Posted on Aug 25, 2018
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Samantha Smith, the 13-year-old “ambassador” to the Soviet Union, dies in a plane crash. Smith was best known for writing to Soviet leader Yuri Andropov in 1982 and visiting the Soviet Union as Andropov’s guest in 1983.
In late 1982, Smith, a fifth-grader at Manchester Elementary School in Manchester, Maine, wrote a plaintive letter to Soviet leader Andropov. She said that she was “worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to have a war or not?” A few months later, Smith’s letter was reprinted in Russia and it was announced that Andropov was writing a response. Smith received his letter in April 1983. Andropov assured Smith that he did not want a nuclear war with the United States or any other country. Calling Smith a “courageous and honest” little girl, Andropov closed the letter with an invitation for her to visit the Soviet Union. In July, accompanied by her parents, Smith embarked on a two-week trip. She was a hit in the Soviet Union, and although she did not get to meet with Andropov, she traveled widely and spoke to numerous groups and people. In the United States, some people branded her as a patsy for the communists and claimed that Soviet propagandists were merely using her for their own purposes, but Samantha’s enthusiasm and contagious optimism charmed most Americans and millions of other people around the world. During the next two years, Smith became an unofficial U.S. goodwill ambassador, speaking to groups throughout the United States and in foreign nations such as Japan. On August 25, 1985, while traveling with her father, their small plane crashed and both were killed.
Smith’s legacy lived on, however. Her mother began the Samantha Smith Foundation, which has as its goal bringing people from different nations and cultures together to share their experiences. In particular, the foundation established a student exchange program with the Soviet Union. In the Soviet Union, news of Smith’s death was met with great sadness. The Russian government responded by issuing a stamp in her honor and naming a mountain after the young girl.
In late 1982, Smith, a fifth-grader at Manchester Elementary School in Manchester, Maine, wrote a plaintive letter to Soviet leader Andropov. She said that she was “worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to have a war or not?” A few months later, Smith’s letter was reprinted in Russia and it was announced that Andropov was writing a response. Smith received his letter in April 1983. Andropov assured Smith that he did not want a nuclear war with the United States or any other country. Calling Smith a “courageous and honest” little girl, Andropov closed the letter with an invitation for her to visit the Soviet Union. In July, accompanied by her parents, Smith embarked on a two-week trip. She was a hit in the Soviet Union, and although she did not get to meet with Andropov, she traveled widely and spoke to numerous groups and people. In the United States, some people branded her as a patsy for the communists and claimed that Soviet propagandists were merely using her for their own purposes, but Samantha’s enthusiasm and contagious optimism charmed most Americans and millions of other people around the world. During the next two years, Smith became an unofficial U.S. goodwill ambassador, speaking to groups throughout the United States and in foreign nations such as Japan. On August 25, 1985, while traveling with her father, their small plane crashed and both were killed.
Smith’s legacy lived on, however. Her mother began the Samantha Smith Foundation, which has as its goal bringing people from different nations and cultures together to share their experiences. In particular, the foundation established a student exchange program with the Soviet Union. In the Soviet Union, news of Smith’s death was met with great sadness. The Russian government responded by issuing a stamp in her honor and naming a mountain after the young girl.
Samantha Smith dies in plane crash - Aug 25, 1985 - HISTORY.com
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1985 SAMANTHA SMITH YOUNG AMBASSADOR NEWS BROADCAST ABOUT DEATH W INTERVIEW
Here is another newscast about Samantha Smith's untimely death which features rare footage and interviews with Samantha.
Thank you my friend TSgt Joe C. for making us aware that on August 25, 1985 that America’s Youngest Ambassador, American peace activist and child actress Samantha Reed Smith and her father were killed in a commuter plane crash.
From britannica.com/biography/Samantha-Smith
She wrote a letter to Soviet President Yury Andropov.:
Dear Mr. Andropov,
My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren’t please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight.
Sincerely,
Samantha Smith
The Soviet government issued a postage stamp with her likeness and named a diamond and an asteroid in her honour. The state of Maine erected a life-size statue of Smith releasing a dove with a small bear (representing both Maine and the Soviet Union) sitting at her feet and proclaimed the first Monday in June to be Samantha Smith Day. In October 1985 her mother established the Samantha Smith Foundation, dedicated to peace education and fostering international friendships among children."
Background from newenglandaviationhistory.com/tag/samantha-smith-plane-crash/
"Auburn, Maine – August 25, 1985
At 3:30 p.m. on August 25, 1985, Bar Harbor Airlines Flight 1793, left Bangor, Maine, for Boston. The aircraft was a Beech BE-99, (N300WP).
The flight was part of a regularly scheduled commuter route between Logan International Airport in Boston, and Bangor International Airport in Maine, with intermediate stops at Auburn, Augusta, and Waterville, Maine.
Flight 1793 arrived safely at Boston, and flew back at Bangor arriving at 6:24 p.m., about twenty-five minutes behind schedule. At this time, weather conditions along the flight route were deteriorating, and continued to do so, causing delays in arrival and departure times.
At 6:40 p.m., the aircraft once again took off from Bangor this time as Flight 1755, and landed at Augusta at 7:05 p.m.
