# New Jersey Pine Barrens. The "Lindbergh of Mexico crash site.



## Kyushuj7w (Jul 28, 2021)

The "Lindbergh of Mexico," Emilio Carranza Rodriguez, will forever be bound to a patch of forest in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Captain Emilio Carranza Rodríguez (December 9, 1905 – July 12, 1928) was a noted Mexican aviator and national hero, nicknamed the "Lindbergh of Mexico". He was killed on the return part of a historic goodwill flight from Mexico City to the United States. He crashed in New Jersey shortly after take-off from New York.

*As is the custom every 2nd saturday in July for the last 90+ years there has been a memorial ceremony to honor this airman held by a very dedicated VFW post. This was the first year Ty and I had the chance to go. I found the memorial by accident a few years back. It is way off the beaten path in the Wharton pine barrens state forrest where only hikers and campers venture. I have never been there when anyone else was around. It was a very hot day today but they had a nice turnout.*







*When you see these things it reminds you of what our country is all about and something we can be proud of. No politics, just following a tradition of honoring courage and connection. The speakers were good and included people representing the Carranza family who live in both Mexico and the USA. The Mexican air attache and members of the NYC and Philly consulates were in attendance. I'll post a brief video at the end. The post commander called his membership forward, sadly appearing to be a scant few aging men and said, an airman has fallen in the woods, we are going to find him. Off they march into the pines and in a few minutes come carry back to somber music a litter with his remains. They stand with it before the memorial in silence. I tried to load the 13 second clip but I can not seem to make it work. 

I've been to a few veterans memorials, including being a speaker at a ceremony many years ago, but this was very impressive. Hats off to this post. There were a series of flyovers by a small private plane, officially unauthorized as mentioned by the post commander with a wink. I'll come back next year and if I'm around, be here for the 100th. *
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L to R: Maj. John N. Reynolds, control officer. Mrs. Edith Rogers Congresswoman. Capt. Emilio Carranza Mexico's good will flier.
In 1928, Emilio Carranza Rodriguez was 22 years old and a hotshot hero of Mexican aviation. Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight the previous year and his subsequent dramatic flight to Mexico City made a powerful impression south of the border. Influential men in Mexico decided that their country should have its own flyboy glory. A plane was built, the Mexico-Excelsior (an exact copy of Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis), and it was announced that Captain Carranza would fly from Mexico City to New York and then back again. The trip to New York was done in stages and went smoothly. But the return flight was going to be a non-stop, grueling test of endurance. Carranza delayed his departure for three days because of bad weather, and then abruptly flew off on the evening of July 12, 1928, in a wild thunderstorm.

Rumor has it that he was forced to leave on orders from a Mexican general, whose telegram to Carranza was reportedly later found in the aviator's pocket, but this was never proven. In his pocket was a weather report. He had tried to pick a break in the weather but the window closed on him. 

Aztec bird.
"Leave immediately," it read, "or the quality of your manhood will be in doubt."









Carranza only got about 50 miles south before his flight ended in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, a vast stretch of pine trees and sand. His body was discovered the next day by some locals picking blueberries. Carranza had a flashlight in his right hand -- literally in his right hand, as the force of the impact had driven it into his palm. He had apparently been looking for a place to land when he crashed into some trees.*


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*The heartbroken children of Mexico contributed pennies to build a monument, inscribed in both English and Spanish, to mark the spot where their hero had died. It still stands today, an arrow on one side pointing skyward, an Aztec eagle on the other plummeting to earth. Eerie footprints have been carved into the granite to signify Carranza's final touchdown. "THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO," its inscription reads, "HOPE THAT YOUR HIGH IDEALS WILL BE REALIZED."

Messenger of Peace. 

Once a year, at 1:00 P.M. on the Saturday closest to July 12th, Emilio Carranza is honored. American Legion Post 11 drives out to the monument from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, along with representatives from the Mexican consulates in New York City and Philadelphia. There, they hold a ceremony for the Lindbergh of Mexico. For one afternoon Carranza is again a hero, although he might have preferred to be remembered* for something other than this. For 2019 the memorial will be saturday the 13th. Carranza's distant relative , Mel Carranza lives in Grapevine, Texas, and first saw the monument in 1991 during the annual memorial service. He has returned for every service since out of respect for the work done by Post 11. 






The ground where Carranza met his end is as empty today as it was in 1928. A lonely road leads past the monument, through miles of pine trees. The closest neighbor is several miles up the road, the "Life Skills and Leadership Academy," a boot camp for teen criminals. Perhaps they draw inspiration from Carranza when they police the grounds around his memorial, but otherwise this is a lonely place. It has been vandalized, a 22 and an 18 year old were caught. "White Power" and "Die all Wetbacks" read some of the spray-painted phrases. There's also was a swastika. The Monument has been since repaired but 90 years of weathering has taken a toll. Members of Mount Holly's American Legion Post 11, has maintained the monument since its construction. It's pretty isolated and easy to miss but again it's an example of something in your own back yard if you want to go looking.*

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This last pic shows a small piece of wreckage recovered at the site years ago it is all that is known to be left of the aircraft.. 





*​*If one wanted to visit an air museum after visiting the memorial the Air Victory museum in Lumbarton NJ is about 36 minutes to the west. *

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## nuuumannn (Jul 28, 2021)

That deserves Bacon, my friend.


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