THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrances from Randy Kelso are touching and reflect his admiration and respect for you. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Never forgotten.

Semper Fortis

Dear Lt David Kardell, Thank you for your service as an Unrestricted Line Officer (Pilot) on the USS CORAL SEA. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Election Day is in 2 days. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

It's hard to believe it's been more than 50 years since your loss. Please know that there are a lot of us that still think of you and remember you as one of the good guys. In our minds you will never grow old.

Veryl Champine

LT David A. Kardell was the pilot of an F-8D Crusader assigned to Fighter Squadron 154 on board the USS CORAL SEA. On May 9, 1965 Kardell and LT Jack Terhune were providing fighter protection for a flight of attack aircraft on a road reconnaissance mission in North Vietnam. The target area was just inside Thanh Hoa Province, about 10 miles southwest of Co Dinh near the Nghe An Province border. Toward the end of the flight, the attack planes spotted a military vehicle which they did not want to attack with bombs because it was too near a populated area. The leader of the attack planes called for assistance in destroying the vehicle. Lieutenant Kardell initiated a strafing attack against the target, with Lieutenant Terhune following. His attack was right on target, but instead of pulling out at a safe altitude, his plane was observed to continue its dive until it impacted with the ground and exploded. It is not known whether his plane was hit by ground fire or some other malfunction developed during the dive. There was no radio transmission indicating that he was experiencing trouble, nor did the pilots on the scene receive any answer to their transmission telling Lieutenant Kardell to pull up. Lieutenant Terhune, his wingman, witnessed the entire dive and was certain that Lieutenant Kardell had not ejected. He searched the area thoroughly for a parachute or other signs of survival, with negative results. [Taken from pownetwork.org]