A Former Publication Of Alderson High School “Alderson’s Longest Running News Media”

There’s More In The Water Than Fish Photos Provided By Duane Steep

At   one   time   there   seems   to   have   been   a   rash   of   airplanes   crashing   into   the   Greenbrier   river   in   Alderson, surprisingly   enough,   trying   to   fly    under   the   old   arch   bridge.   Since   it’s   happened   several   times,   there   should be   more   documentation   on   the   subject.   Below   is   a   list   of   some   who   successfully   did   and   those   who   didn’t. With   the   help   of   the   good   folks   on   Face   Book,   we   have   a   few   testimonies,   some   pictures   with   text,   and   one newspaper article. 1. Jim Tolley flew under the old steel bridge    2. Yellis Smith Jr. did it successfully. 3. Tom Dameron adds”. Probably Sam Meades. 4. Ted Thomas adds: My uncle, Kyle Thomas, and a guy named Hubert Woods, also flew under that bridge 5.   Doug   Alderson   states:   Dodie   Alderson(   my   Uncle   )and   Dugan   Holcomb   flew   under   the   bridge   trying   to splash   my   dad   who   was   fishing   in   a   John   boat.   They   also   were   dive   bombing   the   ones   swimming,   boys from   camp,   and   those   fishing   and   those   who   were   simply   boating.   Crash   landed   in   the   river.   Yes,   they   did get in a little bit of trouble. 6.   Barry   Worrell   recalls:    In   the   40s,   my   good   friend   David   Honaker   and   I   were   playing   in   the   river   close   to the   bank   on   the   Monroe   side.   We   heard   this   plane   and   it   sounded   low.   We   looked   down   the   river   and   a single   motor   plane,   coming   from   the   west,   just   about   5      feet   above   the   water. The   river   was   low   at   that   time. We   watched   it   and   stood   there   in   river   with   our   mouths   open   as   it   flew   under   the   second   arch   from   the Monroe   side.   We   told   our   parents   and   some   other   people,   but   I   don't   think   they   believed   us.   Over   the   years the   account   of   that   incident   comes   up   so   I   know   I   wasn't   dreaming.   I   don’t   recall   who   it   was   we   saw. Obvious it was one of the planes that made it.   7.   From   Newspaper   article   sent   by   Becky   Ann   Alderson   Ornold:   Richard   Alderson   and   Francis   Holcomb, both   of   Alderson,   narrowly   escaped   death   over   the   weekend   when   the   plane   they   were   riding   in   crashed into   the   Greenbrier   river.   Neither   of   the   two   suffered   more   than   minor   scratches   according   to   a   report   but the   plane,   a   Piper   Cub   was   severely   damage.   The   men   had   rented   the   plane   from   James   Tolley   of   Pence Springs. Tolley said the accident evidently was caused by the wheels dragging in the water. 8. Duane Steep provided these photos. Click for larger view: