This bill, known as the "Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act" , authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to permit the relocation of a memorial honoring nine Air Force crew members. These individuals lost their lives in a C-141B transport plane crash during a training mission on August 31, 1982, within the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. The memorial, currently on private land, would be moved to the Stratton Ridge rest area at mile marker 2 on the Cherohala Skyway in Graham County, North Carolina, within the Nantahala National Forest, subject to the private landowner's consent. The Secretary's authorization for this relocation is subject to several conditions, including site approval by the Secretary in concurrence with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and potentially the Federal Highway Administration. Significantly, no Federal funds may be used for any aspect of the memorial's relocation, installation, or maintenance. All associated costs, including application processing, special use authorization, environmental analysis, and ongoing upkeep, must be borne by the individual or entity requesting the installation.
Forests, forestry, treesMilitary historyMonuments and memorialsNorth CarolinaU.S. history
Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act
USA119th CongressS-1876| Senate
| Updated: 10/27/2025
This bill, known as the "Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act" , authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to permit the relocation of a memorial honoring nine Air Force crew members. These individuals lost their lives in a C-141B transport plane crash during a training mission on August 31, 1982, within the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. The memorial, currently on private land, would be moved to the Stratton Ridge rest area at mile marker 2 on the Cherohala Skyway in Graham County, North Carolina, within the Nantahala National Forest, subject to the private landowner's consent. The Secretary's authorization for this relocation is subject to several conditions, including site approval by the Secretary in concurrence with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and potentially the Federal Highway Administration. Significantly, no Federal funds may be used for any aspect of the memorial's relocation, installation, or maintenance. All associated costs, including application processing, special use authorization, environmental analysis, and ongoing upkeep, must be borne by the individual or entity requesting the installation.