Last week marked the 50th anniversary of a fiery military plane crash in the Boulevard Park neighborhood of North Highline. Twenty-seven people died in the crash.

Five years ago, kids playing in an abandoned lot found metal scraps. They didn’t believe the story told by long-time residents about a military plane that crashed at that site. Many adults didn't believe it either.

Alice Takashima, a former teacher, witnessed the crash and was determined to set the record straight. Her son Paul agreed.

Paul researched the crash, collecting evidence from newspaper articles, a copy of the FAA investigation, photos, and written reports.

In the beginning he ran into dead ends, but he was determined to succeed. He located people who remembered the crash and collected their oral histories.

Alice and Paul compiled their results. After verifying their information, Alice wrote a seven-page paper called “Seven Seconds to Midnight,” documenting the event.

Thanks to the efforts of the mother and son, the story has survived for half a century.

Special Troops returning from the Far East on the navy transport General Howze arrived in Seattle Thursday morning, Nov. 17, 1955.

Sixty-five soldiers on board planned to continue east on a chartered flight out of Boeing Field at 8:30 that evening. Early in the afternoon a snowstorm blew in from the north and continued into the night, piling up several inches of snow.

At Boeing Field, the flight was delayed as mechanics battled the elements to correct a problem with the number four engine. By 11:30, the C-54 with its repaired engine taxied onto the runway. At midnight the plane was cleared for takeoff.

To pilot and crew, everything appeared normal. But unseen, a trail of smoke spewed from that number four engine. After they were airborne, the crew became aware of the smoke and noise from the engine -- but it was too late.

The plane stalled and began to descend. The pilot tried to maneuver between the trees and houses, an impossible task with the airplane’s 120-foot wingspan.

Striking trees and telephone poles, the plane crashed in an open field behind the home of Colin F. Dearing at South 120th Street and Des Moines Way in Boulevard Park, and burst into flames.

On impact the tail section ripped off, providing an escape route for those who could make it through the fiery interior. Over half of the servicemen on board survived along with four civilians, and three members of the crew. No one on the ground was injured.

Alice Takashima's report not only recorded the details of the plane crash, but also told of a neighborhood that pulled together in an emergency. From collected oral histories, Alice related stories of people, still dressed in their nightclothes, rushing to the site carrying blankets and later coffee for the rescue workers.

One of the neighbors, Mrs. Charles Platt, dashed next door to the Dearing home, which was engulfed in flames. Luckily, Mrs. Dearing and her five children had escaped out the front door. Mrs. Platt then returned home to tend and comfort some of the severely burned soldiers.

Firefighters responded quickly from both the Seattle Fire Department and Sea-Tac Airport and were able to save the Dearing house from total destruction.

Ambulances, hampered by ice-covered roads, arrived from miles away. Survivors were taken to four local hospitals.

Alice included personal statements from several of the soldiers who survived the plane crash.

Pvt. Rhiner Groendyk of Saranac, Mich., told of shielding his head from the flames with his overcoat. “I stumbled toward the rear, rubbing my elbow against the wall until I fell through onto the snow,” he recalled.

Fortunately for the Boulevard Park neighborhood and the Highline area, the Takashimas feel strongly about recording and sharing local history. Since writing her report, Alice has had several opportunities to share it with local organizations.

In 2001, she received a call from the library asking if she would share her information with the brother of one of the soldiers who died in the crash.

Last Thursday, Alice arranged a 50th anniversary informational presentation at Boulevard Park Library, including slides taken at the scene by Merrill Kleinmann.

In an article written in the Seattle Times, Paul Takashima said, “The story’s got to be heard because it’s so hard to find any information at all. And after we’re gone, you’re not going to find anything.”

Editor’s note: Anne Holmes is a freelance writer specializing in historical subjects.