Posted on 11/09/2002 6:40:40 AM PST by Mama_Bear
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
SCOUTS OUT!
Happy birthday MARINES! God bless all service men/women of our great country!
Will you personally serve it in bed for us, JL??
LOL
I am looking forward to Billie's post Monday honoring our veterans. Of course, we honor our veterans on this thread everyday, but Monday will be a special day here. And, this weekend we also get to celebrate the birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps too.
Happy "FR Anniversary" to meadsjn and PaulJ
I know! And you know how I hate to miss out on any Louie hugging going on. LOL!
Soooo....this hug's for you! : )
Wow! That hug always knocks me off my fuzzy feet. Thank you! :-)
And here is a beary special hug for you...
USMC 1977-1981
Thank you so much. Aqua, for them.
It perfectly suits our 'coming down from the high' of the past several days.
HEY, NAN!!
(feel like I'm calling the Culligan Man..:))
Put down that rake and let the leaves lie and delight the eye for an hour more - we desire your presence here!
Have a great weekend!
MAVERICK director Larry Clark beat up the distributor for his movie "Ken Park" after the jerk declared that America deserved to get attacked on 9/11.
Clark, who helmed "Kids" and "Bully," delivered a brutal beat-down to Hamish McAlpine after the screwy Scotsman started spewing anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiments during dinner at London's posh Charlotte Street Hotel Thursday night.
An enraged Clark, 59, punched McAlpine several times in the face - breaking his nose - choked him, then overturned the dinner table on the bloodied big mouth.
Clark was arrested by London police - and now McAlpine is pulling "Ken Park" from the London Film Festival, where it was supposed to unspool tonight.
"He says he's not going to distribute the film now and he's pulling it from the film festival," Clark told us from London yesterday. "He can be mad at me for punching him in the nose, but don't take it out on 'Ken Park.' "
Clark said he lost it when McAlpine ranted that 9/11 "was the best thing that ever happened to America" and declared that innocent Israelis blown up by Palestnian suicide bombers "deserved to die."
"I was wrong," Clark said. "I shouldn't have punched him. I shouldn't have lost it. But at the same time, I wouldn't have been able to look myself in the mirror the next morning if I hadn't done anything. I'm not gonna let this [bleeping] idiot talk about supporting terrorism and the killing of innocent people. I am an American!
You done good Larry! Thank you!
18 posted on 11/09/2002 10:02 AM CST by BigWaveBetty
At any moment, they might be in harm's way; as even we are now with enemies who despise us and seek the destruction of America.
God has dealt us a just and winning hand.
It is up to us to play it wisely - with His guidance.
Have a nice weekend.
Yes, indeed!! I am thrilled. A wonderful new day is dawning all across the fruited plain. :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.