THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. May you rest in eternal peace.

On October 23, 1966, a U.S. Air Force North American T-28D Trojan (#49-1582) from the 606th Air Command Squadron took off on a familiarization flight from Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in northeast Thailand. The piston-engine trainer aircraft failed to return as scheduled, and the following day the USAF reported that it had crashed for unknown reasons and both crewmen were killed. The lost crew were CAPT Samuel J. Baker and LTC William J. Newton. On November 1st and 8th, 1966, a government operative reported that Thai inhabitants of the Sakon Nakhon area where the Trojan went down observed the plane linger or circle the crash area for a short period of time and small arms fire was heard before the aircraft dived and crashed. The inhabitants related that they believed the T-28 was shot down by Thai communists. The vicinity of the crash site was reportedly infested with Thai communists of considerable strength having the capability of downing low-flying prop-driven aircraft. The source providing this information believed the Trojan was very probably brought down by rifle and/or light machine gun fire generated by the Thai communists. USAF crash investigators initially reported that the cause of the crash was not determined due to the disintegration of the aircraft on impact making examination of the wreckage or combat damage difficult. Lab examination of the engine was to be conducted as well as x-rays of crew remains to confirm the cause of the crash. The USAF later determined this was an operational rather than a combat loss and neither crewman was awarded a Purple Heart medal. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and “Message - Re: 606th Air Commando Squadron [Best Quality] - Miscellaneous Project CHECO Document” at ttu.edu]

Captain Samuel James Baker Jr., Served with the 606th Air Commando Squadron, 634th Combat Support Group, 7th Air Force.

Capt. Samuel J. Baker (Service Years 1962-1966) was reported missing while on a familiarization flight in Thailand on 23 Oct 1966. His T-28D (#49-1582) aircraft departed its home base and did not return as scheduled. A search was initiated when the aircraft's known fuel supply was exhausted which resulted in the location of wreckage positively identified as that of the missing aircraft.

Location of Interment:
United States Air Force Academy Cemetery
Colorado Springs, Colorado

INFO:https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=79528

DEAR CAPTAIN BAKER,
THANKS FOR BEING A TACTICAL AIRCRAFT PILOT - VARIOUS. AND THANKS FOR GOING TO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY.
HALLOWEEN IS APPROACHING, AND ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS' DAYS - THE DAYS WE HONOR THOSE WHO LEFT US. MAY THE SAINTS AND ANGELS GUIDE YOU. REST IN PEACE.