These two articles are from June 12 and June 19, 1975, issues of the Tri-County News. Following the two articles is Markwardt’s commentary today. Keith Markwardt aboard bombed plane – reported safe A phone call was received from the Philippine Islands Wednesday by the Donald Markwardts telling them that their son Keith had been on a plane in which a planted bomb had exploded. The caller would give them no information as to his condition. The call was made because a news release had been made in the States of the incident and Keith’s name was mentioned in the news report. Monday morning they received another phone call saying that he is all right. They also received a letter from Keith Wednesday in which he said he was to take a plane from Legaspi City, where he is stationed as a member of the Peace Corps, to Manila. Keith has been working trying to help the Filipinos improve their methods of handling grain. He has been stationed there since last July but does not feel they are making significant progress and has written of his intention to return home and resign from the Peace Corps. His parents found the time between the two phone calls long, anxious hours. They had determined to try to make calls themselves if they did not hear by noon. The second call came about eleven that morning. Details of plane bombing given A letter was received by Mr. and Mrs. Don Markwardt on Monday morning from their son Keith, being the first word received from him personally since having received the news that the plane in which he was a passenger had been bombed and that, although many were hurt, he was all right. He sent a long, personal letter last week from Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and also many newspaper clippings covering the incident which he told them to be sure to keep. Of the 59 passengers on board the plane, one was killed, 45 hurt and 13 unharmed. Keith was one of the 13. Keith is stationed with the Peace Corps in the Philippine Islands. A part of his account goes somewhat like this: “We departed from Legaspi City on June 3rd, at about 3:15 for a 45-minute flight to Manila. The pilot took us up over the bay and we banked (dipped) over the city. “We were about 8,000 feet over the Mayon Volcano at this time. A few minutes after this, we were told to fasten our seatbelts as we hit some air turbulence. About two minutes after we fastened our seatbelts, the explosion went off in one of the restrooms. The fastening of the seatbelts is what saved our lives, although one man was sucked out of the plane to his death. He was a merchant dealing in appliances. We were on a regular commercial flight. I put my head between my knees and stayed that way about a minute. A huge hole was blown completely into the plane near the tail end, sending trays, paneling and anything loose, striking people in faces, arms, etc. “When the explosion occurred, the plane went into a 30-degree dive. This was really the scary part as many of the controls were damaged. We dropped from 20,000 feet to 9,000 feet before the pilot was able to level off. We dropped these 11,000 feet in two minutes’ time. I thought for sure we would be crashing into trees below, but the pilot was able to pull into a reasonable position for the remaining 15-minute flight and landed safely in Manila. “People remained very calm as it happened so fast that there was no time to panic.” He added that to his surprise, the day before his flight he walked into a restaurant in Legaspi City to get a cold drink, and there sat Kenny Bates of Kimball and Tom Faber of Watkins with Father Bates, their uncle, who is on the island of Porto Princess, also enjoying something refreshing. Small world! Present-day comment from Markwardt Although I’ll never forget the bombing, these articles described an event that seems a lifetime ago. With this experience, I can better relate to people who more recently have experienced acts of terrorism. I can also relate that airplanes flown by strong, smart pilots can survive incredible damage. I should correct the article’s quote that people remained calm. With 45 injured passengers, a hole in the plane large enough to drive a vehicle through, an uncontrolled plunge of 11,000 feet, passengers struggling with oxygen masks and life vests – often entangling the two – and the ear-piercing roar of engines and air currents, there was little calm until our feet touched the ground. Keith is the son of Rosella and the late Donald Markwardt. He graduated from Kimball Area High School in 1973 and currently is the president of the State Bank of Kimball. ————————————— Rave reviews have been received for Rachel Borowske’s “Best Banana Bread” recipe on page 57 in our Historical Society’s Keepsake Cookbook. Do you have a story or photo you could share with the rest of us? Feel free to send them to the Kimball Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 100, Kimball MN 55353. They can be returned to you, and will be appreciated for use in this column. It’s also time to start thinking about any items – old photos, old scrapbooks, etc. – you have that could be temporarily loaned for the third annual History Exhibit to be held Aug. 8-10. We need your help, and welcome those items you have that others would enjoy. Watch this column for more details, but start thinking now about what you have to share with the community. Have you recently placed or renewed membership in the Kimball Area Historical Society? It’s so very important, and we thank you for this essential part of keeping history alive for future generations. Even the Minnesota Wild hockey stars say “History is great.” For more information, please call (320) 398-5250 or 398-5743.
