This Week in American History: 1994 – Two Aircraft Collide Over Pope AFB

By ANDY KOBER
Here is what happened this week in American History.
• Mar. 19. On this day in 1918, Congress establishes time zones across the country and as part of the same measure approves daylight saving time, which led to the inane idea of resetting the time twice a year.
• Mar. 20. In 2000, Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown and past member of the Black Panthers, is captured by US Marshals in Alabama after a four-day manhunt. Al-Amin, or Brown, was wanted for the murder of Georgia deputy sheriff Ricky Kinchen and critically wounding Georgia deputy sheriff Aldranon English. Almost a year earlier, Al-Amin or Brown, had been arrested on various charges including speeding, auto theft, and impersonating a police officer. When he failed to appear in Court, the deputies executed a search warrant at his home in Fulton County. The officers spotted Al-Amin driving a car and pulled in front of the car to block it. Deputy English approached Al-Amin only to be shot four times with a rifle. Kinchen was shot twice, once with the rifle and then with a handgun. Kinchen would die of his wounds the next day. Al-Amin, or Brown, would die of multiple myeloma while incarcerated in FMC Butner in November 2025, at the age of 82.
• Mar. 21. Today in 1949, Edward Jospeh Mahoney is born in Manhattan, New York. At the age of 11 he becomes a street singer and as a teenager performs in rock bands. After high school he obtains employment with the New York City Police Department, but quits soon after to pursue a career in music. In 1968 he moves to California, studies under vocal coach Judy Davis and begins using the stage name Eddie Money. His career in music had its peaks and valleys but he does well in the genres of rock, pop rock and hard rock. He also wrote songs for various movies and television programs. Money died from complications of esophageal cancer in Sept. 2019. He was 70 years old.
• Mar. 22. On this day in 1950, Operation Ripper continues in the Korean War. Seoul and Hongcheon have fallen to ROK, UN and US forces. US Army 2nd and 4th Ranger companies drop north of Chuncheon, the next target, while IX Corps approaches from the south. Once again, the Chinese Peoples Volunteer Army and North Korean Peoples Army has largely fled the battlefield. A US armored task force met little resistance and became the first to enter Chuncheon. With the capture of Chuncheon, all major objectives of Operation Ripper had been achieved. However, the fleeing communist forces had taken supplies with them and generally avoided fighting when possible. While Operation Ripper gained much ground, it did not inflict the number of casualties or destroy the amount of supplies anticipated. Still, Chinese and North Korean forces suffered over 7,000 dead with thousands more wounded or captured. Allied and US forces suffered less than 600 killed in action and 3,200 wounded. Military intelligence is obtaining some information about buildups of Chinese and North Korean forces north of the battle zone, but the information is far from complete. In an effort to stem the withdrawal of communist forces and supplies, Gen. Matthew Ridgway expands Ripper calling the next supplemental action Operation Courageous.
• Mar. 23. In 1994, it was early afternoon at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina and 500 paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division were preparing to board several US Air Force C-130 Hercules and C-141 Starlifter aircraft to participate in a training exercise. Quite a number of aircraft were in the air and another C-130 Hercules was on approach to land. A two-seat F-16 Fighting Falcon was conducting a simulated flameout approach when it collided with the C-130, severing the larger aircraft’s right elevator. The C-130 pilots aborted their landing, circled the field while examining the aircraft’s damage and landed without further incident. When the two aircraft impacted, the F-16 pilot engaged full afterburner in an effort to regain control, but the aircraft was disintegrating and the crew ejected. The F-16 crashed among aircraft on the ground preparing for the training exercise. It struck a C-141 parked on the ramp and continued into a group of soldiers preparing for exercise. Twenty-three soldiers and airmen die and more than 80 are injured. The death toll might have been much higher had it not been for paratroopers and members of Delta Force pulling injured soldiers from the flames.
• Mar. 24. Today in 1934, the Philippines becomes a self-governing commonwealth as the Tydings-McDuffie Act is passed by Congress. The Philippines had been under US control as a result of the Spanish-American War.
• Mar. 25. On this day in 2006, about 7 am Kyle Huff leaves an overnight party held after a “Better Off Undead” event at the Capitol Hill Arts Center in Seattle, Washington. Huff is not friends with anyone at the party and no one notices him leave. Huff goes to his truck and retrieves a 12-gauge shotgun and 40-caliber handgun along with about 300 rounds of ammunition. He walks to a neighboring house where he shoots five people in the yard, two on the steps, and more on the porch. He enters the home and shoots three people on the first floor. A nearby police officer hears the shots and proceeds toward the house finding a victim in the yard still alive. The officer puts himself between the victim and house. Huff exits the house, sees the officer, and commits suicide. Five people ranging in age from 14 to 32 are killed and two more are wounded. Huff’s motive has never been determined.