Home Login

[Those with names in red are Vietnam War Heroes. Click on names in boldface for details of a hero's death, or memories of others. Send memories of any classmates to the web master, Tom Browder (tom.browder@gmail.com), for inclusion herein.]

Date of Birth: 3 April 1943; Home Town: Warner Robins, GA

Captain Stanley L. Adams was killed while piloting an operational mission over South Vietnam on 4 November 1969. His F-4C aircraft, lead in a flight of two, was struck by hostile ground fire while making its first napalm pass over the target.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 22 May 1943; Home Town: Worthington, OH

2nd Lieutenant George H. Bonnell, III, was downed on 28 October 1966 while on a rescue mission over South Vietnam. The HH-43 helicopter he was copiloting was struck by automatic weapons fire while on the way to pick up wounded soldiers. He was rescued and reported as very seriously injured on 29 October 1966, with multiple fractures. He died of these injuries on 12 November 1966.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 31 May 1943; Home Town: Howard, SD

Captain Tommy L. Callies was reported missing on 1 August 1969, while on a strike mission southwest of Chu Lai, South Vietnam. The F-4E aircraft he was piloting was seen to crash into a hillside. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 21 July 1970.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 5 May 1941; Home Town: Windber, PA

Major James A. Crew was reported missing on 10 November 1967 while on a bombing mission in Southeast Asia. His F-4C aircraft failed to return to Da Nang AB, South Vietnam. His status was changed to Killed in Action in December 1978.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 25 September 1943 ; Home Town: Pinckneyville, IL

Captain Thomas C. Daffron was reported missing on 18 February 1970 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4C aircraft he was copiloting was presumed to have been downed by suspected hostile ground fire and observed as a large fireball on the ground. No parachutes were seen and no beepers heard. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 23 June 1975.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

As a cadet, Pete was always upbeat and fun to be around. When looking for Pete just before our 45th reunion, we learned from his daughter of his untimely passing in a ski accident.

—Tom Browder, CS-24

Date of Birth: 17 February 1942 ; Home Town: Jefferson City, MO

Captain Robert D. Davenport was reported as missing on 28 March 1969 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting lost communication and did not return to friendly control. A search was initiated with no results. The aircraft wreckage was subsequently found and evidence of death was received on 13 January 1970.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 23 October 1942; Home Town: Florence, SC

Captain Harley B. Hackett, III, was reported missing on 24 July 1968 while on an armed reconnaissance mission in North Vietnam. He was piloting the number two F-4D aircraft when his lead was struck by hostile fire. He successfully vectored lead over the water where the crew was recovered. Radar and radio contact was lost at that time. A Navy aircraft in the area reported seeing an aircraft crash in the approximate vicinity of his Hackett's plane; however, no parachutes were seen and no emergency signals were heard. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 9 July 1973.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Don could be grouchy sometimes, but he was a good guy nevertheless. I'll never forget listening to him and my roomie, Tim Anderson, tanding in the hall outside our room arguing about the meaning of a word. Tim read the exact definition from the dictionary to back up his interpretation, and Don replied in a snarl, "I don't care what the dictionary says!"

Don and I exchanged Christmas cards most every year after graduation, and I had a nice visit with him at our 25th reunion. Some years after that the cards suddenly stopped. Just before our 45th reunion, when we were nailing down the CS-24 roster, I called Don to check on him. I learned that he had Alzheimer's and I would never receive another card from him.

—Tom Browder, CS-24

Date of Birth: 13 Jan 1942; Home Town: Los Angeles, CA

Captain Jack K. Hardy was declared MIA on 12 Oct 1967 while on a mission as a PWSO in an F-4 over North Vietnam. He was later declared dead on 22 Aug 1974. Details may be found on the Vietnam Virtual Wall here.

Joe was like a big brother to me, and our paths crossed many times over the years. His passing in an aircraft accident in an experimental plane was a shock to all of us, but he died doing what he loved, and he was one of the best at the flying game.

—Tom Browder, CS-24

Date of Birth: 2 December 1942; Home Town: Mystic, CT

1st Lieutenant Peter D. Hesford was reported missing while on an operational mission in Laos. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was number two in a flight of two and was presumably struck by hostile fired and crashed on the side of a hill. No parachutes were seen and no beepers were heard. He was promoted posthumously to Major effective 22 March 1976. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 8 June 1978.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 21 July 1943; Home Town: Phoenix, AZ

Captain Earl P. Hopper, Jr., was reported missing on 10 January 1968 while on an operational mission in North Vietnam. The F-4D aircraft he was copiloting was struck by intense hostile fire. Parachutes were not seen, nor were beepers heard; however, voice contact was established with one crew member from the aircraft who stated he was located in a wooded area and was in good condition. Search and rescue efforts were terminated due to weather and approaching darkness. The pilot of the aircraft was later listed as captured. Captain Hopper was promoted to Major while on Missing in Action Status. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 14 July 1982. He was the last remaining American serviceman carried as MIA in North Vietnam.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 10 July 1942; Home Town: Westfield, NY

