10 Feb 2001 I knew Jim in grade school at Balsz elementary in Phoenix, AZ. I remember him as a good and decent kid. How I wish he could have lived a full life as I have. To have married, had kids and maybe even grandkids, as I have done. It's so unfair how wars separate the truly good from their families and from their own futures. I remember you, Buddy, and am doing what little I can to ensure your sacrifice for our country is never forgotten. Each time I go to the Mesa cemetery, your final resting place, I pause and say a prayer for you and your family. I'm proud to have known you and to have served in the same war that you so valiantly gave your all for ... God bless you and those loved ones you left behind all those many years ago. James R . Carter II MSgt, USAF, Retired

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On the night of 27 Apr 1969 Warrant Officer B. M. Jones of the 201st Aviation Company took UH-1H 67-17206 (belonging to HHC, 268th Avn Bn) on a post-maintenance test flight. The flight went smoothly enough until Jones had a complete engine failure while over Nha Trang Bay. Jones immediately notified Nha Trang Tower that he was going down and entered an autorotation to water impact. He was unharmed in the crash, exited the aircraft, and swam the short distance to Hon Tre Island. Meantime, when the 201st Avn Co was notified that Jones was going into the bay, Major George F. Krays pulled together a jury-rigged crew and immediately launched in UH-1H tail number 66-16008 to conduct rescue operations. Krays left his searchlight and landing light on as he proceeded over water, allowing crewmen aboard patrol boat LCPL-48 to observe the Huey's flight as it descended to low altitude to conduct a search. Krays failed to pull out of his descent and the Huey flew into the water. It broke up on impact and sank, leaving a fuel fire on the surface. LCPL-48 went to the scene and recovered two survivors. The bodies of four others were recovered from the wreckage by Navy divers. They were    SP6 Larry Dean Lowery, crew chief;    SP5 James Dennis Crow, observer;    SP5 Alan Brian Denhoff, door gunner; and    SP5 William Joseph McFarland, observer.

Contact Us

© Copyright 1997-2019 www.VirtualWall.org, Ltd ®(TM)

Last update 08/15/2019.