THE WALL OF FACES

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….

Never forgotten.

Welcome home.

HOOAH

Dear Msgt Wilton Hatton,
Thank you for your service with the 362nd TEW Squadron. It is Good Friday. 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.

Master Sergeant Wilton Neil Hatton, Served with the 362nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 7th Air Force.

The Douglas C-47 was designed as a transport, gunship, and electronic or regular reconnaissance aircraft, depending on the configuration. The aircraft served in World War II and served French forces in Indochina in the 1950's, and returned to Vietnam at the outset of American involvement there. On February 5, 1969, an EC-47 (electronic surveillance) departed Pleiku Airbase, Republic of Vietnam on a tactical reconnaissance mission over Laos. The aircraft crew included LTC Harry T. Niggle, CAPT Walter F. Burke, MAJ Robert E. Olson, MAJ Homer M. Lynn Jr., MSGT Wilton N. Hatton, SSGT Rodney H. Gott, TSGT Louis J. Clever, SSGT James V. Dorsey Jr., SSGT Hugh L. Sherburn (radio operator on the aircraft), and SGT Clarence L. McNeill. The last radio contact with the aircraft was at 8:10 AM at which time it was located about 21 miles west-northwest of the city of Chavane in Saravane Province, Laos. When the aircraft failed to make a scheduled stop at Phu Bai Airport near Hue shortly before noon, search efforts were initiated to locate the aircraft. During the remainder of the day and for six succeeding days, extensive communication and ramp checks were made, as well as a visual search of the area from the last known position of the aircraft through its intended flight path. Because no information was forthcoming which would reveal the whereabouts of the missing aircraft and crew, the search was then terminated. In the fall of 1969, the wreckage of an EC-47 was located in a jungle-covered mountainous area in the approximate last known location of Sherburn's aircraft. The wreckage site was searched, and remains and a number of items were recovered. These items were later correlated to Sherburn's aircraft. The Department of the Air Force believes that the aircraft was faced with a sudden airborne emergency since the right wing of the aircraft was found some 500 meters from the main wreckage site. It was believed that the engine caught fire causing the wing to separate from the fuselage while the aircraft was still in the air. Further, the Air Force states that although the crew members had parachutes, it is unlikely that the apparent suddenness of the emergency would have permitted anyone to abandon the aircraft. The absence of emergency radio signals further diminished the hope that any of the crew members could have survived. At this time, the Air Force declared the ten men onboard the aircraft to be dead, and so notified the families. The remains found at the crash site were interred in a single grave at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Military officials told eight of the families that the remains of only two individuals had been identified, but would not reveal those identities to them. (It is assumed that the families of the two individuals identified were informed.) In February 1970, the Sherburn family was informed that the remains found at the crash site were skeletal and commingled and that Air Force identification specialists were unable to determine that they had a composite of ten individuals -- and were unable to establish the identity of any of the remains. [Narrative taken from pownetwork.org; image from wikipedia.org]