Fair Winds And Following Seas
To The Squadron Members We Have Lost
☛ A Video Tribute To Our Fallen Squadron Members  The Path Of The Warrior 


Arlington National Cemetery - Washington D.C. - October 2008

Gone, But Never Forgotten...

A Table With A Lone Chair Set In Remembrance Of Our Fallen Squadron Members

The Table, Set For One Symbolizes The Frailty Of One Person, One Service Man, Alone, Against His Or Her Oppressors
The Table Is Round, Showing That Our Concern For Them Is Never Ending. The Chair Is Empty For They Are Not Here

The Glass Is Inverted For They Will Not Drink With Us Tonight. Upon The Plate Is A Slice Of Lemon And A sprinkling Of Salt.
The Lemon Reminds Us Of The Bitterness They Feel, The Salt Symbolizes The Tears Of Families As They Wait

The Yellow Candle Symbolizes The Everlasting Hope For A Joyous Reunion With Those Yet Unaccounted For

Red And Yellow Ribbons Tied On A Vase Are A Request That We Demand A Proper Accounting Of Our Missing. The Vase
Holds A Red Rose In Honor Of Those Who Made The Ultimate Sacrifice When They Gave Their Lives For Their Country.
The White Rose Is For Those Who Returned Alive. The Yellow Rose Is For Those Who Are Still Missing In Action.

The Black Napkin Stands For The Emptiness These Warriors Have Left In The Hearts Of Their Family And Friends

The Bible Represents Faith In A Higher Power And The Pledge To This Country Which Was Founded As One Nation Under God

The Tablecloth Is White To Symbolize The Purity Of Their Intentions To Respond To Their Countries Call To Arms

All Of You Who Served With Them And Called Them Shipmates, Please Remember That They Represent The Highest Level Of
Commitment To Defending The Principles Of Freedom That Have Made Our Nation Great. Surely They Have Not Forsaken You

Throughout This Ceremony Let The Candle's Flame Represent Their Presence In Our Hearts And Let It's
Light Shine As A Beacon Of Our Resolve To Never Let These Members Of Our Squadron Be Forgotten

      *-Presented By Melvin Biggs At The Fort Worth Reunion

Lost In-Country

LT "PETE"R FRANSSON RUSSELL
Of WHARTON, NJ Was Born On: Tuesday, March 12, 1940
He Died Over Kien Giang Province, South Vietnam On: Friday, May 23, 1969
A Single Shot Struck Him And His OV-10A During A Strafing Run
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 24W - Row 090

LT "AUBREY" GRADY MARTIN
Of BEEVILLE, TX Was Born On: Tuesday, September 29, 1942
He Died When His OV-10A Was Shot Down In South Vietnam On: Saturday, July 19, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 20W - Row 020

LTJG "ROY" DEAN SIKKINK
Of TULSA, OK Was Born On: Friday, May 26, 1944
He Died When His OV-10A Was Shot Down In South Vietnam On: Saturday, July 19, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 20W - Row 023

LTJG "JOEL" ALEXIS SANDBERG
Of MERIDEN, CT Was Born On: Wednesday, August 8, 1945
He Died In A Crash In Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam On: Saturday, December 20, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 15W - Row 074

CAPT CARL EDWIN LONG (USMC)
Of COLLEGE STATION, TX Was Born On: Tuesday, February 8, 1944
He Died In A Crash In Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam On: Saturday, December 20, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 15W - Row 073
Carl's Remains Were Recovered And Returned To The United States
They Were Buried In Site 50 Of Section 68 In Arlington National
Cemetery In Washington D.C. On September 16, 2004

LCDR "JERE" ALAN BARTON
Of SAN DIEGO, CA Was Born On: Thursday, August 10, 1939
He Died When His OV-10A Was Shot Down In Kien Tuong Province, South Vietnam On: Sunday, June 7, 1970
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 09W - Row 023
He Is Buried In Site 494-2 In Section 46 Of Arlington National Cemetery In Washington D.C.

LT ROBERT "BOB" EDWARD LUTZ JR
Of TROY, OH Was Born On: Saturday, August 20, 1938
He Died In A Crash Offshore Of South Vietnam On: Wednesday, February 9, 1972
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 02W - Row 105

And Though They Did Not Die In War; Friends They Will Be Evermore
The Glory And Honor They Earned For Serving Will Never Fade
For They Have Built A Home In The Minds Of Their Shipmates Forever

Lost While Serving Their Country

LT WILLIAM J. "FLASH" LEEBURN
Died In A Crash Of An OV10A While Training Replacement
Pilots At N.A.S. North Island On August 7, 1970

ADJC SHERRY NORMAN "JOHNNIE" JOHNSON
Born On September 8, 1943. Died From Self Inflicted Gun Shot Wound On August 23, 1971.

