THE WALL OF FACES

Though 53 years have passed since you departed, your service & memory will never be forgotten. I connected deeply with you while visiting the WWII Memorial in Salem, MA, & am thankful that you shared your story with me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your selfless sacrifice & service to this country. You are dearly missed.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrance from fellow airman Walt Troy is moving. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us.

Airman First Class Ronald Charles DeForrest, Served with the 554th Reconnaisance Squadron, 553rd Reconnaissance Wing, 7th Air Force.

Dear A1C Ronald Deforrest,
Thank you for your service as a Fixed Wing Crewman. Your 49th anniversary is tomorrow.... It is so important for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

On April 25, 1969, a U.S. Air Force Lockheed EC-121R Super Constellation (#67-21493) with the call sign of BATCAT 21 from the 553rd Recon Squadron, was scheduled for a combat tactical mission out of Korat, Thailand. BATCAT 21 started engines approximately 15:20 and commenced taxi to run-up position at 15:30. After completing engine run-up, the flight was cleared for takeoff by Korat Tower at 15:54 and was advised to contact departure control. BATCAT 21 established contact with departure control and requested information on the position, direction of movement and speed of the thunderstorm cell near the base. Departure control advised BATCAT 21 that the thunderstorm was over the base and extended 20 miles southwest. BATCAT 21 requested a right turn after takeoff and radar vectoring around the thunderstorms. The controller requested the crew to maintain runway heading and indicated that he would vector the aircraft around the thunderstorms. Prior to becoming airborne, BATCAT 21 was advised that he was cleared to turn right to two eight zero degrees. The flight reported airborne at 15:58 and departure control advised the heading was two eight zero degrees and he would radar identify BATCAT 21. This was acknowledged and a short time later the crew requested to make a right turn if possible as it was very turbulent. Korat departure control approved the request. No further transmissions were received from BATCAT 21. At approximately two and one half miles after lift-off and about 500 feet altitude, the aircraft entered a down draft which also was an area of strong wind shear. The aircraft experienced turbulence, but more significantly, the relative wind swiftly changed from a 20 knot head wind to at least a 20 knot tail wind. As the aircraft descended it entered the region closest to the ground where the tail wind was the strongest. Witness reports and wind damage estimates indicate the there was a most likely 60 knot tail wind at the surface when the aircraft crashed. The aircraft impacted with the ground gear up, engine power METO (Maximum Except Take Off). The initial point of impact was in a rice paddy at a ground speed of 221 knots. Indicated airspeed was approximately 150-160 knots. As the aircraft traversed the rice paddies the under part of the wings and the propellers began to disintegrate. A dike separating the rice paddies, 80 yards from impact, started the disintegration of the accessory section of the engines. The right wing then struck a tree stump causing the path of the aircraft to veer slightly right. It continued on this path an additional 30 yards, struck another stump and returned to its original path across the ground, striking a tree with the number 2 engine and exploding 255 yards from impact. The fuselage continued down the rolling hill separating the two rice paddy areas and flipped to the right (the right side of the cockpit being the pivot point), finally coming to rest 300 yards from the touchdown point. Eighteen personnel, the entire crew, were lost with the BATCAT 21 crash. They included TSGT James H. Belflower, TSGT Albert N. Booker, MAJ Thomas M. Brandom Jr., A1C Michael J. Cotterill, SSGT Jerald C. Davis, A1C Ronald C. DeForrest, TSGT Warren C. DeLaney, SSGT Paul Faulk, TSGT Kenneth W. Fowler, LTC Emerson E. Heller, CAPT George R. Kidd, MAJ Paul R. Lunsford, 1LT John A. Marsh, LTC William C. McCormick Jr., SGT Mitchel Messing, SSGT James D. Moore, SGT Mark M. Steeley, and A1C William D. Stepp. [Taken from aviation-safety.net]