At 7:15 p.m., Flight 1755 departed for Boston and arrived there at 8:15 p.m., twenty-five minutes later than its scheduled arrival time.
The aircraft departed Boston at 9:17 p.m. with six passengers and a crew of two aboard, this time as Flight 1808. Two passengers were flying to Auburn-Lewiston Airport, three to Augusta, and one to Waterville. Two other passengers had been ticketed for the flight, but they were transferred to a non-stop flight to Bangor, and thus their lives were saved.
Shortly before 10:00 p.m. Flight 1808 began an instrument approach to Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport, in Auburn, Maine.
At 10:05 p.m. the aircraft crashed and burned in a wooded area about one mile southwest of Runway 4, and all aboard were killed.
The coordinates of the crash site were listed in the NTSB crash report as 44 degrees, 02′ 22″ N. Latitude, 70 degrees, 17′ 30″ W. Longitude, 4,007 feet from the approach end of Runway 4.
Among the passengers who lost their lives, was 13-year-old Samantha Smith, famous for being America’s Good Will Ambassador to the Soviet Union. (More information about Samantha can be found elsewhere on the Internet.)
Bar Harbor Airlines ceased operations in 1991."
1985 SAMANTHA SMITH YOUNG AMBASSADOR NEWS BROADCAST ABOUT DEATH W INTERVIEW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt1c3GIb9pY
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning
From britannica.com/biography/Samantha-Smith
She wrote a letter to Soviet President Yury Andropov.:
Dear Mr. Andropov,
My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren’t please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight.
Sincerely,
Samantha Smith
The Soviet government issued a postage stamp with her likeness and named a diamond and an asteroid in her honour. The state of Maine erected a life-size statue of Smith releasing a dove with a small bear (representing both Maine and the Soviet Union) sitting at her feet and proclaimed the first Monday in June to be Samantha Smith Day. In October 1985 her mother established the Samantha Smith Foundation, dedicated to peace education and fostering international friendships among children."
Background from newenglandaviationhistory.com/tag/samantha-smith-plane-crash/
"Auburn, Maine – August 25, 1985
At 3:30 p.m. on August 25, 1985, Bar Harbor Airlines Flight 1793, left Bangor, Maine, for Boston. The aircraft was a Beech BE-99, (N300WP).
The flight was part of a regularly scheduled commuter route between Logan International Airport in Boston, and Bangor International Airport in Maine, with intermediate stops at Auburn, Augusta, and Waterville, Maine.
Flight 1793 arrived safely at Boston, and flew back at Bangor arriving at 6:24 p.m., about twenty-five minutes behind schedule. At this time, weather conditions along the flight route were deteriorating, and continued to do so, causing delays in arrival and departure times.
At 6:40 p.m., the aircraft once again took off from Bangor this time as Flight 1755, and landed at Augusta at 7:05 p.m.
At 7:15 p.m., Flight 1755 departed for Boston and arrived there at 8:15 p.m., twenty-five minutes later than its scheduled arrival time.
The aircraft departed Boston at 9:17 p.m. with six passengers and a crew of two aboard, this time as Flight 1808. Two passengers were flying to Auburn-Lewiston Airport, three to Augusta, and one to Waterville. Two other passengers had been ticketed for the flight, but they were transferred to a non-stop flight to Bangor, and thus their lives were saved.
Shortly before 10:00 p.m. Flight 1808 began an instrument approach to Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport, in Auburn, Maine.
At 10:05 p.m. the aircraft crashed and burned in a wooded area about one mile southwest of Runway 4, and all aboard were killed.
The coordinates of the crash site were listed in the NTSB crash report as 44 degrees, 02′ 22″ N. Latitude, 70 degrees, 17′ 30″ W. Longitude, 4,007 feet from the approach end of Runway 4.
Among the passengers who lost their lives, was 13-year-old Samantha Smith, famous for being America’s Good Will Ambassador to the Soviet Union. (More information about Samantha can be found elsewhere on the Internet.)
Bar Harbor Airlines ceased operations in 1991."
1985 SAMANTHA SMITH YOUNG AMBASSADOR NEWS BROADCAST ABOUT DEATH W INTERVIEW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt1c3GIb9pY
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning
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PO3 Phyllis Maynard
LTC Stephen F. I did not know about this piece of history. Thank you for the share. It was very interesting
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Samantha Smith site dedicated to life and memory of Samantha Smith as well as to the work of the Samantha Smith Foundation.
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SFC Shirley Whitfield MSG Mark Million COL Lee Flemming LTC (Join to see) PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSgt Harvey "Skip" Porter SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell Alan K. LTC Greg Henning SSgt (Join to see) MSgt Stephen Council Sgt Trevor Barrett Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MSG Andrew White SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth Cpl Scott McCarroll LTC John Shaw LTC John Griscom
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LTC (Join to see)
Samantha Smith on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson - July 28, 1983
Саманта Смит на Шоу "Сегодня Вечером" с Джонни Карсоном. 28 июля, 1983 г.
Samantha Smith on her second visit to the Johnny Carson show!
https://youtu.be/b9DXsHvG-Wk
https://youtu.be/b9DXsHvG-Wk
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