazing job.
We've got to quit meeting like this.
Neil - email sent.
Bob Mantz