UNIONVILLE, MO -- Tuesday marks the fiftieth anniversary of a major tragedy in the Heartland.

On May 22, 1962, Continental Airlines Flight 11 crashed five miles from Unionville due to a bomb that exploded in the flight.

The incident is considered the first domestic terrorist attack ever in the United States killing 45 people.

A commemoration service is planned for Saturday at the Flight 11 Memorial in downtown Unionville.

"As a result of the crash, we felt it was important that this nation remembers the families who have suffered so much grief in the past 50 years," said local historian Duane Crawford.

During the remembrance service, family members will be reading the names of the 37 passengers and eight crew members killed in the crash.

"Each one of these passengers and crew had a family. Each of the stories are heart wrenching," Crawford said.

Then the families will go the crash site to pay their respects.