SAMNHA

The Maple Springs Visitor Center is looking for volunteeers to staff the soon to be reopened facility in Silverado Canyon.  The Visitor Center will be staffed each Saturday and Sunday from 9am-12pm  and 12pm-4pm.  Volunteers will give out Forest information to visitors that are entering the forest through  the Maple Springs entrance in Silverado Canyon.  The Visitor Center will also be developing displays for the public and the Santa Ana Mountains Natural History Association will be hosting interpretive programs at the Visitor Center.  Parking passes and permits will not be sold or issued at the Maple Springs Visitor Center. Go to the Maple Springs Visitor Center website for more information on how to volunteer or contact Debra Clarke, CNF/Trabuco District Volunteer Coordinator at  951-736-1811x3227 or email at drclarke@fs.fed.us.  or email Daryl Walezak at samnhamail@yahoo.com.

 Call Debra Clarke, Trabuco Ranger District Wilderness/Trails Manager, District Volunteer Coordinator 951-736-1811x3227 for more information.

Article by Tom Maloney, and Pat Macha, USFS Volunteers

May 8, 2009  -  As a result of  two family's desire to visit the fatal crash site of a USMC aircraft in the Santa Ana Mountains, a trip was scheduled through USFS to the site of an ill-fated air flight.

"On November 18,1950 a USMC, twin engine Beechcraft aircraft, SNB-5 USMC Bureau Number: 29649, The plane was inbound to El Toro Marine Corps Air Station (Now the site of the Great Park) the weather was very bad on that day, with low clouds, wind and rain.  As a result of the poor visibility the aircraft flew into the side of the mountain near Harding Canyon.  All four crew members on board the SNB-5 perished. 

Due to the poor weather and visiblity, it took the Marine Corps three days to find the crash site and recover the  service personnel's remains.

Those service men who perished were:

Pilot: M/Sgt. William H. Follmer USMC
1^st Lt. Willard M. Grubbs USMCR
Co-pilot T/Sgt. Keith M. Ferguson USMC
Sgt. Milton E. Johanson USMC" *

 During the next 58 years the site was rarely visited and eventually was lost under the growing chapparal plants; few people knew and fewer remembered the crash or the site's location.

One of those who keeps track of such historical sites is USFS Volunteer and author, G. Pat Macha.  It was through Pat's website (www.aircraftwrecks.com) that relatives of two of the crew men on board the SNB-5 contacted Pat and requested more information as to the crash site.  When a request to visit the site in person was made, Pat immediately contacted Debra Clarke, the USFS, Trabuco Ranger District Trails Manager to coordinate approvals. 

Arrangements were made and dates were scheduled so on Friday, May 8, 2009 the group met at the bottom of Harding Truck Trail gate, in Modjeska Canyon. 

Note: Harding Truck Trail is still closed to public use and is passable only with advanced permission of the District's Cheif Ranger, Keith Fletcher.

On the morning of the 8th the following individuals met prior to the ascent up the mountain:

Debra Clarke, USFS Trails Manager, Pat Macha, author and USFS volunteer, Ron Grubbs , Son of 1st Lt. William Grubbs and his wife Aileen, Carol Ohman and her brother Keith Ferguson neice and nephew of T/Sgt. Keith Ferguson,  Pete Armes, volunteer driver, Tom Maloney, USFS Volunteer, Dave Schurhammer, USFS Volunteer, and Chris Epting, journalist and author.

After introductions were made and safety considerations were discussed the group climbed aboard the  4 X 4 vehicles and traveled up Harding Truck Trail.

The trip up took approximately 30 minutes driving time along the winding dirt and rocky road.

Once parked, it would take us another 20 - 40 minutes to hike up to the first substantial piece of wreckage.

On the slope where the crash debris was located was filled with late blooming wildflowers such as: Showy Penstamen, phacelia, deer weed, yucca, chickweed, goldenstars, figwhort and a riot of Morning Glorys.

The Morning Glorys also known as "Bind weed" gave several members of our party trouble, for if you were not paying attention to how you walked on the mountain the bind-weed would get wrapped around your boots and trip you.  We could have re-named the plant that day to "trip-weed" to be more accurate.  Honey bees were prevelent, however, it seemed that there were an equal if not greater number of humming birds nectoring from the various wildflowers we found on the mountain slope that day.  It was a grand late-spring day in the Santa Ana Mountains.

The weather forecast called for moderate temperatures that day with cooler tempertures ealry but with more heat later in the day.  We were fortunate that the temperatures stayed in the high 70's while we were on the mountain; as there was no shade and little if any breeze.  The climb up was steep and in some places arduous.  Volunteers deployed treking poles and ropes to assist family members climbing up and down some of the steeper areas of the mountain.  No injuries were sustained however, one family member did suffer from heat exhaustion.

Members of the families left a small memorial container on the site and spoke of fond memories of their loved ones. Photos, audio and video recordings of the event were also taken to share with other relatives before we all headed back down the slope to the waiting vehicles.

History of this crash:  

"On 11/18/50 a USMC Beechcraft SNB-5 Bu No 29649 departed Tucson, AZ with a stop in El Centro, CA on a routine training flight bound for MCAS El Toro in Orange County, CA with four men on board. The weather in Southern California included heavy overcast with rain and strong winds in the vicinity of the El Toro base. The pilot was initially cleared to make an instrument approach, but was then directed into a holding pattern because of a technical problem with GCA landing system. After a few minutes the El Toro controller cleared Bu No 29649 to land, as the GCA problem had been fixed, but the pilot of the SNB-5 did not respond. It was then recognized that the Bu No 29649 had crashed and search & rescue protocols were initiated.

