THE WALL OF FACES

Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) was the designation for U.S. military advisors sent to other countries to assist in the training of conventional armed forces and facilitate military aid. Numerous MAAGs operated around the world, the most famous being those active in South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, before and during the Vietnam War. SSG Maurice W. Flournoy served with the 6003rd Support Squadron, Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam (MAAGV). On the morning of February 27, 1960, Flournoy’s remains were pulled from the Mekong River six days after he had gone missing. His death was carried by the U.S. Department of Defense as occurring in Vietnam; however, multiple articles in the El Campo Citizen (El Campo, TX) and elsewhere state the accident happened in Laos. A U.S. Air Force missing report dated February 21, 1960, marked "Secret" supports the Laos location since the presence of active duty U.S. military in Laos was classified in1960. The El Campo Citizen article claimed Flournoy “drowned when he fell from a river boat while on a picnic cruise while stationed in Laos.” It went on to say that four Americans with him dove into the swiftly moving current to rescue Flournoy, but his body was never sighted. Six days later, his remains were recovered and flown to San Francisco by military transport. [Sourced at coffeltdatabase.org and El Campo Citizen (El Campo, TX), March 8, 1960, transcribed at findagrave.com]

Taken from The Brazosport Facts (Freeport, TX), March 15, 1960, courtesy of Brett Derbes, Texas State Historical Association, Austin, TX.

Staff Sergeant Maurice Wilburn Flournoy, Served with the 6003rd Support Squadron, Military Assistance Advisory Group Vietnam (MAAGV).

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will remain in our hearts forever…..

He was my great grandmothers cousin and me and my grandma were so shocked to see this. We love you and you died with a good cause.