Scheduled Events: current and past
© 2025 Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision
70th Anniversary Memorial Services
June 30, 2026 and July 1, 2026
70 years ago two planes collided over the air space of Grand Canyon. All 128 persons aboard TWA Flight 2 and United Air Lines Flight 718 perished.
On June 30, 2026 the Patrons group will be hosting an event at the South Rim of the canyon.
9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Desert View Amphitheater
1:40 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pioneer Cemetery
3:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Shrine of the Ages
The day begins at Desert View Overlook's amphitheater where Barbara Nelson talks about who the Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision group are, and what our purpose is. There will be a Round Robin, followed by a lecture by Mike Nelson, author of We Are Going In, and president of this group. There will be more short talks by special guests. A moment of silence to honor the 128 victims of this tragedy will commence at precisely 11:30, which is when the planes collided and crashed in the canyon. Following the moment of silence, Bagpiper Gerard J. Allan will play.
At Pioneer Cemetery in Grand Canyon Village there will be a gravesite service honoring those who perished on United Flight 718. Comforting words and prayer will be shared by Reverend Dan Vanyo, Flowers will be placed at the grave, The American Legion will pay honors to the servicemen, Bagpiper Gerard J. Allen will play and a Bugler Kevin Tague will play.
At Shrine of the Ages the Grand Canyon National Park Service will co-host this part of the event with the Patrons. There will be presentations from the GCNP service and one of its rangers. There will be lectures from FAA investigator and airplane crash archeologist Mike McComb, and Author and Patrons president Mike Nelson. You will hear from our group's panel of experts: Ranger Ian Hough, Mike McComb, Tom Martin, Mike Nelson and Tom Sulpizio. Attendees will be given a chance to ask these panelists questions.
If you are planning a trip to the South Rim at this time, please join us in celebrating this 70th anniversary commemoration.
On July 1, 2026 at Flagstaff Citizens' Cemetery the Patrons group will host a service to honor those who perished aboard TWA Flight 2.
10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Barbara Nelson will welcome and lead a round robin
11:30 a.m. a moment of silence will be held.
11:35 a.m. -11:45 a.m. Bagpiper Gerard Allan will perform a very moving and familiar hymn
11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Mike Nelson with offer a moving presentation,
including portrayals of the 1956 service.
12:25 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. Guest speakers Ian Hough, and Tom Martin will lecture.
There will be time allowed for anyone else to speak or ask questions
1:50 p.m. Barbara Nelson will offer a few words and introduce our last
honored guests, Bugler Kevin Tague and his colleague as they
perform a very moving piece of music.
2:00 p.m concludes our services.
This year and these last two days, June 30 and July 1 are not only the 70th anniversary of this tragedy, in remembrance of which we are honoring those who lost their lives, but also, a time for all of the family members ~ the children, the grand children, the great grandchildren, nieces and nephews ~ to get to know one another.
This year is in honor of you, the children and other descendants of the victims, and relatives contemporary with the accident. It is also to honor everyone else who cares about the victims and the suffering of those left behind.
If you are in Flagstaff on July 1, 2026, please join us as we pay our respects to the TWA victims and their family members.
Memorial Commemoration
June 30, 2025
Tom Sulpizio will be hosting the services at Pioneer Cemetery in Grand Canyon Village, honoring the victims aboard United 718 at 11:00 MST.
There will be another service for the TWA 2 victims at the Flagstaff Citizens' Cemetery at 2:00 MST. That address is: 1300 S. San Francisco Street, Flagstaff, Az. Tom will lay flowers at the gravesites, share a moment of silence as well as a heartfelt eulogy at each of the memorial gravesites. If you are able to attend and wish to place flowers in addition to what he places, please feel free to do so.
(My deepest sympathies to all family member.
Secretary of Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon midair Collision: Barbara Nelson)
Grand Canyon Historical Society
is hosting a Virtual Outing
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
6:00 PM PDT, 7:00 MDT, 8:00 CDT, 9:00 PM EDT
Mike Nelson will present Part 3 of
We Are Going In
The Story of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision
Part three will focus on the family members and friends who lost a loved one in the disaster. Their sufferings are very special because they are in a very small, unique group pertaining to disasters. Most of us do not realize the trauma of what these tragic souls went through. It was not nearly as simple as it might seem. They went through escalating level after level of torture.
Mike will be revealing his understanding of that terrible ordeal, with the aim not only of conveying history, but also, hopefully, helping us all to feel our own humanity more deeply.
Sunday, June 30, 2024 Memorial Service
I am sorry to say that we will not be hosting a formal nor an informal service on Sunday, June 30th. Our vice president, Tom Sulpizio has always been at the canyon on this date to honor not only his father, but to honor all of the victims. However, this year he has prior commitments and he will not be available on this date. Tom will be in Flagstaff, Arizona on July, 12 to place flowers on the TWA gravesite in Flagstaff Citizens' Cemetery, and on July 13, he will be out at the canyon and he will place flowers at the United gravesite in Grand Canyon Village Pioneer Cemetery.
We are sincerely sorry to disappoint those who were counting on someone representing Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision. The Park Service may be conducting a small vigil at Pioneer Cemetery, but that has not been confirmed.
If you are in Flagstaff, and/or out at Grand Canyon on June 30th, please feel free to pay your respects and honor those victims.
My sincere apologies.
Barbara Nelson
secretary of Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision
Tom Sulpizio will host this year's memorial service at Grand Canyon Pioneer Cemetery, remembering and honoring those who lost their lives on United Flight 718, and then at Flagstaff Citizens' Cemetery, in Flagstaff, for those of TWA Flight 2.
Friday, June 30, 2023
Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision
and
THE GRAND CANYON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
67th Commemoration Program
Pioneer Cemetery in Grand Canyon Village
Citizens' Cemetery at 1300 S. San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
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10:30am - Meet at Pioneer Cemetery in Grand Canyon Village, with brief introductions by everyone who cares to participate.
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10:45 am - Floral arrangement will be placed at the United Air Lines memorial.
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10:50 am - Comments and a eulogy will be given by your host, Tom Sulpizio.
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11:20 am - Brief comments about the Swiss alpinists from the 1956 United recovery team will be given by a guest visitor from Switzerland.
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11:30 am - Comments are welcomed from all attendees.
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11:45 am - Walk to Yavapai Tavern for a restroom break and enjoy lunch, hosted by Tom Sulpizio, on behalf of Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision.
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1:30 pm - Finish eating and socializing.
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1:35 pm - Drive to Flagstaff Citizens' Cemetery (approximately: 90 minutes)
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3:10 pm - Meet at the TWA gravesite, where a floral arrangement will be placed and comments will be made.
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3:30 pm - This concludes the commemoration. Thank you for coming.
Patrons of the 1956 Grand Canyon Midair Collision is proud to announce their first hosting of a memorial program honoring the victims of this tragic accident. The group's president, and author of We Are Going In, Mike Nelson; vice president, Thomas E. Sulpizio; and secretary, Barbara Nelson worked on this for over a year, and have put together what they believe to be a full and interesting day. June 30, 2022 is the 66th anniversary of the tragedy.
The day will commence at the Grand Canyon's Desert View amphitheater, followed in the afternoon at the Pioneer Cemetery for a memorial service to honor those who lost their lives on the United DC-7. At Flagstaff Citizens' Cemetery a memorial service honoring the TWA victims will end the program.
We feel privileged to present this full day event.
