THE WALL OF FACES

Stan was my roomate in USAF Pilot Training at Reese AFB, TX, CLASS 58N, graduating 28 May 1958. We met up again in May 1961 at Hurlburt AFB, Fl. in a top secret project called 'Jungle Jim', JFK's reactivation of the famous WWII 1st Air Commando Group. We were given WWII aircraft and sent to Vietnam ostensibly to (train) Vietnamese in fighting the anti-government Viet Cong guerillas. In fact, we were the USAF Special Operations Air Commando unit working with the Army Green Berets to set up their camps, resupply them and defend them when they came under attack. Stan deployed in November 1961 and was lost Feb. 2, 1962 on a psywar leaflet drop near a Green Beret Special Forces camp. RIP Stan.

First Lieutenant Stanley Gerald Hartson, Served with the 1st Air Commando Squadron, 314th Air Division, 13th Air Force.

Dear Lt Stanley Hartson,
Thank you for your service as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot. Your 83rd birthday is soon, happy birthday. It is Holy Week. The war was years ago, but we all need 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.

Lt. Hartson,

A day doesn't go by that you and the others KIA 2/11/62 are in my thoughts and prayers. I served with MAAG-VN. I stood on the tarmac with others at Bien Hoa Air Base to pay our respects at a memorial service. There were 8 flag draped caskets lined up. One of them could have been for me. It haunts me to this day. Never forget.

On Sunday, February 11, 1962, a Douglas SC-47A aircraft (# 15732) from 1st Air Commando Squadron, 314th Air Division, 13th Air Force was on a propaganda leaflet dropping flight over South Vietnam when it crashed in the mountains near Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province, South Vietnam. The aircraft’s proposed flight path was from Saigon to Da Nang to drop propaganda leaflets with a New Year's message from President Kennedy over the high plateau area of central Vietnam. As the aircraft swept low near the village of Blao, a concealed enemy force opened fire. The plane was struck by small arms fire and crashed in the mountains southwest of the village. A joint U.S./Vietnamese rescue team was sent to the crash site to recover the remains of the eight U.S. servicemen who were aboard the aircraft. They included six USAF personnel: CAPT Edward K. Kissam Jr., CAPT Joseph M. Fahey Jr., 1LT Jack D. Le Tourneau, 1LT Stanley G. Hartson, TSGT Floyd M. Frazier, and A1C Robert L. Westfall; two U.S. Army personnel: 2LT Lewis M. Walling Jr., and SP4 Glen F. Merrihew; and 2 unknown South Vietnamese Air Force personnel. [Taken from aviation-safety.net and togetherweserved.com]