Remembering 'The Boy Who Fell From the Sky"

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Beth Rosen’s "Children and tragedy" (Jan. 7) and her  poignant reminiscence of the twin air disaster has brought to the surface an experience that has been an ache in my heart for a half century. I don’t know if she is aware of the story of little Steven Baltz, “The Boy Who Fell From the Sky,” but as one who was intimately involved in the tragedy I’d like to share my experience.

The time is 10:34 a.m., Dec. 16, 1960. A light snow is falling on that pre-Christmas day. I am in the ABC newsroom in Manhattan when word comes over the Fire Department radio that a plane has crashed in Miller Field on Staten Island. Moments later, the police band reports a plane crashing into a crowded business and residential area of Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood.

Two separate plane crashes, moments apart?

Midair collision comes to mind. But where to go? Brooklyn or Staten Island? Miller Field is in a remote section of Staten Island. But multiple fire alarms for the Brooklyn site are coming over the radio scanner. In the end, they will reach seven alarms, and more than 2,000 firefighters, police, rescue, medical and sanitation personnel will respond.

A midair collision is now confirmed.

Later we will learn that a TWA Constellation prop plane overflew its holding pattern in New Jersey and collided with a United Airlines DC 8 jet over Staten Island. Apparently, in a desperate attempt to reach the airport , the mortally wounded DC 8 continued its flight over Brooklyn, crashing to the street in busy Park Slope at the intersection of Sterling Place and Seventh Avenue.

I immediately leave for the Brooklyn site in the radio/telephone-equipped news mobile unit.

The TWA plane crashes into an open field killing all 44 persons aboard, miraculously missing any nearby homes. 

trauma, the boy who fell from the sky, Ed Silverman
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