Buddy Holly: Biography (77 page)

“charted through the CAA.”:
Ibid.

“snow blowing across the: Quoted in WJ, “CA,” p. 3; slightly different version in Oestreicher and Kennedy, “CA,” p. 11.

to see stars: CA quoted in Oestreicher and Kennedy, “CA,” p. 11.

failed to warn:
Ibid.;
WJ, “CA,” p. 3.

Buddy asked about the:
Ibid.

from their homes to Fargo: CA quoted in Oestreicher and Kennedy, “CA,” p. 11.

Rod Lucier was still: “Singing Star’s Body,” LAJ.

parked on the runway: BG, “Spotlight on 2/3/59,” p. 13.

on runway 17: Jerome J. Thiele, director of aviation, Mason City Airport Commission.

single-engine airplane, N3794N: Frederick, “Airplane—N3794N,” RM, Spring/83, p. 25. The serial number was D-1019.

perfect condition: “Study Plane Mishap,” p. 13.

pronounced it “fit,”: “Investigator Offers Theory,” p. E6.

“little spiffs”: Quoted in WJ, “CA,” p. 3.

“snow showers”: Quoted in JT, “Investigator Offers Theory,” p. E6.

“That Buddy Holly: Quoted in Hoffman, “We Belong Together, p. 35.

“stretch their evening with: Hines, “Fans Got Last Glimpse.”

“like crazy teenagers.”:
Ibid.

pilot was the first: Quoted in Oestreicher and Kennedy, “CA,” p. 11.

“Holly, why don’t you”:
Ibid.

he’d forgotten his briefcase:
Ibid.

“picked it up.”:
Ibid.

“Who knows how long:
Ibid.

shook hands with Anderson:
Ibid.

two alarming weather advisories: RB, p. 144.

failed his latest instrument: BG, “Spotlight on 2/3/59,” p. 13.

“Holder does not meet:
Ibid.

“beautiful snow”: “Fans Got Last Glimpse.”

“good luck,” Anderson later: Quoted in “BH Tribute: Fans Recall Day Music Died,” MCGG, 6/1/84, unpaged clipping in files of Mason City Municipal Airport.

Dwyer stood in the: 6/24/88; BW and BG, “RP Story,” p. 6.

waiting for Peterson to call in: BG, “Spotlight on 2/3/59,” p. 11.

“had taken a nap”: “Study Plane Mishap,” p. 13.

had checked weather:
Ibid.,
p. 2.

The wind was from: Collison, “Open Probe of Accident Here,” MCGG, 2/5/59.

temperature … dew point eleven: “Coroner’s Investigation.”

“if there had been: “Study Plane Mishap,” p. 13.

Billie Rose pulled away: Hines, “Fans Got Last Glimpse.”

Peterson radioed the tower: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation.”

“incomplete,” both the CAB: P&T, “Lingering Mysteries of Holly’s Fatal Flight,” MCGG, 1/29/89.

Peterson told the tower: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation.”

takeoff occurred at “0040-0100”: Files of Air Traffic Communication Station, located atop Administration Building, Mason City Municipal Airport.

about one
A.M.
: BG, “Spotlight,” on 2/3/59, p. 11.

Dwyer, in the tower: CT, 6/24/88.

Anderson, on the ground: BW and BG, “RP Story,” p. 6.

“Ironically,” a reporter: 2/4/59.

Lucille and Tom: CA quoted in Oestreicher and Kennedy, “CA,” p. 11.

In the tower, Dwyer waited: CT, 6/24/88.

with mounting anxiety: G&B, RB, p. 145.

radio silence: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation.”

“‘It looks like it just: CT, 6/24/88.

thought it was going up: “Lingering Mysteries.”

“In any Beechcraft Bonanza: “Spotlight on 2/3/59,” p. 14.

Peterson had encountered the: BG, “Sheriff Allen,” RM 13, 12/79, p. 6.

may have lost visual reference:
Ibid.

nothing was visible but snow: P&T, “Lingering Mysteries.”

“terrible snowstorm reference.:”:
Ibid.

“can either go: “Investigator Offers Theory.”

Peterson looked at the gauges: P&T, “Lingering Mysteries.”

His chronic vertigo: Lambert Fechter, flight instrument instructor, in testimony before the CAB, quoted in “Study Plane Mishap.”

read the gyroscope backward:
Ibid.;
LH quoted in BG, “Spotlight on 2/3/59,” p. 14.

crash under full power: P&T, “Lingering Mysteries.”

“Woke out of a sound: Quoted in BG, “Spotlight,” p. 13.

“motor was working:
Ibid.

realized his mistake too late: Duane Mayfield quoted in “Investigator Offers Theory”; author interview with Jerome J. Thiele.

frantic prayers: Dodge,
Not Fade Away,
p. 160.

