LAC COURTE OREILLES, Wis. – On November 18, 1966, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress crashed while conducting a training flight to test their ground reconnaissance radar at night at low altitude when the plane struck trees, stalled, then crashed into a dense wooded area. The aircraft was totally destroyed, and all nine crew members were killed.  A majority of the aircraft was salvaged by the United States Air Force, but pieces of the wreckage were scattered over approximately one mile of tribal land. 

On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, the LCO Conservation Game Wardens received a call of two individuals with metal detectors that had parked at the Enbridge Edgewater Pump Station off Right Of Way Road, one of the individuals told staff that they were going to the “Old Plane Crash” off of the pipeline.  The staff notified Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Mark Thayer, who in turn notified Chief Warden Henry Bearheart. 

Chief Warden Bearheart notified on duty Wardens Victoria Lacapa & Derek Taylor, they all met at “Yellow Gate Road” at the highline and attempted to locate the individuals near the crash site.  When they did not locate the individuals, Chief Warden Bearheart travelled by ATV to the Enbridge Edgewater Pump Station. While enroute, the witness contacted Warden Taylor and said they had just left, carrying something large under their jacket.  The witness was able to provide a vehicle registration number to Warden Taylor.  Warden Taylor and Warden Lacapa went to the registered owner’s address and located the same vehicle and the owner. 

The registered owner admitted to being there and removing a large section of the aircraft, Warden Taylor & Warden Lacapa were able to recover the section of the aircraft.  The registered owner was issued a $1,000.00 citation for Trespass and given a warning for removing the aircraft piece, the second individual remains unidentified. 

Due to the historical significance of this aircraft piece, Warden Taylor & Warden Lacapa turned the aircraft section over to Faith Smith of the LCO Tribal Museum & Vistor Center to be restored and displayed. 

Pictured in Photo: Keller Paap, Gary Quaderer Sr., Warden Derek Taylor, Warden Victoria LaCapa, Faith Smith, and Louis Bird.