One friend of Dick Gray stated in his tribute on VVMF: "We originated our missions out of Ubon RTAFB, Thailand and often used airports in Cambodia to refuel and rearm our aircraft to extend our time on station. Our normal aircraft configuration included a 230 gallon centerline fuel tank, 4 rocket pods and 4 M60 machine guns. This heavy load caused very poor aircraft performance immediately after takeoff. We often encountered civilians crossing the runway at Phnom Penh during our takeoffs. This is what happened to Dick." "In such situations, we had 3 basic choices that included aborting the takeoff, lowering flaps to be able to fly over the people and then either landing back on the runway to continue a normal takeoff or simply continuing the takeoff with flaps down. All evidence suggests that Dick elected to continue the takeoff and either lost power or simply did not have sufficient airspeed to cope with all of the drag on the aircraft. Either way, he raised the landing gear but then settled back on the runway, rupturing the fuel tank and starting a fire." "Dick egressed the aircraft but was hit by one of his own rockets as the fire caused them to cook off. Dick died while trying to save the people crossing the runway." "May God Bless Dick and his family. I remember him every Memorial Day and in my daily thoughts and prayers. We were in the same squadron and were USAFA classmates." His was the last OV-10 lost in the war. Shown below is an overhead picture of the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Alexandria, VA. Dedicated on 6 July 2002, the Plaza/Memorial both remembers and honors not only 1st Lt Richard Tenney Gray, U.S. Air Force, with a Gold Star above his name, but the 66 other men from the city who died in Vietnam. The "Friends of Rocky Versace" annually conduct Memorial Day & Veterans Day Ceremonies at the Plaza/Memorial and cordially invite 1st Lt Gray's family members, Air Force Academy classmates, his brothers-in-arms and friends to join us at the observances. 1LT Richard Tenney "Dick" Gray was survived by his mother Jean Tenney Gray (unknown-2000), father Clinton Wyeville Gray (1915-1983), and sister Betty J. Gray, Davis CA. He is buried at the US Air Force Academy Cemetery, Colorado Springs, Colorado. - - The Virtual Wall, December 20, 2018

Contact Us

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

Last update 08/15/2019