It's hard to beleive it was 18 years ago (28 August 1988). I was in talks with my Air Force Recruiter (I later joined the Army and served 12 years), when Ramstein AFB near Kaiserlautern Germany gave it's last air show (Flug Tag) with an arieal demonstration.
The last show team of the day was the Italian Freece Tricolori. As they were giving thier show they performed their Heart maneuver. Two groups of airplanes form a large heart shape in the sky, and lone airplane pierces the heart coming toward the crowd.
On this occasion the lone airplane, #10, sees that he is too early, and too low and will hit the control tower, so he pulls up trying to pull above the approaching airplanes. He is unsuccessful, and collides with two other airplanes in flight killing all three pilots. One airplane, the one that broke into the most pieces lands harmlessly in a ditch. The 2nd, intact enough for the pilot to eject only to be killed when there is not enough time for his parachute to open before impacting the runway, hits the lone medevac helicopter waiting in the event of an accident killing it's two pilots.
The third airplane, number 10, badly damaged and on fire continues to tumble and burn and crashes directly into the viewing audience, Killing 65 and injuring hundreds. Reports indicate at least 1000 people had to seek medical attention after the event.
Total dead 70, serioulsy injured 500, people who will carry the memory of the event they attended for the rest of their lives about 200,000.
The Federal Republic of Germany banned arial demonstrations for 3 years, and Ramstein AFB has not held another one since.
My last tour in the Army was in Landstuhl Germany just across the autobahn from Ramstein. I have been to the crash site, and my barracks was just above the emegency room at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where many of the victims were taken. My work site, Landhstuhl DSCS Operations Center, shared a compund with the medivac unit that supported the event that day.
On this 18th aniversary next week remember to include the vicitims, their families, and the soldiers and airmen who helped clean up in your prayers.
11:59:39 AM 
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