James Earl Givens - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P. Sevier 4/10/2012

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James Earl Givens - Madison Parish, Louisiana 

From Tallulah Madison Journal, November 9, 1978

Airplane crash claims lives of two young Tallulah men

Federal Aviation Officials say it will be an about three-months before National Transportation Safety 
Board officials release finally the cause of a single-engine plane crash here Thursday afternoon that 
the lives of two young Tallulah men.

Arthur C. Orjias and James Earl Givens were both killed instantly when the two-seat Champion they 
were flying crashed in the Tallulah Academy football field at about 5:15 p.m. Thursday. Madison 
Parish Coronor Las A. Neumann said.

Madison Parish Sheriff's official investigators indicated that the right wing and windshield of the 
plane separated from the fuselage during a high-stress pullout. Officials said the plane, which belonged 
to Orjias' employer, Merle Gustafson, of Tallulah, took off from Air Service airstrip on La. xxx and 
was seen flying over town during the afternoon.

Xxxxx Metrejon of the F.A.A. said the plane had a standard aircraft certificate and was properly 
maintained. He said that according to available information Orjias had about 200 hours of flight time 
on a private pilot's license.

Many of the Academy's students were at the school preparing to leave for the night's football game with 
Briarfield Academy at the time of the crash. No students were injured.

Neumann said the wing portion landed behind the school's gymnasium about 300 yards west of the fuselage, 
"missing a little girl by about two feet."

Madison Parish Sheriff R. R. Mitchell said parts of the plane were scattered over the football field. 
Tallulah's fire department stood by at the crash with foam applicators because of gas fumes in the air, 
but no flames broke out.

Chief Deputy B. B. Harmon, who reported the crash, said he heard the craft's engine sputtering, walked 
out onto his porch and saw something that looked like an explosion, "but no flames." He said the wing 
separated about 500 feet in the air, and the plane plunged.

Richmond resident Walter Cobb said his children were watching the plane from his backyard north of the 
field when they heard a loud pop, saw the wing come off and the plane fall.


The funeral of James Earl Givens, Tallulah was held Saturday in the First Baptist Church of Tallulah with 
the Revs. Crawford Williams and Bobby Brown officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery in Tallulah 
under the direction of Crothers Funeral Home of Tallulah.

Mr. Givens died in a plane crash Thursday.

Mr. Givens was a lifelong resident of Tallulah and was a welder. He was a member of Parkview Baptist Church 
of Tallulah and a 1976 graduate of Tallulah Academy High School.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Givens of Tallulah; a brother, John Eric Givens of 
Tallulah; one sister, Mrs. Carolyn Cox of Tallulah; and his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Rosie Givens of 
Sondheimer.

Pallbearers were Joe Joe Foster, Marlin Evans, Keith Walley, Dale Condra, Marty White, Mitch Hopkins, 
Neal Maxwell and Ted Bullard.