On 11/21/50 the wreckage of Bu No 29649 was finally spotted by a Civil Air Patrol pilot on the west flank of the Santa Ana Mountains at 4,000’ MSL, the altitude the pilot had been directed to hold by the controller prior to being cleared to land. Weather and technical problems contributed to this tragic accident. The crew, flying in the clouds did not see the mountain and died instantaneously upon impact.

Some months following the crash of Bu No 29649 a USMC ground crew painted a yellow cross on the face of a rock outcropping next to the remaining wreckage of the SNB-5. Normally wrecks are marked with a yellow or red X, so the cross was thought to honor the crew, and mark the crash site too". *

*(Information courtesy of Pat Macha and www.aircraftwrecks.com)

 It is a great testament to the dedication of our military personnel who serve our country in all kinds of weather, no matter the danger and in some cases sacrafice their lives to keep our land free.

Without the coordination and cooperation of aircraft historian, Pat Macha and the USFS, this memorial event could not have taken place or gone off as smoothly as it did. 

Well done!, good job!  Mission accomplished.

Photo by Dan Trinidad

January 3, 2009  -  Volunteers from the Cleveland National Forest-Trabuco District and the Santa Ana Mountains Natural History Association (SAMNHA) spent the day cleaning up the old Maple Springs Visitor Center in preparation of the grand re-opening of the facility to the public.  Volunteers will staff the visitor center on weekends between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.  The Visitor Center will have trail and forest information and will be developing exhibits about the forest.  SAMNHA, which provides free public interpretive programs and hikes for the Clevenad National Forest-Trabuco District, will also help to staff the Visitor Center with volunteers and utilize the facility for programs it offers to the public.

In order to make the new visitor center as comfortable and practical as possible for future volunteers and program visitors we were hoping to tap into the resources of our members.  The initial "Wish List" for Maple Springs Visitors Center is as follows:  Chairs, Tables, Display Cases, Dispaly racks, Cases of Bottled Water, Low wattage electrical heater, Field guide books, Binoculars, FRS radio walkie talkies, First Aid kit, Fire Extinguishers, Small microwave oven, Small refrigerator, Small freezer, Tool box with assortment of practical hand tools, Taxidermy specimines, Museum collections, Hand magnifying lenses, Note:  we have ample storage space on site, so we can store additional supplies and equipment until we need it.

For more information on how you can help, please contact:

Debra Clarke - Wilderness/Trails Manager
Cleveland NF, Trabuco Ranger District
(951) 736-1811 x 3227
(951) 736-3002 fax
email: drclarke@fs.fed.us

Or email Daryl Walezak at samnhamail@yahoo.com.

By: Tom Maloney

On the hot, dry and sunny morning of Saturday, May 17^th 2008 plans were made to visit the crash site of a US Navy, SP-2E Neptune aircraft. The Neptune was built by Lockheed Corporation as an anti-submarine aircraft and this particular aircraft was in California on training from the state of Minnesota with its 7 man crew practicing night-time, touch-and-go landings at old El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Back on February 11, 1969, the weather was bad, it was stormy and it was raining, with ZERO visibility and the aircraft was allowed to veer too far south resulting in its fatal crash into the rugged Santa Ana Mountains. Sadly, there were no survivors.

The site visit began when USFS, Trabuco District volunteer; Pat Macha received a request from Tom Coad the brother of a crew member lost on Neptune. Mr. Coad requested Pat’s help in visiting the crash site. He wished to view the actual area and to pay his respects to the memory of his brother, Lt. Cmdr. Robert F. Coad, and the other crew members: Lt. Cmdr. Robert Frederick, Lt. Cmdr. Beal Gordon Dolven, Jr., Lt. Cmdr. Oliver B. Walley, Air Ordnaceman, Walter R. Jacobson, Air Ordnanceman, John Edward Hansen and Aviation Machinists Mate, Harris R. Hendrickson. All were US Navy Reserves.

Pat, also an expert in the field of aircraft losses, contacted Debra Clarke, USFS Trails Manager and arrangements were made, approved and finalized to visit the site. That morning Pat Macha, Tom Coad, and Debra Clarke were joined by USFS volunteers Chris LaFave and Tom Maloney. In addition we were joined by Tom Coad’s wife Cynthia Coad, former County of Orange, Board of Supervisor.

Our group drove many miles up the steep and winding Truck Trail to get into position for a view of the tragic crash site. With temperatures rising past the mid 80’s and the site itself being too steep and loose to allow the Coad’s to climb safely down and back up, they contented themselves to appreciate the remoteness of the rugged terrain where the accident occurred. Much metal wreckage still remains as mute testimony to the violence of the crash’s impact with the mountain’s ridge tops.

Photos were taken, silent prayers were said and a small memorial container was unobtrusively left on the site to honor the seven crewmen of the Neptune. The Coad’s were escorted back down to the safety of their car with a new appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice made by their family member and the crew of the Neptune.

Tom and Cynthia Coad were thankful and appreciative to the “Team” who made this trip possible.

This and other aircraft sites are protected by law and stand as enduring memorials to the ultimate sacrifices made by our military service personnel.

To learn more about historical aircraft wrecks in southern California visit: www.aircraftwrecks.com

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