Silent Witnesses Memorial

The Silent Witnesses Memorial was erected to commemorate the tragic event which took place on 12 December 1985 when an Arrow Air Jetliner crashed, taking the lives of 248 American service persons and 8 civilian crew members.

The memorial was erected in response to the desires of the many directly affected families of the Arrow Air Crash victims. Funded by the Newfoundland Masonic Fraternity and their Ladies Auxiliary, it embodies a true sense of community oneness, and will permanently demonstrate Gander's concern for their sad and tragic loss.

The "Silent Witnesses Memorial" depicts an American soldier standing atop a massive rock holding the hands of two civilian children. The children, a boy and a girl, each hold an olive branch, indicative of the peace-keeping mission of the 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles' on the Sinai Peninsula. Behind them rise three tall staffs, each bearing a flag: Canadian, American and Newfoundland.

As the trio stands, looking to the future, they are surrounded by the trees, hills, and rocks of the actual Arrow Air Crash site. The natural surroundings are the "Silent Witnesses" of the precise moment when 256 dreams ended, and the hearts and imaginations of the entire world were captured.
This whole scene becomes "THE SILENT WITNESSES MEMORIAL", an appropriate and peaceful place of remembering. The sculpture was designed by Lorne Rostotski, St. John's, NF and sculpted by Stephen Shields, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, USA.

At the site, standing twenty-two feet in height, is the Cross of Sacrifice. A monument paid for from donations by those who have visited. The inscription "Rendezvous With Destiny" - the motto of the 101st Airborne Division - was crafted from the remains of the emergency exit door of the ill-fated DC8. Surrounding the cross are planted 256 native trees - a tribute to each of the crash victims.