Town of Mead proclamation marks Flight 629, Longmont on deck

An effort to commemorate local residents who responded to the destruction of an airliner over the beet fields of Weld County 67 years ago gained some traction this week when the town of Mead proclaimed Nov. 1, 2022 as “Flight 629 Remembrance Day.”

Marian Hobgood Poeppelmeyer approached Mead, Longmont and Firestone this year in hopes of marking the crash of United Airlines Flight 629, which exploded in the sky just east of Longmont on Nov. 1, 1955. All 44 people on board were killed including Poeppelmeyer’s father, Marion Pierce Hobgood. 

The flight —  also known as the Denver Mainliner — was blown to bits with the help of 25 sticks of dynamite carried on board by an unsuspecting passenger. The man responsible for the explosion, John Graham, was convicted and later put to death for his role in the bombing.  

Poeppelmeyer, who lives in Ohio, wants to memorialize the farmers, first responders and other local residents who hurried to the farm fields to help find anyone who survived the blast.

The proclamation passed by the Mead town board this week said “Mead and the surrounding communities rose to the occasion and displayed American spirit and heroism by immediately acting and volunteering as first responders. Flight 629 Remembrance Day seeks to honor the victims of Flight 629, their loved ones, and the hundreds of community members who volunteered during this horrific tragedy,”

Poeppelmeyer said via email the mayor Firestone is interested in promoting a similar proclamation and memorial in the future. 

The city of Longmont has yet to commit to a memorial but the Longmont Museum is interested in collecting stories about Flight 629, Poeppelmeyer said. 

“I believe this is just the beginning of bringing awareness of this tragedy and a new way that the communities can remember it,” she said. “The people at the time, helping on the fields are the heroes.”