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Joint base community honors Hindenburg victims

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Scott Saldukas
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Hundreds of spectators from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and the local community gathered at the Hindenburg Memorial here to remember the men and women involved in the tragic accident of the Hindenburg airship 77 years ago during a ceremony May 6, 2014.

The annual event is hosted by the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society to commemorate the 36 passengers, air and ground crew members who lost their lives in the crash May 6, 1937.

"We need to remember who was on board, those manning the ground and all those who were witnesses that day," said Navy Chaplain Lt. Brett Sabella, 87th Air Base Wing chaplain. "In these moments of tragedy, one might ask why, but there may not be an answer to that. But, what we do know is that through tragedy comes hope. Let us never forget the lives that were lost that day."

Following the chaplains invocation, posting of the colors and the singing of the nation anthem, the keynote speaker Dr. Horst Schimer addressed the audience and began to explain his tie to the Hindenburg.

"The Hindenburg was something I grew up with," he said. "I was 5 years old in Germany when the ship was under construction and went to school with many of the children of the crew and designers of the airship. My father was an aerodynamical engineer and had a lot to do with the design to include the propellers, rutter and stability of the ship."

He explained how he had the opportunity, because of his father's job, to see the Hindenburg constructed and worked on in its hangar.

"To see it in the hangar was an amazing sight," he said. "The ship spoke for itself; it bridged three continents, Europe, North and South America. When I was 5 years old, my father took me on a test flight of the Hindenburg over Lake Constance, Switzerland. It was a memorable experience to glide in the ship with no bumps or air currents disturbing the flight."

While Shimer reminisced about the amazing things and outstanding accomplishments the Hindenburg had achieved, he said, "I am just full of admiration and gratitude of your interest showing what happened here. This is heartwarming to me that so much interest still exists," when speaking about the memorial event.

Carl Jablonski, NLHS president, ended the ceremony by reading the names of the 36 passengers while taps played. Also, wreaths were laid at the memorial to represent each military branch, the Lakehurst Borough Historical Society and the Lakehurst Cub Scout Troup 10 in honor of those who had fallen.

The Hindenburg, at more than 800 feet in length, was the largest airship ever made, and was named after German field marshal and statesman Paul Von Hindenburg. After accumulating more than 3,000 flight hours, the Hindenburg set off on its final flight departing from Frankfurt Am Main, Germany, and over the Atlantic Ocean for two and a half days at approximately 80 miles an hour before arriving in New Jersey to land at what was then Lakehurst Naval Air Station, May 6, 1937.

Reports from the disaster say that at 7:25 p.m. there was a fiery explosion that caused the airship to be incinerated in nearly 30 seconds. The cause of the explosion has never been firmly established.

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