1965 CPT Donald R. Clark -- 197 AHC, Age 30, Cleveland, Ohio
1967 CPT Ralph W. Brower -- 37 ARRS, Age 27, Stow, Ohio
In memory CPT Brower: KIA, Laos.
From Ray Dunn a comrade-in-arms:
Ralph was the copilot with Capt Gerry Young who received the Medal of Honor for the mission on which Ralph was killed.
On November 8, 1967, two Air Force "Jolly Greens" (#26 and #29) from the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron were scrambled from DaNang Air Base at 1505 hours for an emergency extraction of five surviving members of a Special Forces reconnaissance team which had suffered heavy casualties while operating deep in a denied area in Laos. The recovery effort was to be recorded by the Squadron as one of the largest and most hazardous on record.
The two Air Force helicopters were advised by forward air control to hold while three Army UH1B gunships softened the area with rockets and machine gun fire. An Air Force C130 gunship, meanwhile, provided flare support for the mission. At 1630Z, Jolly Green 29 picked up the three indigenous personnel before being driven off by hostile fire. Damaged, Jolly Green 29 left and made an emergency landing at Khe Sanh.
20 minutes later, Jolly Green 26, flown by CPT Gerald Young, with flight crew consisting of CPT Ralph Brower, co-pilot; SSGT Eugene Clay, flight engineer; and SGT Larry Maysey, rescue specialist; braved the ground fire to pick up Special Forces SP4 Joseph G. Kusick and MSGT Bruce R. Baxter, both wounded. The helicopter was hit by automatic weapons fire, crashed and burst into flames. By the afternoon of November 9, a recovery team was inserted into the area and reached the crash site of the burned HH3. Because of fading light, it was impossible to inspect the wreckage at that time.
On 10 November, the wreckage was searched and 3 charred remains were found. Two of the remains had identification tags which identified them as members of the crew. The third remains had no tags, but were identified as SP4 Kusick, radio operator of the reconnaissance team, as the long antenna from his PRC-25 radio were found on his body. CPT Young had survived and was rescued 17 hours after the crash of the aircraft. About 34 meters downhill from the wreckage, another set of remains was found which were readily identified as MSgt. Baxter from the facial features. No trace was found of the third crew member.
The remains of the two crewmen and Kusick were removed from the aircraft and placed with MSgt Baxter's remains so they could be hoisted as one lift into a hovering helicopter. The identification tags of the crewmembers were placed with the remains. Weather conditions and enemy action would not permit helicopters to make the extraction either that day or the day following. The remains of the crew and passengers aboard Jolly Green 26 were never recovered. Although the location of the crash is known, the bodies of the crew and recon team who died still lie on foreign soil. The five are among nearly 600 Americans lost in Laos.
1966 CPT Sylvan K. Bradley -- D/1/4 CAV 1 INF, Age 28, Irondale, Missouri
1966 1LT Lloyd S. Smith -- D/1/4 CAV 1 INF, Age 23, Portage, Wisconsin
1967 WO1 Raymond H. Chase Jr. -- 119 AHC, Age 19, Meadville, Pennsylvania
1971 CW2 James P. Delaney -- 334 AHC, Age 21, Lorain, Ohio
1971 WO1 Francis J. Klassen -- 334 AHC, Age 24, North Little Rock, Arkansas
YOUR FRIENDS HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU . WE MISS YOU AND ALWAYS HAVE. THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY. I KNOW YOUR LITTLE GIRL IS ALL GROWN UP AND VERY PROUD OF YOU. OUR LOVE ALWAYS, MARY & SARA.
SCOUTS OUT!
