[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 179 (Tuesday, October 28, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE VICTIMS AND FIRST RESPONDERS OF UNITED FLIGHT 629

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. GABE EVANS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 28, 2025

  Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, it is with a solemn heart that I 
rise today to honor the victims and first responders of United Airlines 
Flight 629, and to mark the upcoming 70th anniversary of one of 
Colorado's most heartbreaking tragedies.
  On the evening of November 1, 1955, United Airlines Flight 629 
departed Denver's Stapleton Field bound for Portland, Oregon. A short 
time later, the aircraft exploded in midair over Weld County--land now 
encompassed within my district, killing all thirty-nine passengers and 
five crew members on board. The cause of that explosion was later 
revealed to be a bomb--placed in a passenger's suitcase by her son, in 
an attempt to collect her life insurance benefits.
  The wreckage rained down across farms near Longmont, where residents, 
law enforcement officers, and volunteer firefighters rushed toward the 
flames, with the hope of saving lives. Among them were local family 
farmers, whose land bore the brunt of the explosion, and community 
members who did not hesitate to serve in the face of unimaginable 
devastation.
  In the days that followed, Weld County saw both deep sorrow and 
remarkable compassion. William ``Clayton'' Bearly, the longtime manager 
of Johnson's Corner, witnessed the explosion that night and immediately 
stepped forward to support first responders, investigators, and 
National Guard personnel. His quiet service stands as a reflection of 
the strength and kindness that Colorado communities show in times of 
crisis.
  The Flight 629 tragedy would go on to leave a lasting imprint on 
Colorado and on the Nation. It became a turning point in aviation 
security and a somber reminder of the fragility of life. But above all, 
it revealed the courage of ordinary Coloradoans who responded with 
extraordinary grace.
  This year, as we reflect on the tragedy of that night seventy years 
later, the Denver Police Museum, together with History Colorado, Wings 
Over the Rockies, the CELL, the University of Denver, FlyteCO Tower, 
and the Weld County Flight 629 Memorial Committee, will unveil 
permanent memorials in both Denver and Weld County to honor those who 
were lost as well as those who answered the call.
  Mr. Speaker, every passing year does not diminish the pain of this 
tragedy, nor does it lessen our duty to remember. Today, we honor the 
forty-four innocent lives who perished aboard Flight 629 by including 
their names into the Record, that they may never be forgotten:

       F.E. ``Jack'' Ambrose, Samuel Arthur, Bror and Irene 
     Beckstrom, John Bomelyn, Frank Brennan, Louise Bunch, Brad 
     and Carol Bynum, Thomas Crouch, Barbara Cruse, Carl Deist, 
     John Des Jardins, James and Sarah Dorey, Gurney and Elizabeth 
     Edwards, Helen Fitzpatrick and son James, Lee Hall, Virgil 
     and Goldie Herman, Elton Hickok, Jacqueline Hinds, Marion 
     Hobgood, John Jungels, Daisie King, Gerald and Patricia 
     Lipke, Lela McClain, Stewart and Suzanne Morgan, Peggy 
     Peddicord, James Purvis, Herbert Robertson, Harold Sandstead, 
     Sally Scofield, Jesse Sizemore, James Straud, Clarence Todd, 
     Ralph and Minnie VanValin, Donald White, and Alma Winsor.

  Mr. Speaker, may we remember each of these forty-four souls with 
reverence, and may we honor the first responders and citizens who ran 
toward danger that night with gratitude and respect. Their courage, 
compassion, and resilience continue to define the spirit of Colorado.
  May their memory be eternal, and may God grant peace to the families 
who still carry this loss, knowing that their loved ones are remembered 
by a grateful state and Nation.

                          ____________________