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Bloomington, Illinois: Poppy Plane Crash Memorial (Gone)

In 1948 a small plane flew over this cemetery to drop poppies on Memorial Day. It crashed into a tree and burst into flames, killing the poppy-dropper. In 2015 the dying tree was carved into a plane crash sculpture - which then fell a few years later from bug infestation.

Evergreen Cemetery

Directions:
Enter the cemetery at 302 E. Miller St., go right. The plane tree is about 100 yards ahead.
Status:
Gone

Visitor Tips and News About Poppy Plane Crash Memorial

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Poppy Plane Crash Memorial

I was able to find where it used to be in the cemetery, but the tree, as well as the commemorative plaque, have been removed.

[Andrew Strom, 10/28/2023]

According to the cemetery, the tree carving fell "due to bug infestation." Without the tree, the cemetery apparently felt there was no point to the plaque.

Poppy Plane Crash Memorial.

Poppy Plane Crash Memorial

Visited the cemetery and the Poppy Plane Crash Memorial in November 2019. The historical marker stands near the carving made from the tree the plane hit.

[Katz Paganstar, 11/18/2019]

Poppy plane crash memorial.

Poppy Plane Crash Memorial

In Bloomington's Evergreen cemetery there is a memorial carved out of a tree that was involved in a fatal plane crash.

The story: in 1948 a WWII trainer plane, a Vultee BT -13 Valiant, was flying low over the cemetery dropping poppy flowers on a crowd to commemorate Memorial Day when it struck a tree. A passenger was killed. When the tree recently started dying the memorial was commissioned.

When you enter the cemetery at 302 E. Miller St. take a right. The plane tree is about 100 yards ahead.

[Doug Dirr, 10/04/2015]

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