18 Oct 2001 Donovan K. Walters, my husband, was shot down the 21st of December. Our 6th wedding anniversary would have been December 23rd. I was called 16 years and one day later on December 22nd, 1988, and was told his remains were being returned. One might think I would hate Christmas but I don't. Don brought to me everything good and wonderful that I ever had in my life. We have a son who is a Major in the Air Force. He and his wife produced my only grandchild, a son. Our daughter, Christine, was born on her Dad's birthday. She was only 4 months old when he was sent to Guam. They never got to celebrate their birthday together. Charleen Walters ckw5200@hotmail.com

 

28 Mar 2007 Don was the first friend and only ROTC classmate who was on the Wall, MIA. When I was on the debriefing team for the POW's, I kept hoping to hear something about him. I saluted the Wall and cried when it was new - Never knew the true outcome till today. It is nice to have closure for a friend who was lost. Rest in Peace, old friend. Jerry E. Wesch Capt, USAF 1970-74 jerrywesch@sbcglobal.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall LINEBACKER II operations, popularly known as the "Christmas Bombings", began in December 1972 and involved extrememly heavy operations by land- and carrier-based tactical aircraft and B-52 heavy bombers operating from Guam and Thailand. On 21 December 21, 1972, a B-52G bomber operating from Guam was hit by an SA-2 surface-to-air missile just west of Hanoi after coming off target. The seven men aboard were LtCol Keith R. Heggen, captured, died in captivity (remains repatriated 1974); LtCol Edward H. Johnson, navigator, MIA; LtCol James Y. Nagahiro, pilot, captured and released in February 1973; Capt Donovan K. Walters, co-pilot, MIA; Capt Lynn R. Beens, captured and released in February 1973; Capt Robert R. Lynn, electronic warfare officer, MIA; and A1C Charles J. Bebus, gunner, MIA. In 1976, the Secretary of the Air Force approved presumptive findings of death for the four crewmen listed as Missing in Action. In October 1988, the Vietnamese returned the remains of Bebus, Johnson, Lynn and Walters to U.S. control. The 306th Bombardment Wing site is at http://www.306thbw.org/ Visit the Arc Light Memorial

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