Rising From the Ashes
Remembering the Marshall University Plane Crash of 1970
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
It was on this very day, 53 years ago that residents of Wayne County, WV experienced what is considered the worst single-air tragedy in NCAA sports history. On Nov. 14, 1970, a Southern Airways DC-9 crashed while attempting to land the plane at Tri-State Airport. The crash claimed the lives of all 75 individuals onboard, which included Marshall’s Thundering Herd football team, coaches, community leaders, fans, and flight crew. This devastating incident left a profound impact all throughout the community and sent shockwaves through the world of collegiate athletics.
To experience so much loss all at once was beyond tragic. In the aftermath of the crash, the community and University mourned their losses collectively and leaned on one another for strength. It was as if everyone all at once entered a period of deep reflection and solidarity as the community rallied around the families who had lost so much. Marshall University’s football program was temporarily suspended, and the university faced the challenging task of rebuilding not only its program but also finding a way to rekindle the spirit of a grieving community.
This was no easy feat, but as time passed, Marshall University and the surrounding communities demonstrated what can only be described as remarkable resilience. Marshall’s football program was eventually revived and with it a newfound spirit of the Thundering Herd. In the face of unimaginable adversity, Marshall University and the surrounding communities have emerged as a beacon of hope, resilience, and inspiration. Instead of succumbing to the great despair, the citizens of Wayne County, WV, chose to rise above the tragic adversity they were faced with and turned that grief into a driving force for change.
Season after season, Marshall’s Thundering Herd has become a narrative of triumph over tragedy. Through many prayers, a fighting spirit, and unwavering support from a community that bleeds green… Marshall University not only rebuilt its program from the ground up, but somehow managed to emerge from the ashes stronger, more cohesive, and more determined than ever. Those 75 lives lost on that tragic day 53 years ago will never be forgotten because their spirits will continue to be the force that drives Marshall’s Thundering Herd to success season after season.
Patty Horton Osborne, a graduate of Marshall University of the class of 2001, will never forget that day. Osborne recalled seeing the aftermath of the wreckage a day or so after the crash, “I was so young. I couldn’t fully grasp what my eyes were laying witness to as I sat on my knees staring out the back window of my parents’ car. I know it was the next day after the crash, and it’s something I will never forget. As far as my young eyes could see, I saw pieces of the wreckage all around. It glistened in the sun.” Osborne stated that seeing those images with her own eyes has been something that has stuck with her to this day. “It’s just not something you can easily forget,” shared Osborne.
Upon graduating from Marshall University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders in 1998, Osborne felt even closer to the Marshall community, and this eventually led to Osborne helping to create a scholarship fund in honor of the Moeller High School Trio. The Moeller High School Trio consisted of Mark Andrews- offensive line for the Thundering Herd, Bob Harris- backup quarterback for the Thundering Herd, and Jack Rapasy- receiver for the Thundering Herd. Andrews, Harris, and Rapasy were among the 75 individuals who lost their lives in the devastating plane crash of 1970. All three men were from the Cincinnati Ohio area and were in the process of obtaining a degree in business and/or marketing at the time of the crash.
The $1000 scholarship is an expandable fund that was graciously provided by Patricia Osborne and Brandon Greene, in memory of Mark Andrews, Bob Harris, and Jack Repasy. This $1000 scholarship is available to anyone who is a full-time student, resident of Cincinnati Ohio and/or Hamilton County, Ohio and has a GPA of 2.5 or higher. First preference will be given to a marketing major in the College of Business and second preference will be given to any other business major in the College of Business. Osborne shared she felt that she was led by God to create this scholarship in honor of Andrews, Harris, and Rapasy. She is thrilled they were finally able to award funds to the scholarship's first recipient who wishes to remain anonymous at this time.
The Moeller Trio Scholarship fund not only commemorates the lives of those lost but also reflects the resilience of a community that refused to be defined by a tragedy that shook them to their very core. The Marshall plane crash will always remain a tragic chapter in history, but with the establishment of this scholarship fund and many others like it, it stands as a testament to a community's strength, resilience, and commitment to ensuring that the memory of the victims of that tragic day will live on through the recipient’s pursuit of knowledge and opportunity.
