Harlem honored for Airmen's Memorial

The Daughters of the American Revolution have paid tribute to the community and its members who have spent decades paying tribute to 13 U.S. airmen who died as the result of a crash during a training exercise Nov. 30, 1992, over the town where the memorial was created.

DAR presented the committee and the community its Excellence in Historic Preservation Medal for the Harlem Airmen's Memorial.

Two U.S. Air Force cargo planes conducting nighttime training exercises at 25,000 feet near Harlem Nov. 30, 1992, collided and crashed to the ground, killing all on board the two planes.

A memorial for the men killed was created in Centennial Park in Harlem, and the bridge built at the park by Black Hoop Enterprise was dedicated on the 30th anniversary of the crash Nov. 30, 2022.

Black Eagle/Assiniboine DAR Chapter Vice Regent and state DAR Historic Preservation Committee Chair Vicki Selin, who presented the award in Harlem, said she proposed giving the award to the Harlem Airmen Memorial Committee.

"I couldn't think of anybody better than them," she said. "It's exactly what we wanted. It's what that medal is for."

Selin and the other DAR members at the event - four from Black Eagle/Assiniboine chapter and two from Malta - presented a framed medal to be hung in Harlem City Hall to committee co-chairs Rod Becker and Darwin Zellmer and certificates as well.

Selin said the event was bittersweet. Harlem Mayor Ken "Kim" Hansen was supposed to take the framed medal back to city hall, but Hansen died the day before the ceremony at age 71.

"We were all saddened by it." she said. "(Minister Will Rima) had lovely words to say to him."

Zellmer said Rima, with American Lutheran Church in Harlem gave an opening prayer and included condolences and support to Hansen's family at the start of the ceremony, which lasted about 45 minutes.

About 50 people attended the ceremony, a release about the ceremony said.

Zellmer introduced Selin, who introduced the DAR members and then proceeded to award Becker and Zellmer the medal and certificate.

A letter from state DAR Regent Jennifer Buckley commended the committee for receiving the Excellence in Historic Preservation Medal. 

Then certificates were awarded to families of deceased committee members, original living committee members, current committee members, original and current adoptees of individual airmen stones to decorate, followed by additional individuals worthy of mentioning and volunteering, the release said. 

Selin said the award actually was presented to the committee, but their contacts with the committee were so excited about the award, "we gave awards to everybody he gave a name (to)."

After the presentation, soft drinks, cookies, visiting, pictures and memorabilia were shared by the group, the release said, adding that "it was a big happy family feeling proud of what was accomplished for those 13 boys and their families."

"Zellmer elaborated on the volunteers who stepped up over the past 30 years and encouraged others to do the same," the release said. "As member Karolee Cronk has stated numerous times, it is essential to survival of our communities to volunteer and keep giving back."

Selin said the crash - and the work in Harlem to pay tribute to the airmen - is personal to DAR members. Many members of the organization, founded in 1890 with the mission of promoting historic preservation, education and patriotism, have direct connections with the military. Many members, their spouses and children have served or are serving in the military.

That gave personal connection to the 1992 crash, she said.

"I remember when it happened. It was shocking," she said. " ... We all here in Great Falls remember when it happened, but we forgot about it until they dedicated the bridge."

The bridge dedication, and the 30 years working on the memorial, led to presenting the award to the committee, she said.

"It was a very personal thing with anybody in the military," Selin said. "A a lot of people don't realize that these training exercises are to keep our military ready, and they are dangerous. And it could have been someone connected to any of us.

"(The committee) kept it personal all those years," she added, "... and we wanted to recognize them for that."