THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Dear Tsgt Raymond Leftwich, Thank you for your service as a Fixed Wing Crewman with the 699th Security Squadron. I researched you on your 53rd Anniversary, sad. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Happy Spring! For many of us, we have begun Lent. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

I am so happy to learn that you and your family have stepped up and served this Country as you have! I am sure that your Dad is looking down on you all and even guiding you in ways that you are unawares.
Your Dad also has had a huge impact my own life. I married an Army guy...and our daughter married a Lt. Col. Air Force guy.
Keeping the tradition...with Honor.
Always thinking of your Dad. always. Love, Terri

Hi Dad, I named my oldest son after you. I married, have 2 great sons and 2 excellent grandchildren. Your legacy: I joined the Army, our oldest son joined the Marines and fought tyranny in Iraq and your great grandson is going into the Navy. We will honor your legacy of fighting tyranny and oppression as long as we have breath in our bodies.

On March 9, 1967, a Douglas RC-47 (#43-49201), call sign Tide-86, from the 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, departed Nha Trang Air Base at 1425 hours local time on an afternoon unarmed ELINT (electronic intelligence) mission. The stimated time of arrival (ETA) back at the base was 2055hrs. When the aircraft failed to return as scheduled, a communications search was initiated but yielded no results. Shortly after midnight, search and rescue operations were notified that Tide 86 was missing. Bad weather hampered visual search efforts, but at approximately 0810hrs on March 11, 1967, an O-1 Bird Dog forward air controller spotted the aircraft wreckage. The aircraft had crashed about 10 miles south of Duc Pho. By mid-afternoon, the area had been secured and a joint 361st/6994th team was lifted to the site by helicopter. The wreckage was on a hillside, approximately 200 feet below the ridge. The aircraft appeared to have been in a climbing left turn. The left wing was torn off and the forward half of the aircraft was torn apart, scattered and burned. The rear portion of the fuselage lay 140 feet down the valley in an inverted position, badly torn apart but not burned. The enemy had "thoroughly combed the area stripping valuables, survival gear, boots, and socks, side arms, and canteens." The airborne radio direction finding (ARDF) equipment did not appear to have been tampered with. Seven crew members were killed in the crash. They included four members of the 361st Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron: MAJ Ivel D. Freeman, MAJ Leroy P. Bohrer, CAPT Roger P. Richardson, and SSGT Prentice F. Brenton; and three members of the 6994th Security Squadron: TSGT Raymond F. Leftwich, A1C Charles D. Land, and A1C Daniel C. Reese. The bodies of all seven crew members were recovered and an army demolition team destroyed the remains of Tide 86. [Taken from 6994th.com, ec47.com, and vvmf.org]