The plane came in level: “Sheriff Allen,” p. 6.

cruising speed: Terry, “Bob Booe Remembers 2/3/59,” RM 29, Winter/84, p. 23.

was 172 miles per hour: RM 26, Spring/83, p. 25; BG, “Sheriff Allen,” p. 6.

landing gear was still retracted: BG, “Spotlight,” p. 13.

the fuselage split open: “Bob Booe,” p. 22.

shot from the wreck:
Ibid.

flying seventeen feet: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1.

the crater it had dug: “Four Killed in Clear Lake Plane Crash,” MCGG, 2/3/59, p. 1.

left wing snagged the:
Ibid.;
Bob Booe quoted in Terry, “Bob Booe,” p. 22.

a furrow fifty feet: I have recreated the path of the plane across the field using a compendium of contemporary accounts, although these sometimes differ in detail. Main sources: Author interview with Elwin L. Musser; MCGG; CLMR; Sheriff Jerry Allen in BG, RM 13; Kevin Terry’s “Bob Booe”; Deputy Sheriff Duane Mayfield in JT’s “Investigator Offers Theory.”

crumpling off: Bob Booe quoted in Terry, “Bob Booe,” p. 22.

then cartwheeled:
Ibid.

reduced to a ball: Author interview with Elwin L. Musser, who photographed the wreck; Bob Booe quoted in Terry, “Bob Booe,” p. 22; RES in “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1 (“The shape of the mass of wreckage approximated a ball”).

Five hundred seventy feet: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1.

crashed into the fence line:
Ibid.;
author interview with Elwin L. Musser.

“40 feet from the: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1.

skull cracked open from his forehead: RES, “Charles Hardin Holley (born 9/7/36, SSN 450-58-5172): Certificate of Death, 2/4/59,” Iowa State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.

Half of his brain tissue: RES wrote on Buddy’s death certificate, “approximately half the brain tissue was absent.”

blood gushed from both:
Ibid.

His face was disfigured:
Ibid.

his chest was soft:
Ibid.

His left forearm was:
Ibid.

“There was a small:
Ibid.

for ten hours after: G&B, RB, pp. 144–45; “Four Killed in Clear Lake Plane Crash,” p. 1; “Death of Singers Here Shocks Nation,” CLMR, 2/5/59, p. 1; BG, “Spotlight,” p. 11; JT, “Investigator Offers Theory”; RES, “Coroner’s Investigation.”

drifts formed around: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1.

“Some parts of each:
Ibid.

Scattered all about them: P&T, “Lingering Mysteries”; BG, “Spotlight,” p. 8; RES, “Coroner’s Report of Investigation (From 205-G), Richard Valenzuela, 2/3/59”; BG, “Sheriff Allen,” p. 6.

Ritchie had landed: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1; Certificate of Death, 2/3/59, Richard (unknown) Valenzuela, born 5/13/41, SSN 560-54-7403, Iowa State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.

threw him into the adjoining: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1; Certificate of Death, 2/4/59, Jiles P. Richardson, born 10/24/30, SSN 456-34-6417, Iowa State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.

sticking upside down: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1; Certificate of Death, 2/4/59, Roger A. Peterson, born 5/24/37, SSN 479-48-9009, Iowa State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.

one foot jutting: CA quoted in WJ, “CA,” p. 3.

body was wrapped around: Bob Booe quoted in Terry, “Bob Booe,” p. 23; “Four Killed,” p. 1; “Death of Singers,” p. 1.

skin had been flayed: RES, Roger Peterson AUTOPSY: A-8-59, AUTOPSIED: 4/Feb/59, PATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSES … PROTOCOL, p. 1.

brain stem had been destroyed:
Ibid.

gross trauma to the brain: Certificates of Death,
Ibid.

subfreezing weather: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1; BW and BG, “RP Story,” p. 6.

5.4 miles north: Map of crash site, Surf Ballroom, courtesy Bruce Christensen.

Airport issued an alert: G&B, RB, p. 145.

“early morning fog,”: “Four Killed,” p. 1.

raises questions: G&B, RB, p. 144, re: weather advisories; BG, “Spotlight,” p. 12, re: errors in the official CAB report.

it didn’t have to happen: Author interview with Mason City Municipal Airport Aviation Director Jerome J. Thiele re pilot errors; “Study Plane Mishaps,” MCGG, p. 13; P&T, “Lingering Mysteries,” MCGG; AP, “Pilot’s Parents,” MCGG; LH quoted in BG, “LH,” p. 9; “For RV: $1½ Million Lawsuit in Local Plane Crash,” unidentified newspaper clipping dated 6/26/59, Mason City Municipal Airport files, re: lawsuits; BG, “Spotlight,” p. 13, re: lawsuits.

The Civil Aeronautics Board eventually: P&T, “Lingering Mysteries.”

“There’s a plane down.”: Author interview with JW.

seems to corroborate Weddell’s testimony: Hines, “Fans Got Last Glimpse of Holly,” MCGG, 2/1/89, p. E7, courtesy Jerome J. Thiele, director of aviation, Mason City Airport Commission, Mason City Municipal Airport; author interview with Douglas Hines.

