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Students in Marshall plane crash to be honored with posthumous degrees

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall University will honor the students who died in the Nov. 14, 1970 plane crash with a posthumous degrees.

A ceremony will take place Friday at 4 p.m., as part of a number of events taking place on the Huntington campus this weekend for the 50th anniversary of the tragic day in Marshall history.

Southern Airways Flight 932 crashed near the Tri-State Airport on the way back from a football game at East Carolina, killing all 75 people on board.

A total of 39 degrees will be awarded, each dated with the student’s anticipated graduation date in their program of study, according to the school. Degree recipients include 36 football players, an assistant trainer, an assistant statistician and the sports editor of The Parthenon.

Dr. Jerome Gilbert, the president of Marshall said this felt like the appropriate time to honor the victims. He said university officials began discussing the idea around one year ago.

Jerome Gilbert

“To bring up something like that early on was probably too painful. As time went by, I think people didn’t think about it,” Gilbert told MetroNews.

“We’ve been thinking on the 50th anniversary of all the appropriate things that we need to be doing. And that was one thing that came to my mind very quickly was, we need to recognize them with a posthumous degree.”

Gilbert said around half of the families of the victims will be represented in-person Friday. One of those victims was Barry Nash, a sophomore tight end from Henderson. Nash’s body was not identified and he is buried with five other unidentified players in the Spring Hill Cemetery.

“I can tell you that Barry Nash’s sister teared up and said that would mean so much to her when we spoke. I think this is going to be the reaction of all of the family members,” Gilbert said.

VIEW: Marshall University plane crash archive

The ceremony is the second in a series of events to commemorate the victims, capped off by the annual Fountain Ceremony and game against Middle Tennessee State on Saturday.

50th anniversary date of the crash is Saturday.

Gilbert, originally from Mississippi, said he was in the 10th grade when the crash occurred. He said when he got to Marshall and participated in his first Fountain Ceremony, he knew what the university was all about.

“It was one of the most emotional, powerful hours that I can imagine. It really grabbed me and it really gave me a great indication of what the university is about, what defines this university and it’s family. It’s about remembering those that came before and not forgetting them,” he said.

According to Marshall, due to safety restrictions related to COVID-19 on indoor event capacity and seating regulations, the degree event is by invitation only to family members and masks and physical distancing are required. Members of the public who want to attend the ceremony are asked to do so virtually HERE.





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