"Please add picture of my friend James Pace to his memorial. I knew him at East Texas State university. He was a senior, I was a freshman. He was a great guy, with a winning smile and a positive outlook on everything. Rest in Peace "Jimbo", as I called Jim. Thank you sir." - - - Raymond Perry, May 29,2013

Records show that the 7 men below died when the UH-1D helicopter, tail number 65-12885, piloted by Warrant Officer James T Pace, was hit by a B-40 rocket while on a military mission. The "Huey" crashed and burned 13 Kilometers South, South East of LONG MY heliport. Further reports from unit members show that the ship call sign was Lucky Strike. Its mission was night recon, airfield defense, and outpost support. The ship was outfitted with a search light cluster and a 50 caliber machine gun on the Pilot's side, with two additional crew members on the left side with M-60 machine guns. The crew was well seasoned, having been in many fire fights, and had very impressive results in stemming enemy night activity around Soc Trang. The night of the crash, Lucky Strike was on patrol, being supported by a chase ship that flew above them; they reported that at the time of the incident, Lucky Strike was on the deck, light on, when the crew noticed a person running and they flew in to the area to investigate. When they were near the area where the person was seen, the ship was hit by what was thought to be B40 rockets. The ship exploded and crashed immediately; with no further communication.The chase ship contacted the Soc Trang duty officer Guardian Angel and 336th Operations. Call sign, Warrior 6 (336th's Company Commander) along with a heavy fire team (3 T-Bird gun ships) were scrambled, and responded to the crash site. All 336 helicopters were put on stand by for possible troop insertion. While in the crash area investigating, one of the gun ships took fire and crashed, killing the door gunner. The three remaining crew members were picked up. It was obvious to all that were there that the area had been setup as an ambush site, within a U shaped tree line. Warrior 6, knowing there was no hope for the crew of Lucky Strike, ordered all aircraft from the area, fearing more loss. They recovered the men's bodies the next morning. Read more information about the events on Helicopter UH-1D 65-12885 on the night of 27 February 1970 at The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) here. Those lost in the flight of the Lucky Strike and follow on search ship were: 336th Assault Helicopter Company (AHC) CWO Richard John Connelly, AC, Long Beach, California. SP4 Ronald Lee Mc Cormick, Gunner, Clarksburg, West Virginia. SP4 Mark Scott Miles, UH-1C tail 65-09437 Crew, Brea, California. WO1 James Taylor Pace, Pilot, Richardson, Texas. SP5 Daniel Vaughan Proctor, Gunner, Cleveland, Ohio. SP5 Ronald Wade Stafford, CE, Lake Monroe, Florida. SP4 Gary Lee Swartz, Crew, Lake Monroe, Florida. - - - The Virtual Wall, August 1, 2013

Below are photos of James courtesy of Bill Brown. One of him from high school or college yearbook and other is when he was given his warrant and promoted to WO1, with his wife Linda Kay pinning on his rank. Linda was living with her mother in law in Richardson Texas at the time of his death. James was survived by his wife, mother (Sara Reynolds Pace) and older brother (JOhn Franklin Pace, Jr). His mother passed away in 2000 while his father John Franklin Pace, had predeceased James in 1967. John Jr passed away in 2012. They are all buried in Plano Mutual Cemetery, Plano, Texas

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