Tag: Alaska

REFLECTIONS Extra – Patricia Moran and the Crash of NWA Flight 293

Following up from our article in the June 2023 REFLECTIONS relating the memorial dedication in Washington State for those lost on NW293 in the North Pacific on June 3, 1963, we present additional photos:

Greg Barrowman, who was the driving force to establish a memorial, gives remarks at the Flight 293 dedication on June 3, 2023 at the Tahoma National Cemetery. Photo by Bruce Kitt of the NWAHC.
Retired Northwest F/A Darlene Jevne gives remarks at the Flight 293 dedication on June 3, 2023 at the Tahoma National Cemetery. Photo by Bruce Kitt of the NWAHC.
Honor flyover during the memorial dedication. Photo by Bruce Kitt of the NWAHC.
The memorial plaque joins others on the grounds of the Tahoma National Cemetery. Photo by Bruce Kitt of the NWAHC.
The memorial plaque joins others on the grounds of the Tahoma National Cemetery. Photo by Bruce Kitt of the NWAHC.
Detail on the memorial plaque. Photo by Bruce Kitt of the NWAHC.

Conversations at the Museum brought up the memory of one of those who perished, Patricia Moran, who had been a flight attendant at North Central from 1955-1957, left to complete her degree in early childhood education at the University of Minnesota, and hired on at Northwest right after graduation in 1959. The sky was her home, and she even wrote a book of poetry with aviation themes, “Come Fly With Me,” published in 1962.

Pat Moran with James Wonsettler, a US Navy pilot, whom she married in March 1963. This would have disqualified her from flying with Northwest, if the company had known. Their family also knew that Pat was two months pregnant at the time of the crash – sadness compounded.

Our Museum’s first editor, Anne Kerr, had collected stories about Pat Moran, and published them in her “Lady Skywriter” blog ten years ago:

http://blog.ladyskywriter.com/2013/03/remembering-patricia-moran.html

http://blog.ladyskywriter.com/2013/03/pat-moran-follow-up.html

http://blog.ladyskywriter.com/2013/04/the-patricia-moran-chronicles-part-3.html

http://blog.ladyskywriter.com/2013/04/patricia-moran-chronicles-conclusion.html

Pat would not have been on that flight if the rules had been followed – not all stories about a love of flight end up as happy ones.

Clipping from the Minneapolis Morning Tribune, June 5, 1963.
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