[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 26, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S14308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE FOUR EAGLES MEMORIAL

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, today I would like to call attention to 
a monument recently dedicated to the memory of four men who lost their 
lives in a catastrophic plane crash near Minot, ND. The crash occurred 
during a blizzard in February 1994, as the pilot and passengers--three 
Indian Health Service [IHS] doctors--were travelling to several IHS 
clinics in the area.
  The West River Monument Co. of Rapid City, SD, constructed a monument 
made of Dakota mahogany granite as a tribute to the victims of the 
crash. This monument, entitled ``Four Eagles Memorial,'' was dedicated 
on Saturday, September 16, 1995.
  For years now, I have been a strong advocate for small aircraft 
safety. It saddens me each time I learn of aircraft-related fatalities. 
The men who lost their lives in the crash were dedicated to their work, 
their families, and their friends. Their loss continues to be felt.
  Yet, tributes like the one made to these men are heartfelt. While a 
year and one-half have passed since this tragedy, we will not forget 
the victims of the crash. My thoughts continue to be with the families 
and friends of the men who perished in this unfortunate accident. The 
Four Eagles Memorial will serve to remind us always of these four 
admired and well-respected men.
  A recent article appeared in the Rapid City Journal of Rapid City, 
SD, regarding the dedication of the memorial. I ask unanimous consent 
that this article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

             [From the Rapid City Journal, Sept. 15, 1995]

                 Memorial to Doctors Dedicated Saturday

                            (By Bill Harlan)

       Granite monument will honor the three Indian Health Service 
     doctors killed in 1994 plane crash.
       Stone cutter Ken Krzyzanowski will etch the doctor's names 
     into the monument. Brandon Zander, a Stevens High School 
     senior who works part-time at West River Monument Co., helped 
     create the design. He is the son of the manager of West River 
     Monument.
       John DuBray says many people helped create the monument to 
     three Indian Health Service doctors who died in a plane crash 
     last year.
       But DuBray is especially grateful to LeRoy Zander, manager 
     of West River Monument Co. of Rapid City, which is building 
     the memorial.
       ``He didn't know us from Adam, and he went above and 
     beyond. He really did his best,'' DuBray said.
       The ``Four Eagles Memorial'' is a granite monument that 
     will stand nearly four feet tall when placed on its round 
     concrete base in front of the main building at Sioux San 
     Hospital.
       DuBray and other Sioux San personnel will dedicate the 
     memorial in a ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday at the hospital, 
     where two of the three doctors worked. The public is invited.
       This week, the doctors' names are being etched on three 
     sides of the ``Dakota mahogany'' granite, along with brief 
     professional and personal descriptions.
       An inscription on the fourth side will describe the purpose 
     of the monument, which is ``in lasting memory of our 
     courageous physicians.''
       The four-sided memorial will rest on a round base, and two 
     granite benches will be installed nearby, inscribed with 
     names of the members of the doctors' families.
       DuBray is a public health nursing assistant at Sioux San, 
     and he also is coordinating the memorial project. He also 
     worked with two of the doctors.
       The doctors' plane went down in a blizzard near Minot, 
     N.D., on Feb. 24, 1994. IHS were visiting IHS clinics in the 
     region.
       DuBray said four eagles on the monument and four juniper 
     trees that will be planted at the site will memorialize the 
     three doctors and the pilot, who also was killed.
       The memorial cost $6,500, all of it donated.
       Funds came from Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., Sen. Larry 
     Pressler, R-S.D., doctors of the Black Hills Regional Eye 
     Institute, families of the doctors who were killed and other 
     donors.
       The doctors killed were Arvo Oopik, 37, a cardiologist 
     based in North Carolina; Christopher Krogh, 45, a maternity 
     and infant-care specialist based at Sioux San, and Ruggles 
     Stahn, 46, a diabetes specialist also based at Sioux San.
       The pilot of the plane was Ed Mellen, 53, who also died in 
     the crash, and flew for B&L Aviation.

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