Associated Press - September 10, 2009 8:04 AM ET
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) - A marker now honors the Clear Lake pilot who was flying a plane that crashed in 1959, killing himself and passengers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, known as the Big Bopper.
A field about five miles north of Clear Lake has long featured a memorial to the three musicians, but until Wednesday little was said about pilot Roger Peterson.
The 21-year-old Peterson, of Clear Lake, was blamed for the crash.
The new metal marker is shaped like a pair of wings and includes Peterson's name and the date of the crash.
The musicians had played at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. They had intended to fly from the airport in nearby Mason City to Moorhead, Minn.
Information from: KIMT-TV, http://www.kimt.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