LT J.W. BREWSTER
Lost At Sea When His C1A "Trader" Crashed Enroute From Naples To Sigonella On January 17, 1972. Born
On March 12, 1945 And Is Buried At The Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas - Section P Site 2688

CWO SAM FLEMING
Died In A C-141 Crash In Washington On March 21, 1975

AE1 FRANCIS 'LAYNE' "BUDDY" LABHART
Born May 6, 1941. Murdered On March 23, 1975 Near NAS Barber's Point Hawaii
While Serving As A P3 Flight Engineer Assigned To VP-1.
He Is Buried In Site 2428 Of Section 37 In Arlington National Cemetery Near Washington D.C.

AO3 MICHAEL E. RYAN
From Fort Meyers Florida. Died While Attached To VP-44 When The P-3 He
Was Assigned To Crashed In Morocco On June 3, 1972 While On Routine Patrol

LT STEVE SALZMAN
TA-4 Crash - 1973

Lost Ponies

LCDR RON BALLARD
Complications From Pulmonary Fibrosis - October 7, 2005

LCDR BILL BARTLETT
Cancer - 1999

LCDR JAMES BECKER
Born December 1934 Lost His Battle With Lung Cancer On July 9, 2009 In San Diego, California.

ABH BOB BLAIR
Passed Away October 24, 2012 In Brookings Harbor, Oregon

LT JIM BOHANNA
Died From Inoperable Cancer
February 20, 2007 - Pleasanton, California

AO2 DAVE CAMPFIELD
Born July 1947 - Lost His Battle With Pancreatic Cancer On January 13, 2009 In Ouzinkie, Alaska (Kodiak Island).
He Is Survived By His Wife Angelina, Son James And Daughters Shelia, Sharon, Jean And Melodi.

ADJ GORDON CAUDILL
Cancer - 1989

ADJ GARY W. CHARF
Died From Cancer In His Hometown Of
Mayfield Heights, Ohio On December 30, 2003

ADR KENNETH W. COTTEN
Died From Heart Attack On March 28, 2005
In North Hollywood, California Where He Resided

AMSC KENNETH R. CRABTREE
Died From Complications After An Automobile Accident
On April 5, 2006 In Middleburg, Florida.
He Is Buried At Ridgedale Cemetery In Saltville, Virginia

AME1 (CWO4) JIM ELIAS
Died After A Long Fight With Cancer
February 23, 2009 In Middleburg, Florida

AN JAMES EVARISTO
Lost On June 12, 1993 From Lymphoma Cancer At Age 45

ADJ ORDLE H. FITZGERALD
Died At Age 71 From Lung Cancer On January 13, 2010 In
Jacksonville, Florida Near His Home In Middleburg

AE BEN FRANKLIN
Died From Lung Cancer May 10, 2007 In Corpus Christi, Texas.
He Is Buried In Duncan Cemetery In Corpus Crhist, Texas

AT BILL GARRETT
Passed Away On August 24, 2003 In Lake Park, Georgia

YN HAROLD HANFORD
More Info Supposedly Coming

AT JAMES HORVATH
Lost His Fight With Pancreatic Cancer On November 11, 2009
He Is Buried In Section 4 Row 82 Site 9 Of The Albert Horton
Memorial Veteran's Cemetery In Suffolk, Virginia

ATR LAWRENCE HUNT
More Info Supposedly Coming

ADJ LAWRENCE JOHNSON Jr.
Died Peacefully In His Sleep On March 11, 2012
At His Home In Lancaster, California

LTJG JOSEPH KELLER
Died Of Cancer On September 25, 2001 In Springfield, Virginia
He Is Buried At Arlington National Cemetery In Section 66 Site 6558.

ADJ ROY LANGLITZ
Passed Away June 1984

LCDR TOM LANGSTON
Heart Attack Jan 8, 2008

ADJ VINCE LECRANN
Brain Hemmorage - March 1998

ADJ JAMES LEPINSKI
Died Of a Ruptured Aorta On November 28, 2012 In Mexico, Missouri

AT ROBERT LIPPERT
Passed Away On August 3, 2007.
He Is Buried At The Fort Gibson National Cemetery In Oklahoma In Section C-19 Site 416.

