For Vern Humphrey

[RED]

Here is a bit of history you might find interesting.

There once was a US Navy pilot that was from Clinton, AR. He joined the Navy as a Airman Recruit and his name was J.W. Wiley. After a couple of years he applied for the NAVCAD program and after 18 months of arduous training he was awarded Wings of Gold and was commissioned as a Ensign.

In 1966 he was the wingman for his Skipper flying propeller driven A-1 Skyraider in a SAR mission.
over North Vietnam when they were jumped by four MIG-17s A huge melee followed and two of the supersonic MIGs were downed. You can see the details at skyraiders.org and there is a voice recording of his debriefing.

He was rewarded by receiving a transfer to FITRON-31, flying F4 Phantom fighters off the USS Saratoga.

On 20 November 1970 he flew F-4J BUNO 155828 under the bridge on Hwy. 65 over the White River and buzzed Clinton AR upside down at 500 ft.

Some said that was the reason that bridge collapsed sometime later and was replaced.

Jim Wiley, call sign Pud, died in 1993 and at his request, his ashes were scattered on the White River from the new bridge by his daughter, Suzan.

[Faulkner]

Hey RED, interesting story. I'm pretty sure Highway 65 doesn't cross over the White River . . . I live in the area and was wondering which bridge it was that collapsed.

[Vern Humphrey]

That had me wondering too. US Highway 65, a north-south highway crosses the Little Red River and the Buffalo River. US Highway 64, an east-west highway crosses the White River. Ark 9, running north from Mountain View crosses the White River.

[Faulkner]

Yeah, the only place Hwy 65 crosses the White is in Missouri at Branson, but that's actually the Lake Taneycomo section of the White.

I'm trying to think of any bridge collapses in Arkansas in the past 50 years, about the only one I can think of is the Weber Falls Bridge on 1-40 near the Oklahoma state line, but that was caused by a barge hitting it in 2002. The bridges on the lower White River are just high enough for barge traffic to go under. Before the railroad were established in the state in the early 1900's steamboats used to go all the way up into Missouri on the White River, but since the 1930's Newport is as far upstream as barge traffic goes. As a result, only a handful of bridges are high enough to fly under (with great skill) and I don't recall of any collapsing.

RED has my curiosity up on this one.

[lyman]

don't let things like actual location get in the way of a good story

[Vern Humphrey]

Yeah, the only place Hwy 65 crosses the White is in Missouri at Branson, but that's actually the Lake Taneycomo section of the White.

I'm trying to think of any bridge collapses in Arkansas in the past 50 years, about the only one I can think of is the Weber Falls Bridge on 1-40 near the Oklahoma state line, but that was caused by a barge hitting it in 2002. The bridges on the lower White River are just high enough for barge traffic to go under. Before the railroad were established in the state in the early 1900's steamboats used to go all the way up into Missouri on the White River, but since the 1930's Newport is as far upstream as barge traffic goes. As a result, only a handful of bridges are high enough to fly under (with great skill) and I don't recall of any collapsing.

RED has my curiosity up on this one.

I've heard about Missouri -- you can see it from Buffalo Lookout in the Ozarks.

[Faulkner]

don't let things like actual location get in the way of a good story

Actually, I was so enthralled by the story I wanted to check out the spot since I fish the White River and travel Hwy 65 often.

[Faulkner]

I suppose RED doesn't remember, it was a long time ago . . . .

[Vern Humphrey]

Actually, I was so enthralled by the story I wanted to check out the spot since I fish the White River and travel Hwy 65 often.

It's the finest trout fishing in the world, - - but don't tell out-of-staters about it.

[RED]

Ok. No bridge was ever destroyed around Clinton AR not even in March 1984. Got it!

It looks like a resident of the area would remember such a unusual event. I thought Greers Ferry was on the North Fork of the White River, the same river Lake Norfork is on. So go ahead and tell me again about bridges collapsing near OK etc and laugh your ass off.

FISHER, Ark. March 16, 1984 -- A huge tornado cut a 50-mile-long path across north-central Arkansas, killing four people, injuring 20, wrecking a quarter-mile steel bridge and damaging houses and businesses, officials said today.