Travis Afb Library - Jeanette Tross cut the ribbon at the Mitchell Memorial Library at Travis Air Force Base with Master Sgt. Steve Nichols, right, and Col. Mathew Leard. Tross is Maj. Ardis Crumpton, who was on the C-97 that disappeared near Japan in 1957, and Col. Kirk Mitchell. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic) Jeanette Tross, Maj. Ardis Crumpton

TRAVIS Air Force Base - 60 years as Travis Air Force Lt. Commander. col. Kirk R. Mitchell lost his life somewhere off the coast of Japan, and Travis Air Force Base rededicated the library in his honor.

Travis Afb Library

Travis Afb Library

"It's about remembering our history and supporting the library," librarian Lanora Cox said at Wednesday's rededication ceremony.

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Mitchell, then commander of the 55th Airlift Squadron, was one of 10 pilots and 57 passengers who lost their lives on March 22, 1957, when their C-97 flying over the Pacific went down 250 miles off the coast. from Japan.

Dozens of people gathered outside the Mitchell Memorial Library Wednesday afternoon to remember Mitchell and others at Travis Air Force Base with the 1401st Air Transport Wing, the forerunner of the 60th Air Mobility Wing.

The library was under construction at the time of the crash and was dedicated and opened on June 27, 1957 in Mitchell's memory. More than 2,000 airmen marched in this event, which was attended by about 3,000 people.

Command Master Sgt. Steve Nichols of the 60th Air Mobility Wing spoke at Wednesday's ceremony about how important libraries are to him, from his days as an Air Force veteran who was sent to the library by his parents as a "year-round student, going to night school and preparing for promotion tests."

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Col. Matthew Leard, deputy commander of the 60th Air Mobility Wing, told the story of Mitchell and the pilots who told him everything was fine.

"After the plane passed, a search operation was launched for ten days. "It was the worst C-97 crash ever," Leard said.

Leard said the Travis plane still flies in that area to this day, and crews face the same dangers with the calm professionalism that the C-97 aircrew was able to display until the end.

Travis Afb Library

Cutting the ribbon with Leard and Nichols was Jeanette Tross of Dublin, whose aunt was married to a C-97 pilot major. Ardis Crumpton of Vacaville.

Travis Rededicates Mitchell Library For Its Namesake

Ian Thompson joined the Daily Republic in November 1982. An Oregon native and graduate of the University of Oregon, he remains patriotic. He covered the Army and Travis Air Force Base for the Daily Republic, as well as Suisun City and general duties. He is a military history buff, a war gamer and loves the outdoors. He retired from the Daily Republic in August 2019.

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