AT WILLIAM MITCHELL
Passed Away Suddenly
October 17, 2008 In San Diego, California

LT CHARLIE MOORE
Lost His Fight With Brain Cancer At His Home In Prospect, Kentucky On February 5, 2009

LCDR BOB PASTRE
Heart Attack - August 29 2007

LT RICHARD PRATT
Was Born On April 24, 1939 And Passed Away On September 9, 2006.
He Is Buried In Section 55 Site 113 At The Fort Logan National Cemetery In Denver, Colorado.

YN RONALD "YANKEE" PRESCOTT
Accident in Florida - July 1975

CDR LEONARD "SKIPPER" RAUSCH
Retired Captain - Born January 1929 Lost His Battle With Cancer And Pulmonary Fibrosis On July 8, 2009.
He Is Survived By His Wife Martinette, Son David, Daughter Lyn, Five Grandchildren And One Great Grandchild On November 23, 2009 He Was Buried In Site 14 Of Section 40 In Arlington National Cemetery

LCDR AL SCHAUER
Was Born On October 9, 1937, Passed Away In Pensacola, Florida On March 29, 2003.
He Is Buried At Hillcrest Cemetery In Endeavor, Wisconsin

CDR JAY SCHOENFELD
Was Born On October 1, 1936 And Die Of Cancer On March 25, 1998
He Is Buried In Section CBD Row 1 Site 772 At The Fort Rosecranns National Cemetery In San Diego, California

AO RICHARD SEEGER
Died From Complications From Surgery - September 30, 2011

LTJG HAROLD "HAL" SMITH
Died In A Plane Crash In Colorado - Summer 2003

AT CARL STONE
Accidental Death - Cincinnati, Ohio - 1993

ADJ BURDETT "BUD" STORCH
Heart Attack - Late 70's

AT STEVE SWEENY
Passed Away On October 23, 2006 From Complications
Of Diabetes In Crockett, Texas

ADJ ROGER STRONG
Passed Away While At A VA Hospital In Tennessee
October 17, 2003

ATN JERALD TAYLOR
Passed Away From A Brain Aneurysm During A Kidney Transplant
January 31, 1990 In Miami Florida

LCDR JOHN THOMAS
Passed Away In Forks, Washington In March 2007

CDR BRUCE LEE TURNER
Was Born On April 7, 1943 And Died Of Complications From A Battle With Kidney Cancer On August 22, 2004.
He Is Buried In Section P Row D Site 151 At The Tahoma National Cemetery In Kent, Washington

LTJG QUENTIN "BUTCH" UNDERKOFFLER
Avionics / Weapons Division Officer
Heart Attack - Feb 2001

AMH JEAN VARGO
Died From Pancreatic Cancer Caused By Agent Orange
May 21, 1976

AO WAYNE WALIN
Died From Inoperable Cancer
February 13, 2007 - Myrtle Creek, Oregon

LT TRUMAN DALE WARE
Died In The Crash Of A Christian Eagle - Oct. 1, 1987

ADJ LARRY WESTROPE
Passed Away In 2004 - Details Unknown

LCDR BOB WHITE
Cancer - 1986

AE CHARLES D. WIGGONTON
Was Residing In Alabama When He Passed Away From Complications
Of Heart And Kidney Problems On March 31, 2005

PLANKOWNER CDR. GIL "SKIPPER" WINANS
Our "Founding Father" Passed Away On June 13, 2011 From
Lifes Complications After His Gall Bladder Was Removed.
Retired Captain Winans Ashes Are Going To Be Spread At Sea.
Six Black Ponies Were In Attendance At His Memorial Service
At Everett Naval Station In Marysville, Washington.
Skipper Winans Was Eulogized By Skipper Marty Schuman, Whose
Words Were Read By Plankowner John Butterfield.

PR1 ERNEST A. WITHERS
Passed Away January 9, 2009 in Reidsville, NC

CDR L. A. "ZZ" ZAGORTZ
Cancer - 1989

Before We Take Leave And Until We Meet Again...
Whether Taken From Us By Combat, Accident, Or Illness; Let All Know How Proud We Are To Have Had Each Of Them
Serve With Us. We Do Not Know How The Navy Finds Such Good And Able Men, We Only Know That They Came Forward
To Serve Their Country When Needed. Honor Them With Your Thoughts And Never Forget The Sacrifices They Have Made.

May The Lord Bless Them And Keep Them
May The Lord Make His Face Smile On Them
And Be Gracious To Them
May The Lord Show Them His Favor And Give Them His Peace
Fair Winds & Following Seas