Charles Francis ScottCaptain355TH TFS, 354TH TFW, 7TH AF United States Air Force 11 August 1945 - 27 November 1973 Clearfield, Pennsylvania Panel 01W Line 120 |
| |
 
|
 Cadet C F Scott, USAF Academy |
The database page for Charles Francis Scott
|
Charles F Scott Charlie and I were roommates at the US Air Force Academy in 1964 and 1965. After I left the Academy early, I tried to stay in touch as we had become very good friends there. I didn't see him from 1965 to 1967 until we were in different classes at Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas. Charlie graduated from UPT in 1968. His first Southeast Asia tour initially was in Vietnam flying AC-47 side-firing gunships "Spooky" from Hue/Phu Bai Air Base or Da Nang Air Base. He later transferred to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. After I left UPT, I lost touch again until I caught up to him at 14th Special Operations Wing Headquarters at Nha Trang Air Base when I was processing in as a new AC- 47 navigator in March 1969. (We didn't know about the similar assignment choices.) We went to opposite ends of South Vietnam and didn't see each other again after those 2 days. In 1988-89, retired from USAF AC-130 gunships at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, I received my Air Commando Association newsletter and read of an honorary membership for the widow and child of Charles F. Scott since he had died in Thailand in 1973! He had gone to high school in Pennsylvania and I thought he'd made it home. I hadn't heard about his death for 15 years! Sometimes, I wish I hadn't heard about it at all but, this way, at least I can look after his being remembered.
I am especially interested in hearing (e-mail or otherwise) from Charlie's survivors and other friends. My e-mail address is
richardkatu@aol.com 30 Nov 2003
Thanksgiving 2003 -- the 30th anniversary of the loss of my best roommate, ever. This is just to try to update Charlie's Memorial page. His best High School friend, Clearfield Police Chief Judd Zimmer, has secured information that Charlie was awarded 8 Oak Leaf clusters to his Air Medal, and 6 campaign stars to the Vietnam Service Medal.
During his first Vietnam tour Charlie was with the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Da Nang AB, RVN, flying AC-47 gunships.
Chao ong, Rich "K-2" Koeteeuw richardkatu@aol.com |
|
First let me say that I didn't know my cousin; I was too young to remember him. I do remember his father, who was the editor of our local newspaper and my mother's cousin, and the events surrounding his burial. When he was killed overseas, his father was told that they would not authorize his burial in Arlington. One night our phone rang fairly late. It was his father telling my mother that his son had been killed in Vietnam and that they would not allow him to be buried in Arlington. Because my mother's sister was married to a man who was fairly high up in the VA, his father desperately turned to my parents for help. I remember a flurry of phone calls being made in a very short time and eventually, the authorization was given. Although my parents went to the funeral, my sisters and I stayed at home. I was thirteen years old. To this day, I remember the grief on his father's face and the extra pain and suffering he went through just to bury his son. I also recall that his father was emotionally crushed believing that the government did not value his son because of the way they were treating the burial arrangements. My father, who was a WWII vet, was furious that the family had to fight to bury him in Arlington when so many were being lauded in the papers for running to Canada and protesting in the streets. If they were alive today, both his father and mine would be very pleased to see this memorial. Thanks to all for their kind words.
From his cousin. |
Notes from The Virtual WallThe 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, flying A-7D aircraft, deployed from Myrtle Beach AFB to Korat RTAFB on 10 Oct 1972. The 354th TFW had three squadrons of A-7s assigned at the time of Captain Scott's loss:
|
|
Top of Page
 www.VirtualWall.org Back to |
With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 08/10/2009