“It really blew our: Quoted in Hines, “Fans Got Last Glimpse,” p. E7.

Dwyer attempted to reach: RB, p. 145.

hazy, chilly day: Booe quoted in Terry, “Bob Booe,” p. 22.

a two-seat Champ:
Ibid.

twenty-five feet from the ground:
Ibid.

At 9:35
A.M.
, eight and a half: Dwyer to CAB, quoted in RB, p. 145.

“about 9:00
A.M.
,”: “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1.

around 8:40
A.M.
when: “Investigator Offers Theory.”

“just after I got: Author interview with Elwin L. Musser.

Buddy’s yellow leather jacket: RES, Certificate of Death.

“Jerry said, ‘They’re in a pasture: Quoted in “Bob Booe,” p. 22.

A ham radio operator: BG, “Spotlight,” p. 11; G&B, RB, p. 146.

Lou Giordano telephoned: MEH in BG, “ME,” RM 4, 9/77, p. 9.

“When I got the: Author interview with MEH.

radio on or was watching: BG, “Spotlight,” p. 14; MEH quoted in G&B, RB, p. 146.

Aunt Provi entered the room: MEH quoted in G&B, RB, p. 146.

psychological trauma:
Parade,
12/8/91.

Ella Holley screamed and collapsed: Author interview with KJ.

“Put the radio on,”: BG, “Spotlight,” p. 14.

“an airplane crash in: Author interview with KJ.

“Oh, no! It can’t:
Ibid.

“Maybe it was just: Author interview with KJ.

“The Lord figured He: Author interview with LH.

“God doesn’t go around: “CB,” p. 8.

“Honey, what are you:
Ibid.

“A cult is a phenomenon: Dalton,
James Dean: Mutant King,
p. 310.

“That was a miserable: Fink, “Don McLean,” RM 43, 7/86, p. 8.

“Buddy Holly was the first: P. F. Kluge cited in
Billboard Book of Number One Hits,
p. 305.

“American Pie,” the biggest record: Whitburn,
Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits,
p. 474.

Governor Morehead School: Milsap with Carter,
Almost Like a Song,
p. 17.

“He sounded so sincere”:
Ibid.,
p. 69.

overly strict music teacher:
Ibid.,
p. 50.

both boys were banned:
Ibid.

“I mean, I’ll never: TRSI, p. 98.

“The music of the late:
Newsweek,
1974, cited in G&B, RB, p. 161.

“We didn’t have school: Author interview with JW.

“I just lifted the needle: “‘La Bamba’ Recalls Day Music Died Here in Iowa,” 7/26/87, p. 1.

DeAnn Peterson was at: Quoted in WJ, “CA,” p. 3.

“I was young and: “Pilot’s Parents Can’t Forget.”

Eventually she would move:
Ibid.

Allison out of a deep: BG, “SC,” RM 17, 12/80, p. 12.

“Hey, man, I’ve got: Quoted in BG, “JA—Part Two,” RM 24, p. 9.

from Clovis the previous night: PS quoted in BG, “PS,” pp. 9–10.

“I thought that there might: Quoted in “JA—Part Two,” p. 9.

a publicity stunt: JBM on “Instant Recall.”

“‘No, no, go out:
Ibid.

It was Jerry who: Brooks and Malcolm, “NP—Part 3,” p. 6; BG, “NP,” p. 8.

“Catastrophic”: Quoted in BG, “NP,” p. 8.

“and the phones never stopped ringing.”: BG, “Robert Linville,” p. 4.

“It depends,” said Petty: BG, “Snuff Garrett—2/3/59,” RM 29, Winter/84, p. 26.

New York Daily News:
AC,
BB,
p. 23.

“Did you hear: WJ, “Dick Jacobs,” RM 36, 5/85, pp. 9–10.

“Crazy, isn’t it: Quoted in Hoffman, “We Belong Together,” p. 35.

“Unchained Melody”: Pareles and Romanowski,
Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock ’n’ Roll,
p. 237.

“We always fought: unidentified column dated 2/9/59 reproduced in AC,
BB,
p. 24.

“You’d better sit down: “Girl Ritchie Left Behind,”
16,
7/59, p. 44.

“The macabre fascination: Hines, “Fans Got Last Glimpse,” p. E-7.

Allen was away in St. Louis: JT, “Investigator Offers Theory,” p. E-6.

patrol cars carrying reporters: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1.

Life
magazine had already requested: BG, RM 32, Fall/84, p. 11.

Souvenir hunters wanted to: “Investigator Offers Theory.”

At 11:15—ten hours: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1.

black Cadillac hearses: Elwin L. Musser photograph.

wallet in his pocket: TA in RBHS; RES, “Coroner’s Investigation.”

“As far as I know: “CA,” p. 3.

listed Tommy Douglas Allsup: RES, “Coroner’s Investigation,” p. 1; BG, “TA,” p. 13.

“It was my first: BG, “Spotlight,” p. 13.