1st Lieutenant Theodore W. Johnson was killed on 17 November 1967 shortly after takeoff on a combat mission in Thailand. The EB-66C aircraft he was instructor navigator on lost its number two engine. The aircraft returned to its home base and attempted a landing; however, it impacted the ground and burned short of the runway.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 5 September 1943; Home Town: Farmington, NM

Captain George R. Keller was reported missing on 27 May 1970 while on an operational mission in Cambodia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was struck by hostile fire while making a pass over the target. The right wing of the aircraft appeared to be on fire and was observed to separate from the plane prior to the crash. Evidence of death was received on 29 May 1970.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 27 February 1944; Home Town: Salt Lake City, UT

Captain Albin E. Lucki was reported missing on 23 April 1970 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting did not return to friendly control and he was declared Missing in Action at the time of estimated fuel exhaustion. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 8 November 1973.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 25 December 1943; Home Town: Billings, MT

Captain Steven B. Melnick was killed on 17 August 1970 while on a night strike mission in South Vietnam. Contact with the F-4E aircraft he was piloting was lost when his flight encountered suspected hostile antiaircraft fire. His aircraft crashed on a hillside and burned.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 24 July 1942; Home Town: Alton, IA

Captain James V. Newendorp was killed on 1 October 1971 while on a combat reconnaissance mission in South Vietnam. The RF-4C aircraft he was piloting crashed from suspected hostile action. The copilot ejected and was subsequently rescued. Newendorp did not eject from the aircraft.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 10 January 1943; Home Town: Deposit, NY

1st Lieutenant Paul D. Raymond was reported mission on 5 September 1967 while on an operational mission over North Vietnam. The F-4C aircraft he was copiloting was number two in a flight of two. As the lead was rolling in on target he saw a large fireball off his left wing descending toward the ground. Radio contact was attempted with no success. No parachutes were sighted and no emergency radio signals were heard. Raymond was posthumously promoted to Captain effective 13 June 1968. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 15 November 1973.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Gary and I exchanged Christmas cards every year after graduation until a few years before our 45th reunion. While updating our CS-24 roster I talked to Gary and found him in ill health but on the mend in the south 48 in his first winter away from his beloved Alaska in many years. I didn't make the 45th but Gary did, and I talked to him by phone while he was at the Academy. My wife and I planned to meet Gary and Gail for dinner near their home in Alaska after our cruise docked in the spring of 2011. After landing we were saddened and shocked to find that Gary had died not long before we debarked.

—Tom Browder, CS-24

Date of Birth: 26 January 1943; Home Town: Ft Thomas, KY

1st Lieutenant Joseph S. Ross was reported missing on 1 August 1968 while on a night strike mission in North Vietnam. The F-4D aircraft he was copiloting was the lead in a flight of two. His aircraft rolled in on a group of trucks and his wingman observed a large explosion near the target. Radio contact was unsuccessful; no parachutes were seen and no beepers heard. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 12 March 1975. He was promoted to Captain posthumously.

—USAFA AOG Heritage War Memorial

Date of Birth: 13 April 1942; Home Town: Milwaukee, WI

Captain Lance P. Sijan was reported missing on 9 November 1967 while on a FAC control strike mission in Southeast Asia. He was copiloting an F-4C aircraft that was the lead of two. On the second pass over the target, his aircraft was struck by hostile fire, burst into flames, began to climb, then rapidly descended and crashed. No parachutes were seen and no beepers heard, however voice contact was established with him on the ground. He dragged himself backwards on his elbows and buttocks for 45 days through the jungle, evading capture. He was decimated after a month and a half without food when he was finally captured. Still, in his weakened condition he cold cocked a guard and escaped. He was recaptured a few hours later. Eventually joined with other POWs (Gruters and Craner); Sijan, emaciated and near death, still resisted. Despite being abused, he gave no information except his name. He asked for no assistance and thought only of escape. Lance Sijan, resisting to the end, died in a Hanoi prison on 22 January 1968. He was carried as missing until 23 April 1974 when Gruters and Craner were returned home. On March 4, 1976 President Ford awarded him the Medal of Honor posthumously.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 28 February 1943; Home Town: Silver Spring, MD

Captain Victor A. Smith was reported missing on 17 January 1969 while on an operational mission in Laos. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was downed by hostile fire and both he and his copilot ejected with good parachutes. The copilot was subsequently rescued, but Smith could not be located. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 24 January 1974.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 22 May 1942; Home Town: Des Moines, IA

Captain Gray D. Warren was reported missing on 26 October 1969 while on an operational mission in Southeast Asia. The F-4D aircraft he was piloting was observed "going down" by the forward air control aircraft. No parachutes were seen and no beepers were heard. He was declared Missing in Action at the time of estimated fuel exhaustion. His status was changed to Killed in Action on 25 October 1973.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial

Date of Birth: 21 January 1943; Home Town: Galesburg, IL

Captain James W. Wood was killed on 17 August 1970 while on a night strike mission in South Vietnam. The F-4E aircraft he was piloting encountered suspected hostile antiaircraft fire and crashed on a hillside and burned.

—USAFA AOG War Memorial