.png)
It's a reality of existence - occasionally, individuals simply disappear. Whether due to external actions, natural forces, or personal decisions, many people have just "vanished without a trace," leaving behind more inquiries than answers.
On occasion, these individuals vanish alongside a $45 million aircraft and thousands of pounds worth of explosives.
One of such incidence happened During the spring of 1997, a young U.S. Air Force captain who was engaged in live ordnance training suddenly broke formation while flying over southern Arizona. Quietly abandoning his training mission, he abruptly steered his aircraft towards the Colorado Rockies.
Captain Craig Button never made contact again.
Despite deactivating his transponder, both radar data and eyewitness testimonies confirmed that Button's A-10 aircraft was indeed headed towards the Rockies. Straying around 800 miles off-course, the aircraft veered through mountains, zigzagging across the terrain and weather patterns as it zeroed in on the peaks. The aircraft's presence was traceable but not identifiable, and it took some time to identify the "blip on the screen" as one of the world's premier Close Air Support aircraft.
At one instance, the aircraft - loaded with four 500-pound Mk-82 bombs - was sighted roughly 100 miles west of Denver. After that, it vanished entirely, disappearing near a location known as Craig’s Peak.
Upon receiving notice of the missing A-10, Air Force authorities initiated a search for the aircraft. Twenty days later, fragments believed to be from a military aircraft were discovered in the vicinity of Gold Dust Peak, a perilous mountainous area renowned for its steep slopes, inclement weather, strong winds, heavy snowfall, rockslides, and avalanches.
The retrieval process - involving the pilot, aircraft, and ordnance - proved to be arduous and hazardous for all those involved. During the descent down the peak, rodents gnawed through climbing ropes, and the full range of mountain-related hazards created an inhospitable environment for rescue teams, crash site investigators, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians searching for the bombs. It took an additional four months after the wreckage was positively identified to locate the highly decomposed remains of Captain Button.
Soon after, a host of conspiracy theories emerged, spanning from a rogue A-10 pilot on a deadly mission, to alien abduction. Every aspect of Button's record, personal life, and other matters was scrutinized in search of answers. Did he snap mentally? Was he unconscious? Was he delivering the bombs to a terrorist group? The crash generated more queries than answers.
However, as the puzzle pieces began to fit together, the truth started emerging.
Button, the son of a respected retired Air Force officer, had significant expectations to meet. Besides being his father's heir, he had familial ties to Lieutenant Donald Hurlburt, a World War II B-17 pilot honored with the naming of Florida's Hurlburt Field.
But Button's mother held opposing views. A staunch pacifist and Jehovah's Witness, she vehemently opposed his military involvement, even prohibiting him from wearing his ROTC uniform at home during his college days.
Prior to Button's perplexing deviation, his roommate - also a pilot - noted that Button's "mother had grown increasingly vocal in her negative sentiments about her son's job and military role." A week prior to his disappearance, his mother visited him in Arizona.
During their last conversation, Button's landlord found him to be "out of character," expressing thoughts about "learning to kill people." Subsequently, it was revealed that the training flight during which Button - a member of the 355th Fighter Wing - went off course would have marked his first experience dropping live ordnance.
The women in Button's life seemed to have a significant impact on him. His mother criticized the path he had diligently pursued, and his former girlfriend - who rejected his marriage proposal - had a disorienting effect on him, leading to documented instances of unusual behavior. Just one day prior to a one-way flight, he called her and rented a video copy of "The Bridges of Madison County," a story centered around a doomed romance.
Regarded as a mild-mannered "perfectionist" by some, Button's personality had dual facets. While often seen as a consummate professional, he was also an audacious pilot who enjoyed flying perilously low to the ground before ascending rapidly. He frequently made a point to fly over the Rockies, despite reprimands for this behavior.
Button's affinity for the Rocky Mountains stemmed from his enthusiasm for skiing and flying. He nurtured a fantasy of becoming a commercial pilot based at Denver International Airport and settling down in the region. His aspirations, however, appeared to be hindered by those in his life from whom he sought approval and affection.
Upon considering Button's emotional state, the pieces of the mysterious flight puzzle began to fall into place, painting a tragic portrait: a heartbroken and bewildered individual, grappling with conflicting loyalties to both conflict and peace, breaking formation to reach a beloved location where he had chosen to meet his end.
In his final moments, Button circled above the peak before initiating a 300 MPH descent into the ground, apparently attempting to pull up at the last instant. He was 32 years old.
Having pieced together all the details, the Air Force officially classified Button's death as a suicide, a conclusion that made sense to many of his friends and family members, given the location he had deliberately crashed into. His parents denied any involvement in their son's demise.
Despite the passage of more than 22 years, a crucial element remains missing concerning the Button incident: the 2,000 pounds of bombs attached to his aircraft's wings have never been found and continue to remain unaccounted for to this day.
Comments