On February 3, 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson tragically lost their lives in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. This event, immortalized as “The Day the Music Died” by Don McLean in his song “American Pie,” marked a significant and somber moment in music history. The untimely deaths of these young and talented artists left a profound impact on the music community and their fans, leading to an outpouring of tributes and a sense of loss that reverberated throughout the industry. The legacy of the musicians and the enduring impact of their music continue to be remembered and celebrated to this day.
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The Aircraft Involved
Shortly after midnight on Feb. 3, 1959, Holly, Valens and Richardson arrived at the airport, gathered their belongings and hurried along through the falling snow to Peterson’s plane. At approximately 12:55 a.m., they took off from runway 17 (now runway 18) in an aircraft owned by Jerry Dwyer, owner of Dwyer Flying Service. Dwyer witnessed the aircraft (similar to the one pictured above) take off towards the south and turn to the north west shortly after becoming airborne.
Note: There was no trespassing involved.
Mason City Municipal Airport
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The crash site
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After the coroner had finished with the bodies of the 4 victims they were all transported to Wilcox Funeral Home in Clear Lake, Iowa. The bodies of Holly, Richardson, and Valens were later transported to the Mason City Municipal Airport and transported to Texas and California. The Pilot, Roger Peterson lived locally and was buried a short distance away.
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Funerals and Graves
The funeral for Roger Peterson took place on February 4, 1959 at the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ventura, IA
Grave of pilot Roger Peterson. It is widely accepted that the inability of the pilot to navigate using instruments was a major factor in the crash. Peterson has recently failed his instrument certification test.
Grave of Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas. We took this photograph in from Aug 6, 2022. We have yet to visit the graves of the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens.
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Thanks! We will have to check it out